The Character of Cats: The Origins, Intelligence, Behavior and Stratagems of Felissilvestris Catus

by Stephen Budiansky

Book Overview

There are no seeing-eye cats, guard cats, or sled cats--and for very good reason. In The Character of Cats, acclaimed author and scientist Budiansky combines scientific research, fascinating lore, and his own infectious fondness for all things feline to elucidate the mysteries of these fickle creatures.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670030937
• ISBN13: 9780670030934
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 227 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

fascinating facts about how cats and humans came together

I was looking for a summary of new research on cat behavior and this book delivered exactly what I wanted. In addition, one learns where cats came from, that domestic and wild cats are genetically very similar, and why cats have not changed nearly to the same extent as other domestic animals. The bulk of the book is devoted to explaining how cats perceive the world. A number of fascinating experiments are used to explain cat bahavior. It even has some ideas on how to stop your cat from doing things that seem perfectly in order for the cat but disruptive to their humans (such as spraying). The book is extremely well written and a great read.

A fascinating read

As a first-time cat owner, I found my cat to be a great curiosity. In particular, I often wondered what my cat was thinking. I read an excerpt of this book in the June 2002 volume of The Atlantic Monthly, and I later received the book as a gift and read it voraciously. This answers many of the minute ponderings that had crossed my mind while living with my enigmatic cat (as well as many, many questions I never thought of). Among other things, it includes the feline family tree, info on the history of cats, behavior/ communication & learning. _The Character of Cats_ contains all sorts of fascinating tidbits, for example, I found explanations for why my cat charges if I stare at her, why she blinks her eyes at me, and why she rolls on her back to attract my attention when she wants to play. It explains cat's senses and gives an idea of how they perceive the world. It offers a kitty personality test. It explores how cats learn and therefore how they can be trained, including detailed info on training a cat to use the toilet! The only question it didn't answer is why my cat meows when I sneeze. As an added bonus, it has helped me to interpret my cat's communicative gestures and improve my relationship with her.I highly recommend this book for cat-curious people.

For the intelligent cat lover

Being an owner and lover of horses, dogs, and cats, and having enjoyed Budiansky's two books about horses and dogs, I was happy to find he had taken on cats. In this book also the wit and historic, scientific, and social details that make for an interesting read are there, and it is written upon the same premise as the books on the other two species: that the best way to love our domesticated animals is to understand and appreciate what they really are. Why cats have physically changed so little (unlike dogs) after domestication, and why they can be so social (despite being descendants of a very solitary species) are two interesting topics. I also found fascinating the story about human influence on the distribution of cat colors (and number of toes) worldwide. That traveling ancient Egyptians apparently snatched cats they found abroad to "return" them to Egypt is one bizarrely amusing historical anecdote that made this book a pleasant read for me. And the story of the cat that attacked its owner who was bathing a parrot is weirdly unforgettable. Although this isn't necessarily a how-to book, it contains good information on behavior that can help with problems cat owners encounter. I found some practical information that helped me improve a new-cat-added-to-three-cat-household problem. I'd recommend this book to cat owners who are as curious as their cats.

Beautifully written summary of scientific knowledge

This book is a terrific, elegantly written (and occasionally funny) summary of the scientific understanding we have about cats. Among other things, its useful to know what is really demonstrated and what is just folklore. And yes, cats are just as unique as we think they are. Although solidly based on research, the book is written in a journalistic style that is easy to read. I am a high school biology teacher and read a lot of science, Budiansky is one of the very best of the popularizers. Parts of this book are so eloquent, I plan to read them aloud to my classes.