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French for Cats #2
Advanced French for Exceptional Cats
Funnier, cleverer, with even more marvelous color illustrations than its predecessor.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 31, 2019
A very funny book depicting the sophisticated cat in different situations from simply being exceptional to choosing its favourite water (the toilet bowl!), its music appreciation, its hedonistic qualities, tripping abroad and many, many more.
There is even portrayals of Seurat's Cat, Le chat de Seurat, who is portrayed, unsurprisingly, in dots and Da Vinci's cat, Le chat de Leonardo, who watches one of her inventions trapping a mouse.
And at the end there is a version of The Mouseillaise and a note that says a version of Catsablanca is on the make with a classic melody 'As mice go by'!
While reading the book, of course, one can brush up on one's French but where and when such phrases would be used is beyond consideration!
A second reading ...
I spotted this book loitering on my shelves yesterday and picked it up for a browse but once I did so I decided that it was worth a complete read and with my daughter laughing at my French accent as I read some parts of it aloud, I read the complete book to her! It was great fun as it is a fun filled book.
As well as laughing at my accent, Deborah chuckled at some of the antics of the (exceptional) cat that was featured in the book for they mirrored what her three cats do at her house. This was another thing that spurred me on to read the complete book again.
I noticed a quadriptych of our smart cat who was sitting by the front door and the four pictures expressed her moods, Les modes. Firstly was the indicative, indicatif, mood in which she is sat inside the house and wants to go out and she says so, 'Je suis dedans, et je vieux sortir' - 'I am inside and I want to go out'. Secondly she is in conditional, conditionnel, mood, outside wanting to come in so she says, ' Je suis dehors, et je voudrais rentrer' - 'I am outside and I would like to come in'. Okay contrary cat.
Thirdly she is in subjunctive, subjunctif, mood standing on her back legs and wishing to be let in and she expresses herself 'Je veux que vous me laissiez entrer tout de suite' (and we all know what tout de suite means!) - (politely) 'It is my wish that I be let in right now'. Finally she is in no mood to mince her words as she is in imperative, impératif, mood so her words are simple, 'Ouvrez cette foutue porte!' -'Open the damn door!' Okay, okay!
My daughters cats, Agatha (after Christie), Margery (after Allingham) and Salvador (after Dali), are all capable of expressing these feelings as they often tantalise her by not using the cat flap but insisting on her working on the instructions above!
There are plenty of other amusing incidents n this simply, but beautifully illustrated book that gave us some good fun yesterday. It is well worth a read and a chuckle.
There is even portrayals of Seurat's Cat, Le chat de Seurat, who is portrayed, unsurprisingly, in dots and Da Vinci's cat, Le chat de Leonardo, who watches one of her inventions trapping a mouse.
And at the end there is a version of The Mouseillaise and a note that says a version of Catsablanca is on the make with a classic melody 'As mice go by'!
While reading the book, of course, one can brush up on one's French but where and when such phrases would be used is beyond consideration!
A second reading ...
I spotted this book loitering on my shelves yesterday and picked it up for a browse but once I did so I decided that it was worth a complete read and with my daughter laughing at my French accent as I read some parts of it aloud, I read the complete book to her! It was great fun as it is a fun filled book.
As well as laughing at my accent, Deborah chuckled at some of the antics of the (exceptional) cat that was featured in the book for they mirrored what her three cats do at her house. This was another thing that spurred me on to read the complete book again.
I noticed a quadriptych of our smart cat who was sitting by the front door and the four pictures expressed her moods, Les modes. Firstly was the indicative, indicatif, mood in which she is sat inside the house and wants to go out and she says so, 'Je suis dedans, et je vieux sortir' - 'I am inside and I want to go out'. Secondly she is in conditional, conditionnel, mood, outside wanting to come in so she says, ' Je suis dehors, et je voudrais rentrer' - 'I am outside and I would like to come in'. Okay contrary cat.
Thirdly she is in subjunctive, subjunctif, mood standing on her back legs and wishing to be let in and she expresses herself 'Je veux que vous me laissiez entrer tout de suite' (and we all know what tout de suite means!) - (politely) 'It is my wish that I be let in right now'. Finally she is in no mood to mince her words as she is in imperative, impératif, mood so her words are simple, 'Ouvrez cette foutue porte!' -'Open the damn door!' Okay, okay!
My daughters cats, Agatha (after Christie), Margery (after Allingham) and Salvador (after Dali), are all capable of expressing these feelings as they often tantalise her by not using the cat flap but insisting on her working on the instructions above!
There are plenty of other amusing incidents n this simply, but beautifully illustrated book that gave us some good fun yesterday. It is well worth a read and a chuckle.
January 13, 2020
A very funny book depicting the sophisticated cat in different situations from simply being exceptional to choosing its favourite water (the toilet bowl!), its music appreciation, its hedonistic qualities, tripping abroad and many, many more.
There is even portrayals of Seurat's Cat, Le chat de Seurat, who is portrayed, unsurprisingly, in dots and Da Vinci's cat, Le chat de Leonardo, who watches one of her inventions trapping a mouse.
And at the end there is a version of The Mouseillaise and a note that says a version of Catsablanca is on the make with a classic melody 'As mice go by'!
While reading the book, of course, one can brush up on one's French but where and when such phrases would be used is beyond consideration!
A second reading ...
I spotted this book loitering on my shelves yesterday and picked it up for a browse but once I did so I decided that it was worth a complete read and with my daughter laughing at my French accent as I read some parts of it aloud, I read the complete book to her! It was great fun as it is a fun filled book.
As well as laughing at my accent, Deborah chuckled at some of the antics of the (exceptional) cat that was featured in the book for they mirrored what her three cats do at her house. This was another thing that spurred me on to read the complete book again.
I noticed a quadriptych of our smart cat who was sitting by the front door and the four pictures expressed her moods, Les modes. Firstly was the indicative, indicatif, mood in which she is sat inside the house and wants to go out and she says so, 'Je suis dedans, et je vieux sortir' - 'I am inside and I want to go out'. Secondly she is in conditional, conditionnel, mood, outside wanting to come in so she says, ' Je suis dehors, et je voudrais rentrer' - 'I am outside and I would like to come in'. Okay contrary cat.
Thirdly she is in subjunctive, subjunctif, mood standing on her back legs and wishing to be let in and she expresses herself 'Je veux que vous me laissiez entrer tout de suite' (and we all know what tout de suite means!) - (politely) 'It is my wish that I be let in right now'. Finally she is in no mood to mince her words as she is in imperative, impératif, mood so her words are simple, 'Ouvrez cette foutue porte!' -'Open the damn door!' Okay, okay!
My daughters cats, Agatha (after Christie), Margery (after Allingham) and Salvador (after Dali), are all capable of expressing these feelings as they often tantalise her by not using the cat flap but insisting on her working on the instructions above!
There are plenty of other amusing incidents n this simply, but beautifully illustrated book that gave us some good fun yesterday. It is well worth a read and a chuckle.
There is even portrayals of Seurat's Cat, Le chat de Seurat, who is portrayed, unsurprisingly, in dots and Da Vinci's cat, Le chat de Leonardo, who watches one of her inventions trapping a mouse.
And at the end there is a version of The Mouseillaise and a note that says a version of Catsablanca is on the make with a classic melody 'As mice go by'!
While reading the book, of course, one can brush up on one's French but where and when such phrases would be used is beyond consideration!
A second reading ...
I spotted this book loitering on my shelves yesterday and picked it up for a browse but once I did so I decided that it was worth a complete read and with my daughter laughing at my French accent as I read some parts of it aloud, I read the complete book to her! It was great fun as it is a fun filled book.
As well as laughing at my accent, Deborah chuckled at some of the antics of the (exceptional) cat that was featured in the book for they mirrored what her three cats do at her house. This was another thing that spurred me on to read the complete book again.
I noticed a quadriptych of our smart cat who was sitting by the front door and the four pictures expressed her moods, Les modes. Firstly was the indicative, indicatif, mood in which she is sat inside the house and wants to go out and she says so, 'Je suis dedans, et je vieux sortir' - 'I am inside and I want to go out'. Secondly she is in conditional, conditionnel, mood, outside wanting to come in so she says, ' Je suis dehors, et je voudrais rentrer' - 'I am outside and I would like to come in'. Okay contrary cat.
Thirdly she is in subjunctive, subjunctif, mood standing on her back legs and wishing to be let in and she expresses herself 'Je veux que vous me laissiez entrer tout de suite' (and we all know what tout de suite means!) - (politely) 'It is my wish that I be let in right now'. Finally she is in no mood to mince her words as she is in imperative, impératif, mood so her words are simple, 'Ouvrez cette foutue porte!' -'Open the damn door!' Okay, okay!
My daughters cats, Agatha (after Christie), Margery (after Allingham) and Salvador (after Dali), are all capable of expressing these feelings as they often tantalise her by not using the cat flap but insisting on her working on the instructions above!
There are plenty of other amusing incidents n this simply, but beautifully illustrated book that gave us some good fun yesterday. It is well worth a read and a chuckle.
June 3, 2022
In a word, delightful.
September 27, 2008
Je suis dedans, et je veux sortir. Maintenant, je suis dehors, et je voudrais rentre.
September 6, 2018
The cutest little cat book. Adorable. Meow!
August 14, 2023
As I said about his earlier French for Cats -- Brief, witty, and true to the feline kingdom! Times three with this volume. An amusing 30 minutes, for sure. With the additions of
--the full conjugation of "I meow," e.g., past conditional: J'aurais maiulé (I would have meowed).
--the feline tenses which include Past Puzzling, Present Unpredictable, and Future Incomprehensible
--the connoisseurship of water a là wine. Toilet water (i.e., from the commode) is the best: "Magnificent bouquet! And no bitter sink flavor or faucetty aftertaste."
--philosophical tendencies, e.g., The Rationalist: "I go berserk, therefore I am. "Je deviens fou, donc je suis."
-- and the grand finale -- La Marseillaise pour les chats -- La Miaouseillaise!
Last lines:
"Mordons! Mordons! / "Let us bite." Let us bite.
Qu'une boule de poils / And may a furball
soit leur seul monument!" / Be their only tombstone!"
--the full conjugation of "I meow," e.g., past conditional: J'aurais maiulé (I would have meowed).
--the feline tenses which include Past Puzzling, Present Unpredictable, and Future Incomprehensible
--the connoisseurship of water a là wine. Toilet water (i.e., from the commode) is the best: "Magnificent bouquet! And no bitter sink flavor or faucetty aftertaste."
--philosophical tendencies, e.g., The Rationalist: "I go berserk, therefore I am. "Je deviens fou, donc je suis."
-- and the grand finale -- La Marseillaise pour les chats -- La Miaouseillaise!
Last lines:
"Mordons! Mordons! / "Let us bite." Let us bite.
Qu'une boule de poils / And may a furball
soit leur seul monument!" / Be their only tombstone!"
October 2, 2017
First sentence: The Exceptional Cat Le Chat Exceptionnel
Premise/plot: If you and your cat loved the first book, it's time to expand your knowledge. The phrases taught in this one go above and beyond your basic, practical needs with a few exceptions.
I don't mind Bach and Mozart as long as there is no singing.
Je veux bien ecouter Bach et Mozart pourvu que personne ne chante.
I nap, therefore I am. Je fais un somme, donc je suis.
In this one the cat travels to France--to Paris--for part of this one. Most of the phrases are complex. There are sections on dining out, philosophy, music, etc.
My thoughts: I liked it. I like both books in the series.
Premise/plot: If you and your cat loved the first book, it's time to expand your knowledge. The phrases taught in this one go above and beyond your basic, practical needs with a few exceptions.
I don't mind Bach and Mozart as long as there is no singing.
Je veux bien ecouter Bach et Mozart pourvu que personne ne chante.
I nap, therefore I am. Je fais un somme, donc je suis.
In this one the cat travels to France--to Paris--for part of this one. Most of the phrases are complex. There are sections on dining out, philosophy, music, etc.
My thoughts: I liked it. I like both books in the series.
June 1, 2020
I'm giving this little item a fairly high rating mainly because, if I were serious about really honing my French reading skills, it would be the perfect little item to keep around and re-read. From what I can tell, with my intermediate skills in the language, the surprisingly complex French provided in these pages could prove VERY useful in the right circumstances. I inherited it from my daughter, who was taking a French class at the time. All that aside, it's a fun book for anyone interested at all in cats, or in taking your 'francais' to the the next level. As for the the illustrations, they are of the fast and loose type that make me yearn for the talents of a Wallace Tripp.
January 14, 2025
I came across this delightful book when I was visiting a cat cafe in Salt Lake City, UT called Tinker's Cat Cafe.
My French is at the A2 level and I could only understand about half of the content.
I told myself that no, I do not need this book. But it was a good read for the weary traveler. Bonus points for its efforts in trying to integrate "science".
My French is at the A2 level and I could only understand about half of the content.
I told myself that no, I do not need this book. But it was a good read for the weary traveler. Bonus points for its efforts in trying to integrate "science".
April 3, 2018
If you liked French for Cats, you'll love the sequel! It's more of the same French translations of quotes by cats, by the inimitable Henry Beard. These two volumes deserve to be in every cat lover's library, as they are in mine!
September 16, 2018
Hilarious. And the best way to practice French grammar. 🐈😉
March 29, 2019
Humorous, especially La Miaouseillaise.
…
Qu'une boule de poils soit leur seul monument !
MDR !!
…
Qu'une boule de poils soit leur seul monument !
MDR !!
December 4, 2021
Cute and funny. Mignon et drôle.
April 12, 2025
The is bad and I swear the cat sometimes looks like a dog and the only funny part of the whole book is the title.
March 4, 2023
An absolutely delightful book, I love it more than this cat loves his mice (which is quite a lot)
May 10, 2012
Such an awesomely hilarious book! I love the illustrations, they're just sweet and sassy and cute enough to brighten my day every time I look at it.
September 22, 2012
Hilarious and sparkling! A must-read for any Francophile friend of felines! :-)
October 25, 2013
Very cute.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews