A Cat Is Watching: A Look at the Way Cats See Us

by Roger A. Caras

Offers a cats-eye-view of people, hunting, communication, and direction finding, and tells the stories of some remarkable cats

Genres: Animals, Cats, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Psychology

238 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Roger A. Caras was an American wildlife photographer, writer, wildlife preservationist and television personality.

Known as the host of the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Caras was a veteran of network television programs including "Nightline," "ABC News Tonight" and "20/20" before devoting himself to work as president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and to becoming an author.

Reviews

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am, quite possibly, the biggest cat lover on the planet. I love all things feline, no matter the size. Right now, I have 5 cats living with me, am feeding a few ferals, and helping my son with the 5 he took in. Living in the woods, cats tend to get "dumped" out here, and they find my house. I do everything I can to make them inside cats as there is a lot that can happen to a little cat in the woods. If I am unsuccessful, I at least make sure they have food and water, and a warm place to sleep.

That being said, cats are still mysterious. No matter how much you think you know about these feline wonders, there is more to learn. Of course I was immediately drawn to this book - who wouldn't want to know what the cat thinks or sees when they look at us?

I loved every minute of this book. The book is not only filled with facts, but also the author's take on our felines, big and small. Do lions look at the puny humans on safari in the same light that we look at animals kept in zoos? What do house cats think when they look up at us - virtually the same ratio as if we were looking at a 2,000 pound animal. We are that big to a cat's eyes - so how can they ever trust us?

A must read for feline lovers.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

We often divide ourselves into “dog people” and “cat people.” I was a dog person until I was 19 and given a cat I didn’t want. I’ve been a cat person ever since. As compared to dogs, cats were domesticated—to varying degrees—much later in history. “Dogs have been with us for possibly as long as twenty to twenty-five thousand years. That is five to six times as long as the cat.” Although the Bible references a vast menagerie of animals, not once does it mention a cat. Perhaps there was some lingering resentment against the Egyptians for having used cats to protect their stored grains.

Roger Caras’s short book on cats contemplates a number of ways on how cats perceive us. He ponders how their senses work. “Cats have far better peripheral vision than we do,” which helps to explain why they are so good at finding small bugs. Their sense of touch actually has much to do with how they socialize. “If a kitten is picked up, cuddled, and carried around several times a day from its first day of life, it will be a very different animal as an adult from a cat that is rarely if ever touched until it is eight or nine weeks old.” I was surprised, based on personal experience, that cats are “somewhat insensitive to hot and cold.” And it is a myth that cats see in the dark, instead their senses are much more attuned to their environment and this helps them to navigate in the absence of light.

Cats are creatures of habit and anything that disrupts their routines and surroundings can have a profound effect on how they interact with humans and other cats. Some clichés are unavoidable, “When it comes to smugness, cats generally outdo their owners by a handsome margin. That is why the two understand each other so well.” Never stare a cat in the eyes because “an intense stare can easily be interpreted by the animal as threatening and dangerous.” Ultimately, however, I think those of us who love cats do so because we know we will never truly understand them.

Much of the book is peppered with cat anecdotes, philosophical, historical, and from Caras’s own experiences. The story about Mohammed the Prophet, who cut off a garment sleeve rather than disturb his cat, Muezza, from his nap, whether it is true or not, makes me like him more. How many of us remain in the same the place longer than we want just because we don’t want to upset a sleeping cat on our lap? I found the real lesson of the book to be tucked away in a parenthetical observation, “(Quite frankly, I have always felt that anyone who could derive pleasure from killing a lion, leopard, tiger, puma, jaguar or any other cat for that matter was an incipient sociopath and should be held suspect. I feel the same way about ladies who wear them. They have to be watched carefully.)” But it is much more fun to know that they like to watch us as much as we like to watch them.

[Jena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it's a bit dated, I loved this book. These days. there is a definite lack of wonder concerning anything, and I appreciate this author's ability to weave science with wonder. He discusses the main five senses of cats, but he is open to the possibility that there are many more. He's open to a lot of possibilities where the capabilities of cats are concerned, and I love him for it.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cat Is Watching was the earlier of Roger Caras' pair of books about most people's most familiar companion animals, domestic felines and canines. He writes from lifelong knowledge--sometimes specifically about the Cats of Thistle Hill Farm. Caras' stories and observations are engaging, and even as someone who has lived with cats and known cats for a long time, I learned some new information. B&W photographs and drawings enhance the book and I love the chapter headings that each feature a line drawing of part of a cat's anatomy! Including an extensive index also was a smart move. This is the kind of book you might enjoy on a rainy afternoon or evening or carry to the beach for some pleasure reading. A Cat Is Watching definitely is worth finding at the book shop or yard sale, or borrowing from the library more than once.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rambling, peaceful read that is quite like a cat. Odd, charming, and pleasant.

[Colin Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

One if my big regrets is that I never got to meet the author of this book.

I read this book in the week it is by far the best book I’ve ever read about Cat behaviour. The late Roger Caras spent his entire life studying cats (and many other animals)and really knows what he’s talking about.

If you get your hands on a copy - they are hard to find as it is now out of print - then grab it and read it several times because it is packed full of information about our feline friends.

A must read and he won’t hear me say that very often.

[Freyja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting look at cats and how they perceive us and their environment. It has some interesting anecdotes.

Don't you hate when a good book gets stuck in the midst of moving stuff? Twice?

[Ann Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a delight to read. Not only did I learn a lot of interesting facts about cats, but the stories and opinions given from the author were hilarious to read. Fantastic cat book!

[Marigold · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description provided by - who, the publisher? - at the top of this book's page is completely incorrect. This book has nothing to do with how to groom a cat.

Roger Caras was a TV correspondent who become an authority on animals and wildlife of various kinds. He wrote a wide variety of books about animals and wildlife, including more than one book devoted to cats. I picked this one up at the library book sale. It's an interesting combination of facts and anecdotes and personal observations, and focuses on a discussion of how cats see us humans - how do we look and what do they observe about us, from their perspective? It is certainly true that cats, in my experience, like to watch us, though my current cats are less watchful than my old guy was. He liked to watch everything including the preparation of our human meals. My current guys want their food & then they're off to play, wash & nap! They have no interest in watching me cook. Which makes me wonder, what are the factors that influence different cats' personalities? My old guy I had from his very young kitten-hood, while my current guys were each over 3 years old when I got them, so I guess their behaviors were influenced by others before me. It's interesting to think that cats see us as large, mysterious creatures, & they have no idea what we might do next beyond certain routines they observe in us - so for their own protection, they have to watch us all the time!

I enjoyed the theory behind this book & the stories Caras told about his own cats. If you like cats, you'll probably enjoy this.

[Shelley Alongi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informational and humorous. I like learning new things and in this book we learn how the cat I ear and nose is constructed and how that helps the cat with its activities. It’s interesting to me that with all of the adaptations that help cats navigate in the dark people don’t expect that of humans and it is just as true. The great creator did not leave his creations without adaptations and ways to get around things. This is a very objective look at the cat and that is quite an accomplishment for one who owns so many cats. I found myself agreeing with many of the things that he said about them. I thought his explanations very easy to follow.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roger Caras has such a lovely writing style and each page of this book contains jewels of profound thought and hilarious dry wit. I have taken down more quotes from this book than I have in years. I now want to go read all his other books!

[Randal · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to know how cats work this is a must read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The author was a true animal lover and I enjoyed hearing about the many animals in his life.

[Noonie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly interesting but not totally engaging. Some good art.

[Diana Smith]

ok

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a cat lover ,I loved more incite into what makes them tick.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Should I worry about this or can I afford to ignore it?"

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrated in various styles with line drawings, sketches and black and white photographs, A Cat I s Watching by Roger A. Caras offers a smooth blend of anecdote, analysis and personal opinion. The author invites readers to ponder how a six foot man might appear to a tiny kitten, why a pride of lions might view safari humans in their car the same way we view zoo animals, and just what that cat staring solemnly over the fence might have in mind.

The cat’s mind is different from the human’s of course, and the author does an excellent and truly intriguing job of suggesting how the senses (not necessarily five) interact, how instincts are formed and informed, and how, in fact, cats aren’t half as independent as they appear.

I have to confess, I’m more of a dog person myself. But A Cat Is Watching could easily hook me on cats. If only one were watching me so I could give it a home.

Disclosure: A friend loaned me this after a visit to a cat cafe.

[Allison Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this book over the summer when I went for a walk and we went past one of those free “Take a book, leave a book” libraries. I took the book and have been meaning to bring one back but I think I should bring a few at this point.

Anyways, thought this was going to be a dumb, easy read... like most of those short articles on cats that pop up on Facebook. This book was WAY more cerebral than I expected it to be. It discussed manners of cats I had never thought of. I mean, ALL aspects. The author got t kind of weird and briefly went off into cats possibly being in tune with celestial music and possibly being pre-cognitive, but besides sea those trippy little blips I will say I enjoyed this very much.

I’ve been paying attention lately to who I am as a person and how that personalizes things I read by relating my own experiences into them and the author got in to how a deaf person might read the chapter on hearing different or a colorblind person might read the chapter on site differently. 🤯

Anyways, If you are a cat lover I’d definitely suggest this one.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. I did not like to read more than a chapter at a time, though, because Caras gets very creative and existential in his musings about cats, and I wanted to step away and think about it for awhile. Sometimes his language seemed over the top and I just buzzed through a chapter. He speculates a lot in a stream-of-consciousness style that is light and fun. This was a good bathroom read. Caras was at his best when he talked about specific personal experiences with his own cats and with wild cats on safari.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has lived in close proximity to animals senses that they can perceive things that humans never notice. A Cat is Watching, written in a pleasant conversational style, has helped me to better understand my own little brood.

[Janean · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far the most entertaining of the feline references I have read. This one tries to present a cat's view of humans, which isn't really possible, but Caras does a good job guessing. Cats are fascinating creatures so no book about them should be dull. Being a cat lover myself, I am biased.

[Kg4jbj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was telling someone, who was adopted by a stray cat, how the cat had probably already checked her out, and cited this book. A Good look at how cats work, and how they see and approach us.

[Suzie]

Good book.

[Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

great views on how cats perceive us.

i learned that cats associate people as big cats and they don't see the intricacies of a person's face, we're pretty much a blur.

[Hotenough]

This looks like a really good book on cat behavior.

[Merceda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. I enjoyed the parts about his own cats rather than all of the theories and opinions on why cats do certain things.

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this, but love most cat stuff. Roger Caras is especially good at cat descriptions. And it's pretty evident that he loves cats so much.