Cat Women: Female Writers on Their Feline Friends

Edited by Megan McMorris

A collection of writing about women and their cats, ranging from cute & witty to sad or thought-provoking. Also looks into that tired stereotype of the "crazy cat lady". As in its companion book for dog lovers titled Woman's Best Friend, most entries include a small black and white photo of the kitty in the story which really brings the writing alive for me.

I love animals and as a huge cat person, I especially love reading about cats. The writers in this collection provide many interesting insights into the female - cat relationship. I was a tiny bit disappointed that no single essay really captures what its like to love a cat and in this way, this book doesn't quite measure up to Woman's Best Friend, in which many of the essays caused me to break out the Kleenex box. Maybe my expectations were a bit too high or these stories just aren't quite as emotional. Cat Women does contain many rewarding stories and my favorites were:

• "Life with an Indian Street Cat" about a cat lover living in a country where cats are objects of fear and hatred


• a funny story about a cat rescuer who bravely admits to things like buying bunk beds for her kitties and creating flannel sheets and fleece pillowcases for them


• "Lessons Learned from a Blind Cat," the tale of a courageous cat who refuses gives up until cancer ultimately takes her life. Rudy teaches her owner that "...we're all only as handicapped as we act. We set our own limitations. If we want to climb a hill whose boundaries we don't know - for a view we can't even see - all we need to do is try."

I didn't really care for "Hanging with Scrappy T", a look at the world of cat shows that attempts to be humorous but slightly misses its mark. Over all, a satisfying read for cat lovers.