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The House of Thirty Cats
Sarah liked to think of Miss Tabitha Henshaw's house as "almost an enchanted place." With her thirty cats, there was no better place to visit if you wanted just the right kitten. Soon Sarah and the old lady become friends, and Sarah also gets to know each of the cats' personalities. But when an angry neighbor complains to the town council, they tell Miss Tabitha the cats must go. Then Sarah has an idea: if she can match cats with people, perhaps she can find all her feline friends new homes.
278 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
162 people want to read
About the author
Mary Calhoun
63 books36 followersMary Louise Huiskamp Wilkins, also known as Mary Calhoun was born on August 3, 1926 in Keokuk, Iowa. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism for the University of Iowa in 1948. She was hired as a reporter for the World-Herald in Omaha, Nebraska after graduation. Her fascination with spirits and folklore of the 19th century led her to write stories about witches, elves, cats, dwarfs, and pixies. She has also published stories in Jack and Jill and Humpty Dumpty magazines. She worked at the Omaha World Herald before marrying fellow journalist Frank Calhoun. Her first book, Making the Mississippi Shout, was published in 1957. She wrote more than 50 children's books during her lifetime including the Katie John series, Julie's Tree, Henry the Sailor Cat, and Cross-Country Cat. She died on October 27, 2015 at the age of 89.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 17, 2015
The middle-school me would have given this book a solid five stars. Reading it again forty years later, it gets a nostalgic four. I too wanted a cat, and couldn't have one. My dad often boastfully said, "The only good cat is a dead one. " Interesting that the moment any of his children left home, the first thing all of us but one did, was acquire at least one cat. I pored over this story as a kid, loving Miss Tabitha and her cat-centred house. Nowadays, I know Miss Tabitha would be called a cat hoarder, and the vet would be actively encouraging her to get her strays and pets neutered and rehomed, but when this book came out (and it reads like it was actually written much earlier than 1970), a surprising number of people didn't worry about spaying and neutering, particularly of cats. Shoot, a surprising number of people didn't worry about getting their cats vaccinated!
The adult me wondered how the house could be so clean with all those cats around, but hey, it's meant to be wish-fulfillment fiction. We're supposed to think more about lonely Sarah, who learns that she is not the centre of a world with cardboard adult characters around the edges, and that to have friends you have to actively seek interaction with others; and even then it can be hard. Sarah's parents are pretty self-absorbed; her mom only notices her daughter when things don't go just so. Sarah is a believable introverted adolescent of the time--I was one myself--and the author does a good job of reflecting how shy kids thought and felt, at least in those times. However, her siblings are just background scribbles; she never interacts with them on any level--and this time around I was unreasonably annoyed by her sister's name, the coy "Bets-C," and the name Sarah chose for her own kitten. One reviewer has wondered if kids way back in 1970 actually talked like this; yes, we did. TV was growing in importance but didn't dominate our lives like it does today, and of course no Internet. We were encouraged to speak grammatically correct English, and read your actual books that had been proofread by publishing staff who could spell and recognise coherent sentences. Profanity was punished; and I'm talking smacks and spankings, not just "no TV". Some people still washed their kids' mouths out with soap for swearing, and in some schools swearing at a teacher (at least in rural areas) would get you suspended. Kids were not talked down to, nor was writing dumbed down for them; they were encouraged to read at an adult level by the end of middle school. We actually had spelling bees, and all.
I was left wondering if Sarah is going to be the next generation's "crazy cat lady". It wouldn't surprise me.
The adult me wondered how the house could be so clean with all those cats around, but hey, it's meant to be wish-fulfillment fiction. We're supposed to think more about lonely Sarah, who learns that she is not the centre of a world with cardboard adult characters around the edges, and that to have friends you have to actively seek interaction with others; and even then it can be hard. Sarah's parents are pretty self-absorbed; her mom only notices her daughter when things don't go just so. Sarah is a believable introverted adolescent of the time--I was one myself--and the author does a good job of reflecting how shy kids thought and felt, at least in those times. However, her siblings are just background scribbles; she never interacts with them on any level--and this time around I was unreasonably annoyed by her sister's name, the coy "Bets-C," and the name Sarah chose for her own kitten. One reviewer has wondered if kids way back in 1970 actually talked like this; yes, we did. TV was growing in importance but didn't dominate our lives like it does today, and of course no Internet. We were encouraged to speak grammatically correct English, and read your actual books that had been proofread by publishing staff who could spell and recognise coherent sentences. Profanity was punished; and I'm talking smacks and spankings, not just "no TV". Some people still washed their kids' mouths out with soap for swearing, and in some schools swearing at a teacher (at least in rural areas) would get you suspended. Kids were not talked down to, nor was writing dumbed down for them; they were encouraged to read at an adult level by the end of middle school. We actually had spelling bees, and all.
I was left wondering if Sarah is going to be the next generation's "crazy cat lady". It wouldn't surprise me.
April 24, 2014
My mom had this book when she was a kid, and when I was a kid I loved it so much. I read her copy to bits and then it got burned up in a fire. I knew this was one of those books I absolutely had to have, so I bought it off Amazon and just finished reading it to my little sister. She loved it too. This book has a soft magical feeling to it, a cozy feeling. The House of Thirty Cats feels like a real and wonderful place. Even the many cats with their little quirks feel like real cats you might see in a neighbor's yard. Miss Tabitha Henshaw is a very genuine character, not any old-lady stereotype. Sarah is a very relatable protagonist (at least she was for me) with her introverted ways and her imaginings about people, and it's good to see her slowly "flowering out" (to use an expression from the book itself) and making connections with people. THoTC is a very sweet book, but not sickeningly so. There are plenty of good, happy things in this book but it doesn't pull its punches either. (It made me cry). There's one part in particular that might upset younger kids, and the constant threat of euthanasia hanging over the cats can be unsettling, because Sarah calls it like it is: killing, death, etc. The dangers are very real, and the characters are real too; flawed in various ways, but most of them also have that silver lining of "possible good" in them.
July 10, 2009
Aww I absolutely LOVED this book! It was so cute! About a little girl who lives next door to this lady with 30 cats... and she has to get rid of them, and it's the story of the girl helping save them.
March 23, 2019
This was one of my favorite childhood books; it really spoke to me--the shy and unpopular girl, the eccentric and reclusive old lady with thirty felines. Remembering it decades later, I sought it online and purchased the original 1967 hardcover edition. It's still a delight after all these years.
May 3, 2016
This was my favorite book when I was little. I still loves it. But really whats not to love. Cranky old lady + thirty cats + shy, blonde girl / librarians + knitting + typesetting = magic.
March 1, 2012
I remember reading and loving this book when I was a girl. I did not remember the CAT DEATH! We had to skip over one cat dying, and Lily did not really like the second cat death. When asked her predictions for the ending, she was expecting the mean characters to be redeemed in the end. I was expecting that as well. Nope--no redemption for the bad guys. They stay bad (or dead).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2010
This book has a birthday party for cats in it. IT IS SUPER GOOD.
February 16, 2015
Loved this when I was young. Got a gifted copy 2 or 3 yrs ago. Rescue cats, & have utilized many of the names from this book for multiple kitties.
April 26, 2016
Read this when I was a kid....and loved it. Now Antonia has picked up my old copy and has started reading it.....YAY!
April 18, 2016
House of Thirty Cats was one of the first Chapter books I read in elementary school. I recently bought a used copy online because I wanted to read the book again. It was one of my favorite books as a child, probably because I love cats.
I first read this book in 3rd grade, just after adopting my first pet cat. The kitty was wandering around the grade school, homeless and getting thinner every day. I heard a teacher say that they were calling animal control to come pick her up. I couldn't let that happen. So I told a fib. I went inside and told my teacher that my kitty had followed me to school, asking if I could walk home (I only lived a couple blocks from the school) and take her back home before she got lost. My teacher gave me permission and I took this homeless kitty home with me. I rang the doorbell to my own house, because I knew better than to bring the cat in without asking permission first. I had practiced a good sob story during my walk from school. I had to talk my mother into letting me keep the cat. My mom opened the door and said no before I even got a word out. Then I begged.....I pulled the sad face and the "But mom, they are going to call animal control and she will be put to sleep if we don't give her a home.'' That worked. The kitty got to stay!!
I named her Tiger, which made no sense at all because she was a mostly white calico. I remember ordering this book from a school book order form soon after I got Tiger. I had a kitty of my own....and wanted to read a book about cats!
Mary Calhoun wrote many children's books, including the Henry Cat books and the Katie John series. The book was illustrated by Mary Chalmers. The pictures are simple black and white sketches, but I loved the drawings when I read the book as a child.
The plot is pretty basic. Sarah wants a kitten. She knows where she can get one, but she's afraid to ask. Miss Tabitha Henshaw has a lot of cats at her house. Sarah has even nicknamed the small old lady's home as The House of Thirty Cats. Miss Henshaw is a bit eccentric, so Sarah is afraid to ask if she might have a kitten. She finally works up the courage, and ends up making friends with Miss Henshaw and her cats. But then, a neighbor starts complaining that there are just too many cats. Miss Henshaw only has two weeks to get rid of most of her cats, or animal control will come in and remove them. Sarah agrees to help. Can she find homes for enough of the cats before time runs out?
I have loved cats since I was a little girl, so this story really tugged at my heartstrings back in the 70s when I read it the first time. As an adult, I still love the story, but found myself looking at the situation with grown-up concern. I foster for the local humane society. Mostly I foster orphan kittens who require bottle feeding. They take a lot of work and make a big mess. The most I've ever had was 7 fosters plus my 4 pets ...and the fosters only stayed til they were adopted. I can't imagine having 30 cats!! I sympathize with Miss Tabitha and with Sarah as a catlover.....but, as an adult, I also understand the neighbor's point. 30 cats is too many! Luckily Miss Tabitha had Sarah to help her find homes for most of her cats!
The cover shown above is the artwork I remember from my first copy of this book. The book has been reprinted several times since it was first published in 1965. The last time it was re-released was in 2002, so copies shouldn't be too hard to find.
My rating: 7/10
Ages 10+
I first read this book in 3rd grade, just after adopting my first pet cat. The kitty was wandering around the grade school, homeless and getting thinner every day. I heard a teacher say that they were calling animal control to come pick her up. I couldn't let that happen. So I told a fib. I went inside and told my teacher that my kitty had followed me to school, asking if I could walk home (I only lived a couple blocks from the school) and take her back home before she got lost. My teacher gave me permission and I took this homeless kitty home with me. I rang the doorbell to my own house, because I knew better than to bring the cat in without asking permission first. I had practiced a good sob story during my walk from school. I had to talk my mother into letting me keep the cat. My mom opened the door and said no before I even got a word out. Then I begged.....I pulled the sad face and the "But mom, they are going to call animal control and she will be put to sleep if we don't give her a home.'' That worked. The kitty got to stay!!
I named her Tiger, which made no sense at all because she was a mostly white calico. I remember ordering this book from a school book order form soon after I got Tiger. I had a kitty of my own....and wanted to read a book about cats!
Mary Calhoun wrote many children's books, including the Henry Cat books and the Katie John series. The book was illustrated by Mary Chalmers. The pictures are simple black and white sketches, but I loved the drawings when I read the book as a child.
The plot is pretty basic. Sarah wants a kitten. She knows where she can get one, but she's afraid to ask. Miss Tabitha Henshaw has a lot of cats at her house. Sarah has even nicknamed the small old lady's home as The House of Thirty Cats. Miss Henshaw is a bit eccentric, so Sarah is afraid to ask if she might have a kitten. She finally works up the courage, and ends up making friends with Miss Henshaw and her cats. But then, a neighbor starts complaining that there are just too many cats. Miss Henshaw only has two weeks to get rid of most of her cats, or animal control will come in and remove them. Sarah agrees to help. Can she find homes for enough of the cats before time runs out?
I have loved cats since I was a little girl, so this story really tugged at my heartstrings back in the 70s when I read it the first time. As an adult, I still love the story, but found myself looking at the situation with grown-up concern. I foster for the local humane society. Mostly I foster orphan kittens who require bottle feeding. They take a lot of work and make a big mess. The most I've ever had was 7 fosters plus my 4 pets ...and the fosters only stayed til they were adopted. I can't imagine having 30 cats!! I sympathize with Miss Tabitha and with Sarah as a catlover.....but, as an adult, I also understand the neighbor's point. 30 cats is too many! Luckily Miss Tabitha had Sarah to help her find homes for most of her cats!
The cover shown above is the artwork I remember from my first copy of this book. The book has been reprinted several times since it was first published in 1965. The last time it was re-released was in 2002, so copies shouldn't be too hard to find.
My rating: 7/10
Ages 10+
January 1, 2011
Still and always, utterly delightful.
July 17, 2018
I got this as a child, and now that I'm a middle-aged cat dad, it thrills me still.
December 31, 2020
An old lady housed cats, many cats. She welcomed strays to come and go. Then a neighbor moved in next door, who complained. He said that the cats were bothersome, digging in his flower beds, and in the night they would yowl under his bedroom window. He explained this to the town, and they gave the old cat lady two weeks to get rid of all but three cats. Or they would be killed. Into the story comes a girl who wants a kitten. She helps the lady give her cats away. She comes up with a plan to match cat personalities with people personalities. Will it work?
A pretty sad book, but lovely. It was similar in a way to Cats of Roxville Station by Jean Craighead George, a story mixed in with educational snippets. 5 stars
A pretty sad book, but lovely. It was similar in a way to Cats of Roxville Station by Jean Craighead George, a story mixed in with educational snippets. 5 stars
June 10, 2011
The main character (whose name escapes me at the moment), a little girl who is a shy, imaginative misfit, gets to choose a kitten. She knows just where to go to find the perfect pet--there is a woman in their town who supposedly has 30 cats. So our heroine gathers up her courage and braves the House, eventually to make friend with the older lady, who does indeed have a large number of cats around.
Trouble starts brewing when a cranky neighbor brings city ordinance down upon the cat lady, and she must get rid of all but 3 cats or the rest will be put to sleep. Of course her loyal little friend does everything she can to help find new homes for the cats....but will it be enough? In the process, she also learns how to make friends with people, and see them for who they really are--not just who she imagines them to be.
I think I would have loved this as a kid. As an adult, I kind of shudder when I think about that many cats in one home--even if most are outside cats. Not surprisingly, other than the cranky neighbor, the villain of the story is a cat.
So it was a bit hard to get past my grownup prejudice to appreciate it fully, but I bet there would be a great audience for it in the upper elementary-aged set.
Trouble starts brewing when a cranky neighbor brings city ordinance down upon the cat lady, and she must get rid of all but 3 cats or the rest will be put to sleep. Of course her loyal little friend does everything she can to help find new homes for the cats....but will it be enough? In the process, she also learns how to make friends with people, and see them for who they really are--not just who she imagines them to be.
I think I would have loved this as a kid. As an adult, I kind of shudder when I think about that many cats in one home--even if most are outside cats. Not surprisingly, other than the cranky neighbor, the villain of the story is a cat.
So it was a bit hard to get past my grownup prejudice to appreciate it fully, but I bet there would be a great audience for it in the upper elementary-aged set.
May 18, 2018
Not what I was expecting! It was a very thoughtful, intelligent portrayal of Sarah, an insecure and introverted tween girl who learns how to make friends thanks to seeking out her neighbor Miss Tabitha Henshaw, the quaint old lady who lives alone with her thirty cats. The descriptions of the many cats are charming. Miss Tabitha is told all her cats but three will be killed if she doesn't find new homes for them, so Sarah tries to find the cats new homes by seeking out town residents, getting to know them and imagining herself in their place to figure out the best cat for each person. She learns the local butcher was a Basque "cowboy," the dowdy librarian's assistant a kindred spirit interested in witchcraft and fairy tales, the popular girl at school a truly kind heart who becomes a real friend to Sarah. There is also the mystery of the ever-locked "cats' room" in the house, which, when Sarah finally takes a peek, is so surreal and vague I'm not sure what I'm supposed to think about it. Tarnish the cat is the villain of this story, very creepy and evil. Great story about getting past appearances, first impressions and your own insecurities to reach out and find (and give) happiness.
February 13, 2011
This book has many wonderful discussion points in it, but I think it's appropriate for a child of at least 10. Maybe I am overprotective, but I think 12 or 13 would be better. A few of the events might scare younger children. I recommend prereading it before allowing a young child to read it.
October 10, 2015
Sarah is a shy child who wants a cat as a pet. A visit to the local crazy cat lady opens her eyes to a whole new world of cats. As she learns about the cats she learns about people. The experience ups her world not only to a new pet but new friends too.
November 1, 2008
Although I don't agree with Miss Tabitha feeding her cats bread and allowing them outdoors, I did think it was a sweet story for young readers.
October 30, 2009
weirdly subversive for such a light book
March 14, 2011
It was so cute! I read it a few years ago, it is really good.
April 7, 2014
This was one of my very favorite books when I was little. I checked it out from the library countless times. Id like to read it again as an adult and see how it measures up.
August 11, 2016
I mean this is a hard book to review.
It's older so the style is different and you really don't.... /feel/ for the characters or anything. But for what it was it was awfully cute. So yeah.
It's older so the style is different and you really don't.... /feel/ for the characters or anything. But for what it was it was awfully cute. So yeah.
September 22, 2014
I read this book when I was very young, so it may not actually be as good as I remember. But it certainly left a strong impression on me, and after all these years I have not forgotten the story.
March 25, 2017
Read this with my 7 year old. She loves cats and really enjoyed this book.
January 2, 2025
Just as delightful as I remembered! Sarah gets to know her neighbor, Miss Tabitha Henshaw, when she goes to ask for a kitten at The House of Thirty Cats (Sarah's romantic name for TH's home). Surprise -- the house is clean and pleasant and Miss TH takes good care of indoor and outdoor cats, as she did for her deceased sister (I had forgotten that part!). When nosy and obnoxious neighbor Colonel Mace (ha!) gets the town council to order TH to give away all but 3 cats, Sarah gets to work trying to match cats to people, and gets to know some kids and adults in the process. And one diplomatic cat helps the Cheery Young Vet with Freckles (Sam?) talk the council (including Felicity the cat's new owner along with his wife the librarian) into commuting the death sentences for the remaining cats... as long as Sam and Sarah can find and kill Evil Cat Tarnish before the deadline. No worries -- Senior Cat Alexander takes care of Tarnish when he threatens Sarah's kitten Lilybug for a second time -- the first time, Mother Cat Amarantha attacks Tarnish (with help from kitten Mama Ladybelle) and he wounds her into a slow overnight death. So all's well that ends well. And Sarah may grow up to be a cat lady herself.
February 11, 2019
I enjoyed this book - Mary Calhoun is great at telling a story, so i don't necessarily fault her for the following "faux-paw" but i do feel compelled to address pages 36 and 163 where there are mentions made of Miss Tabitha adding onions to the cat's stew pot. PLEASE - NEVER FEED ONIONS TO CATS. I recognize that this book was written in a very different time - before internet access, before most folks knew about the importance of spay/neuter, and even before decent kitty litter was widely used, so people had a harder time keeping their cats safe indoors... That being said, I liked the book - it had good Cat/Human insights and kept things pretty real, despite being a book for younger folks. It moved at a nice pace and I read it in just a few sittings and did a quick re-read shortly after the first. So to recap: DO NOT give onions (or garlic) to kitties, but DO spay/neuter your pets and DO give this story a read - especially if you are a fan of felines. Thank you!
June 6, 2019
Terrible book, I guess written before the understanding of how important spay /neuter is. Unaltered cats running the neighborhood fighting and breeding, a little old lady trying desperately to feed and care for them. Nasty neighbors not offering help. Happiness and victory when a poor unneutered tom is killed at the end????? What kind of kids book is this? Obviously written by someone who didn't know or understand cats or their care. A message ....maybe..... here. Spay and neuter your animals to cut down on the unwanted population and to improve everyone's life.
Pass on this book. Its WAY outdated!!!
Pass on this book. Its WAY outdated!!!
June 16, 2023
4.7
The author (now deceased) lived in Colorado for much of her adulthood (Steamboat Springs and Boulder), and her name is familiar, but this story isn't.
Perfect for a child who loves cats. I enjoyed the book even though I don't care for adult cats. (One of my vivid memories is of a cat stalking and killing a bird. All cats should be kept indoors.)
Young girl takes on a challenge which moves her out of her comfort zone, and she ends up being a happier person. Libraries and librarians are also featured.
(I think K would rank this right up there with 'Good Dog.' Too bad I didn't know about this book when she was younger.)
The author (now deceased) lived in Colorado for much of her adulthood (Steamboat Springs and Boulder), and her name is familiar, but this story isn't.
Perfect for a child who loves cats. I enjoyed the book even though I don't care for adult cats. (One of my vivid memories is of a cat stalking and killing a bird. All cats should be kept indoors.)
Young girl takes on a challenge which moves her out of her comfort zone, and she ends up being a happier person. Libraries and librarians are also featured.
(I think K would rank this right up there with 'Good Dog.' Too bad I didn't know about this book when she was younger.)
July 27, 2020
Plot could probably be summarized into four pages or less. The rest is repetitive drivel...
Even in terms of children's books, there are other books with more interesting plots and deeper levels of meaning that offer rewards for re-reading as an adult.
The most interesting part in the book is a brief reference to Basque Country.
Even in terms of children's books, there are other books with more interesting plots and deeper levels of meaning that offer rewards for re-reading as an adult.
The most interesting part in the book is a brief reference to Basque Country.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2023
I read this book when I was about 13 years old and recently purchased a 1965 paperback copy from ThriftBooks. Wouldn't it be amazing if it were the exact same book I read over 40 years ago?
It's a delightful, lighthearted story about a curious girl who loves to dream and a mysterious old lady who lives with many cats. It was a pleasure to read it again.
It's a delightful, lighthearted story about a curious girl who loves to dream and a mysterious old lady who lives with many cats. It was a pleasure to read it again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews