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Taming Me: Memoir of a Clever Island Cat
Born in the wild, on a tropical island where food is scarce and predators are plentiful, a tiny kitten struggles to stay alive. When she is captured by humans and taken from her mother, Lucy Miracle's rags-to-riches adventure begins. In this epic tale told by Lucy herself, you will feel her terror when she is trapped in a cage. See through her eyes as she is nursed back to health from the brink of death, and share her joy as she accepts the love of her human family.
Will Lucy ever see her mother again? Can she and her human friends stop the man who wants to murder every cat on the island? If she decides to live in a house with humans, will she miss the freedom of the wild? Experience life as a feral cat in Taming Me.
Will Lucy ever see her mother again? Can she and her human friends stop the man who wants to murder every cat on the island? If she decides to live in a house with humans, will she miss the freedom of the wild? Experience life as a feral cat in Taming Me.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2012
2 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Unruh
1 book7 followersCathy Unruh is an Emmy-award winning television journalist and animal advocate who loves to write. This is her first novel, published by Collage Books and based on a true story.
A page-turning adventure, it also champions Cathy's passion for animal welfare.
A page-turning adventure, it also champions Cathy's passion for animal welfare.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 9, 2021
*
this is not a monsterotica book, despite its title and my reading history.
and looking at this cover, you would think i wouldn't touch this book with a ten-foot barge pole. not that it's not cute; it just seems like it would be a sweetie-pie book with schmaltzy tones that just would not agree with me. but the fact that it was told in a cat's POV, and having loved Tailchaser's Song beyond all measure, convinced me to give it a shot. and it wasn't schmaltzy at all.
it toes the line between fact and fiction, incorporating real animal-behavior details with the anthropomorphization we humans like in our animal adventure-tales.
and there are some real, sad, moments in here. the book opens with a scene of the discovery of the body of a feral cat, starved to exhaustion, who has died in a discarded popcorn bag, and it is described almost dispassionately:
so sad.
this is the story of a cat, saved from a difficult life of scavenging on a caribbean island where there are already too many feral cats, and where one of its residents is actively trying to cull their numbers with poison and traps. it is a hard life, and many cats are too small and weak to survive.
however, there are other people on the island trying to rescue these unfortunate animals, trapping and spaying them before releasing them back into the wild. this is what happens to lucy miracle. she is on the verge of death from hunger and hypothermia when she is rescued, and while her life is saved, she is also separated from her mother, and placed in a situation that feels like a prison to her.
feral cats are difficult to domesticate. unlike dogs, they are not pack animals. they will have their loyalties, but for the most part, they don't yearn to be companions to humans, to wear collars and be told where to poop. and lucy miracle resists all of this. from her perspective,all the cuddling and cooing and baby-talk on the part of humans feels like an assault. and judging by the way my own cat (also a rescued, abandoned cat) gets squirmy when i want to give her the affection her fuzziness inspires, i can definitely see lucy's point.
my neighborhood is full of feral cats, and there are many people who care for them, putting out food while keeping their distance. and i feel awful for these creatures, out in the cold, and having to rely on the generosity of humans. reading this only reinforced my soft smooshy heart. even on an island that is much warmer than manhattan, feral cats don't have it easy, as this book demonstrates.
so as a book to raise awareness and to make people all soft and willing to support organizations that help feral cats, i think this book does a great job. it details the harsh realities of a wild life, and the long journey a feral cat has to make in order to accept the care and affection and safety people can provide.
*this is an example of forced-cuddling behavior that cats just aren't that into. she tolerates me because i feed her.
come to my blog!
this is not a monsterotica book, despite its title and my reading history.
and looking at this cover, you would think i wouldn't touch this book with a ten-foot barge pole. not that it's not cute; it just seems like it would be a sweetie-pie book with schmaltzy tones that just would not agree with me. but the fact that it was told in a cat's POV, and having loved Tailchaser's Song beyond all measure, convinced me to give it a shot. and it wasn't schmaltzy at all.
it toes the line between fact and fiction, incorporating real animal-behavior details with the anthropomorphization we humans like in our animal adventure-tales.
and there are some real, sad, moments in here. the book opens with a scene of the discovery of the body of a feral cat, starved to exhaustion, who has died in a discarded popcorn bag, and it is described almost dispassionately:
Shiny pictures of popcorn dance obscenely above a pair of legs sticking out of the bag. They are barely more than bone covered by wisps of fur. Their knees are planted in the dirt, their paw pads pointing skyward. A tail lies like a wilted worm between them, blanketed by dust. The chill afternoon wind travels up the tail, rippling the fur and filling the bag. It crackles open, releasing the rancid stench of death. Now I can see hip bones thrusting against fur, like tree roots straining upward through the grass. This is the first dead kitten I've seen. Tantalized by the smell of crumbs, he must have heaved himself inside a human food bag, but could not gather enough sustenance to crawl out and continue the hunt.
so sad.
this is the story of a cat, saved from a difficult life of scavenging on a caribbean island where there are already too many feral cats, and where one of its residents is actively trying to cull their numbers with poison and traps. it is a hard life, and many cats are too small and weak to survive.
however, there are other people on the island trying to rescue these unfortunate animals, trapping and spaying them before releasing them back into the wild. this is what happens to lucy miracle. she is on the verge of death from hunger and hypothermia when she is rescued, and while her life is saved, she is also separated from her mother, and placed in a situation that feels like a prison to her.
feral cats are difficult to domesticate. unlike dogs, they are not pack animals. they will have their loyalties, but for the most part, they don't yearn to be companions to humans, to wear collars and be told where to poop. and lucy miracle resists all of this. from her perspective,all the cuddling and cooing and baby-talk on the part of humans feels like an assault. and judging by the way my own cat (also a rescued, abandoned cat) gets squirmy when i want to give her the affection her fuzziness inspires, i can definitely see lucy's point.
my neighborhood is full of feral cats, and there are many people who care for them, putting out food while keeping their distance. and i feel awful for these creatures, out in the cold, and having to rely on the generosity of humans. reading this only reinforced my soft smooshy heart. even on an island that is much warmer than manhattan, feral cats don't have it easy, as this book demonstrates.
so as a book to raise awareness and to make people all soft and willing to support organizations that help feral cats, i think this book does a great job. it details the harsh realities of a wild life, and the long journey a feral cat has to make in order to accept the care and affection and safety people can provide.
*this is an example of forced-cuddling behavior that cats just aren't that into. she tolerates me because i feed her.
come to my blog! 
October 29, 2012
Being a strong advocate for community cats and finding ways to dispel the misconceptions about them is important to me, so when I read Taming Me - Memoir of a Clever Island Cat by Cathy Unruh that was written in in the feline voice of Lucy Miracle, a formerly feral cat, I was instantly drawn to the story.
A very quick, easy, and compelling read, the story not only entertains and enlightens the reader through Lucy’s feline eyes, ears, nose, and mouth about what a feral/community cat is, but it also dispels the myths and stereotypes about them as the subtle undertone of the story by raising awareness about the effectiveness of TNRM (Trap, Neuter, Return, Manage) programs.
From the moment we meet little Lucy as a kitten looking for food and shelter with her mother, we root for this petite feline heroine to survive the myriad of daily dangers that an outdoor cat must contend with, such as uncaring and angry humans (sometimes with the ultimate intent to kill), inclement weather, predators, automobiles, and lack of proper food and nutrition. Unruh has an uncanny knack of breathing life into the nuances of a cat through Lucy – sometimes with brutal honesty as an unsuspecting lizard becomes her dinner, to the whimsical charm of her spotting a ray of sunshine to relish a nap in, to her methodical litter habits on the couch, to the insightful perception of the internal confusion Lucy felt when she began to purr when she let herself be petted for the first time.
While the book itself is fictional, it is based on factual intent about how Lucy Miracle became tame and is now living a life of safety, love, and pampered comfort with Ms. Unruh and her husband. We are taken through that process as we go from one day to the next in what reads like an adventure story filled with a cast of feline and human characters and even a villain that gets his comeuppance at the end. You will laugh, cry, smile, and cheer as Lucy Miracle makes her way into your heart as she did the author’s.
A very quick, easy, and compelling read, the story not only entertains and enlightens the reader through Lucy’s feline eyes, ears, nose, and mouth about what a feral/community cat is, but it also dispels the myths and stereotypes about them as the subtle undertone of the story by raising awareness about the effectiveness of TNRM (Trap, Neuter, Return, Manage) programs.
From the moment we meet little Lucy as a kitten looking for food and shelter with her mother, we root for this petite feline heroine to survive the myriad of daily dangers that an outdoor cat must contend with, such as uncaring and angry humans (sometimes with the ultimate intent to kill), inclement weather, predators, automobiles, and lack of proper food and nutrition. Unruh has an uncanny knack of breathing life into the nuances of a cat through Lucy – sometimes with brutal honesty as an unsuspecting lizard becomes her dinner, to the whimsical charm of her spotting a ray of sunshine to relish a nap in, to her methodical litter habits on the couch, to the insightful perception of the internal confusion Lucy felt when she began to purr when she let herself be petted for the first time.
While the book itself is fictional, it is based on factual intent about how Lucy Miracle became tame and is now living a life of safety, love, and pampered comfort with Ms. Unruh and her husband. We are taken through that process as we go from one day to the next in what reads like an adventure story filled with a cast of feline and human characters and even a villain that gets his comeuppance at the end. You will laugh, cry, smile, and cheer as Lucy Miracle makes her way into your heart as she did the author’s.
October 25, 2012
As a crazy cat lady, I loved Lucy's story. Hopefully it will increase awareness about helping feral cats.
October 19, 2012
The first thing you notice is that this feral kitten is talking to you in first person, present tense, and it's not baby talk. Lucy Miracle has an intelligent narrative voice. She tells her story with vivid detail. You're right there with her, running after that lizard, scrounging for food in a garbage can, and cuddling next to her mother for an afternoon nap. You're tracking this little animal's every move, as well as her every thought and emotion. You're right there when the humans get a hold of her, and she feels trapped, no longer able to run free with her mother. The story unfolds from there. There are some funny and cute moments, as well as moments where you may shed a tear or two. It stays true to the cat's perspective from start to finish. It's well done--beautiful writing, imaginative metaphors, and good plot development. You come to love and root for Lucy Miracle.
August 19, 2021
A heartwarming tale of the capture and taming of a feral kitten living on an island in the Bahamas as told from the perspective of the kitten itself. The tale is based upon the author’s actual capture of her kitten, Lucy Miracle, during a Trap, Neuter and Return activity and the subsequent taming of the young kitten. Against the backdrop of a small, tropical, idyllic island setting the reader experiences the human warmth, compassion, and tenderness shown toward the initially reluctant kitten as Darcy (the representative character of the author in the novel) patiently works to establish with the kitten the appropriate level of trust and acceptance in order to convince Lucy Miracle to abandon her feral ways and willingly accept her status as a beloved member of Darci’s household. Concern and compassion towards the island’s colony of feral cats is also highlighted as the humane procedure of Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) is described and why it is utilized there to help save and improve the lives of the island cats. If you love animals, especially cats, this is a must-read. Spoiler alert: For those who get teary-eyed at sad endings in animal stories, I am happy to report that the titular animal does not get sick, injured, or die in the book.
March 8, 2019
This was a cute story told from the perspective of a feral island cat who became a family member. I like the focus on the trap/neuter/spay/release program and animal advocacy.
June 28, 2019
Taming Me was a cute story about life of a cat from her point of view. Her mommy and daddy were very patient for her to accept them into her family.
August 19, 2013
Taming Me: Memoir of a Clever Island Cat is a very entertaining story of a feral cat that is trying to survive on Cat Cay. Cat Cay is an island that is over populated with feral cats. There are not enough food to support a large population of feral cats
The story is told by Lucy Miracle, a feral cat. She starts at the beginning when she was a kitten. She was the runt in the litter and has stayed with her mother while her brothers and sisters have left the nest. She and her mother were captured as part of the Trap, Neuter, and Return Program. Since Lucy was spayed quite young, she didn't recovered as well as her mother did. The volunteer Darcie kept her with her other two cats, Fred and Frisco.
Lucy thinks of her mother and her freedom all the time and wonders if she could possibly escape. She relates her story of terror when she is capture and also one of the island resident whose intent is to kill all cats on the island.
I love this story because it capture the true essence of a cat's point of view. Lucy gives the condition of the life of a feral cat. It is a constant struggle of finding enough food to eat. Lucy gives some account of feral cats befriending the people who are kind to them. She called them the lucky ones. She also tells of her ordeal of the family that is trying to adopt her. She is conflicted with finding her mother and her freedom and her human companions.
I love it when Lucy mentioned that a cat can understand the human conversation. I love when she indicates that it is people that can't understand or talk back in cat.
The other thing I love about this book is that it also explained the Trap, Neuter, and Return Program and how it works. I especially love the Postscript at the end of the story.
I recommends this book to cat lovers and new cat owners. This story could be read to children to teach them the responsibility of having a pet.
The story is told by Lucy Miracle, a feral cat. She starts at the beginning when she was a kitten. She was the runt in the litter and has stayed with her mother while her brothers and sisters have left the nest. She and her mother were captured as part of the Trap, Neuter, and Return Program. Since Lucy was spayed quite young, she didn't recovered as well as her mother did. The volunteer Darcie kept her with her other two cats, Fred and Frisco.
Lucy thinks of her mother and her freedom all the time and wonders if she could possibly escape. She relates her story of terror when she is capture and also one of the island resident whose intent is to kill all cats on the island.
I love this story because it capture the true essence of a cat's point of view. Lucy gives the condition of the life of a feral cat. It is a constant struggle of finding enough food to eat. Lucy gives some account of feral cats befriending the people who are kind to them. She called them the lucky ones. She also tells of her ordeal of the family that is trying to adopt her. She is conflicted with finding her mother and her freedom and her human companions.
I love it when Lucy mentioned that a cat can understand the human conversation. I love when she indicates that it is people that can't understand or talk back in cat.
The other thing I love about this book is that it also explained the Trap, Neuter, and Return Program and how it works. I especially love the Postscript at the end of the story.
I recommends this book to cat lovers and new cat owners. This story could be read to children to teach them the responsibility of having a pet.
Read
December 18, 2012I loved this book! It is heart warming and had a touch of suspense. The kitten's eye view of the story gave it such a sweet perspective. I was on the edge of my seat at a couple of points and had a tissue in hand for others. I highly recommend this book!
January 3, 2013
I received this as a gift from my neighbor. If you like cats, this is well written.
November 11, 2013
Beautiful story with many heartbreaking moments. Every cat lover should read this book.
August 23, 2014
A nice read, a sweet little cat tells the story of her life on an island in the Bahamas, from being feral kitten to a much loved house cat. Very enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews