Sunday Book Review!

Sen-Chan:  Latte's book review yesterday was the impetus I needed to insist that #1 sit in front of her computer and take dictation from me. I was almost late with my own review of A.S.Cat's "Life in the Cat's Lane."

Let's start with the book cover:   

And here is my review:

Life in the Cat’s Lane by A.S. Cat

A review by Sengikumaru (aka Sen-Chan), Sorrel Abyssinian, One Year Old, Resident of France

I was very interested indeed to read this book because I share my life with a dog, and thought it would be illuminating to see what the experience is like for other cats. In actual fact, the major thing that was illuminated was the utter idiocy of poor A.S.Cat's owner.

This woman foisted a young pup on her elderly cat (In Japan, the country whence my name comes, they do  have a “Respect for  the Aged Day”!) without taking the trouble to research the matter or prepare the cat. Anyone with any sensitivity knows that cats dislike change, and that introducing a young puppy (even another cat!) to an elderly cat is fraught with danger for the cat's psyche. Anyone who would bother to look it up would find out that Chows (the puppy's breed) are aloof and very “un-dog-like.” But it seems this owner was both ignorant ad uninterested in learning. The puppy suddenly arrived and the cat was just supposed to deal with it…! And the cat's feelings aside, she knew nothing, but NOTHING, about the kind of dog she had purchased for a vast sum of money. Can you believe such a thing? I almost felt as sorry for the dog as for Sooty!

At the beginning of the book, I thought that old Sooty was perhaps a bit grumpier than necessary but, with each page, I understood better and better the horrors that he was put through. I thought he did exceptionally well in the circumstances. I would have simply packed my bags and left.

Sooty does have a bit of a “thing” about pure-bred cats but I feel he should perhaps have looked more closely at his person's pedigree… Pure-bred cats are cats and, believe me, I can climb trees and run through fields with the best of the local moggies, whenever my #1 lets me out. Where my fate differs from poor Sooty's is that I clearly have an owner with a proper pedigree, one who bothered to do research about bringing a cat and a dog together AHEAD of time! She knew that the best chance of it all going swimmingly was to bring in a puppy when I was still less than 6 months old. My brother Tommy, an English Springer Spaniel, arrived when I was 4 months old (and he was 3 months old) and we simply adored each other from the first moment. I love nothing better than grooming him and sleeping curled up next to him. Dogs can be the best companions! And I have had a little (3 month old) Aby sister for the past few weeks! Here again, #1 took great pains to ensure that I was comfortable and happy with the transition, and I now have more fun than I can describe chasing her around the house (and being chased!) and playing.

Now, back to the book. It was a good read, despite the horrors it depicted. I did enjoy the monthly overview and  have decided to make “Purr Maximus” into one of my favourite expressions! I would definitely recommend reading it, if only as a sad exposé of how pathetic people can be. All of my friends know me to be the gentlest of cats but if I ever come across “that” woman, I will definitely find the softest bits on her and BITE!

Needless to say, photographic evidence is always helpful, so here are some shots of me with my brother Tommy.

He makes an exceptionally fine pillow:

And submits very valiantly to necessary grooming

He is a good playmate:

He is my brother and I love him