Cats Are Not Peas: A Calico History of Genetics

If you love cats, you will love this book, and want to share it with others. Laura Gould has written the charming, witty, delightful story of her male calico cat, George, and his feline pal Max in their California home. That alone would have been a wonderful book. But aren't all calico cats female? The vet turned pale upon seeing George, obviously male and obviously calico. Gould intersperses George's' life story with her own investigation into how he could have come to exist. This makes a gentle, funny, and accurate introduction to genetics, including side trips to libraries with insane librarians preventing the books from being used, to theories of sex before the discovery of genes and DNA, and to rare Japanese sources. Cat lore, history and science are beautifully balanced in this book. The second edition brings the genetics up to date, while keeping all the charm of George. A superb read!

Best explanation of the calico phenomenon I have ever read. SHe explains the basics and the history behind the rare male calico in a clear and enertaining way. The lessons on basic genetics as you go is a unique way of presenting things.

I found this book quite by accident but it was exactly what I was looking for. Not only did this book share my love of cats and interest in calicos but gave a clear and easy to understand explanation of calico genetics.

"Cats are Not Peas" by Laura Gould is remarkably well written, and manages to be both very funny and very accurate. Laura discovered that George, one of the two cats she got from the animal shelter was both undeniably male and undeniably a calico. But calico cats are always female, according to legend and some vets. So how did George come to be? Laura's investigations began with the vet who turned pale, and included a charming series of adventures with cats, libraries (with the occasional librarian whose duty it was to prevent books being used), investigations into the history of genetics (thus giving the book its title), and Japanese newspaper archives. This is no dry scientific tome. In fact, Laura's search for an explanation for George is tightly interwoven with delightful stories of George (and his companion, Max) at home in the California hills, blistfully oblivious to their mistress' task, and coping in their delightfully feline way with their unusual environment. I've already bought 6 copies of this extraordinary book for friends and relatives...

Gould's research into the genetics of calico cats began when she acquired George, one of those creatures that popular wisdom says doesn't exist: a male calico cat. She mixes anecdotes about George along with simple explantions of his not-so-simple genetics. The book is enlivened by historical overviews of strange, antiquated theories about reproduction and stories of frustrated early geneticists who tried to solve the calico puzzle. In her attempts to figure out George, Gould has provided an accessible introduction to genetics (not just feline) that anyone can understand-it doesn't matter if you can only vaguely remember Mendel's name from high school. Cat-lovers in particular will appreciate this book, but even if you aren't interested in cats or you know all about Barr bodies, Gould's inquisitive and humorous style still makes for a fun read