Comfort of Cats

by Pamela Wallin

This serene meditation on the special bond between cat lovers and their aloof, playful, adorable, and intelligent objects of affection captures in words and pictures the many quiet pleasures that only cats can provide. Pamela Wallin eloquently shares her feelings about one particular Siamese, appropriately named "Kitty," striking a peaceful, introspective tone befitting her subject. Kitty has been at Pamela's side through many of life's traumas, and Pamela records her reflections on the solace and joy that come from her purring and comforting companion. But beyond personal touches, Pamela also explores the place of cats in history, lore, literature, and art, introducing us along the way to numerous famous cats and cat owners. The beautiful photography of Anne Bayin accompanying the text reveals Kitty's many-faceted personality in various tranquil domestic settings.
This affectionate tribute will delight cat lovers and please their feline friends.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals

143 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2002

Reviews

[Rebecca Huston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful little book about cats. Besides there's a Siamese on the cover, I can't resist that.

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_38597...

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Comfort Of Cats” is soothing and should be better known among photograph and cat-lover books. Pamela Wallin is a news journalist and since 2008, a Canadian senator. This very special gift-sized book is endearingly personal. She discovered she could adore a cat, like a dog in her childhood. That Siamese is the chief model. I admire Anne Bayin's quirky and immensely familiar, normal viewpoint. She is a down-to-Earth photographer. Rather than create cuddling people portraits, Anne obviously followed these kitties and let them make household poses. Sunrays illuminate a carpet while kitty plunks by a radiator. Other studies might have been set-up but could have occurred naturally: high heels on a floor next to a reclining kitty. I empathize with Anne that wherever a kitty sits, is cute or gorgeous.

We see two others. I caught my breath that one resembles our cherished Conan! Missing four months, I read books like these to be encouraged and soothed that he is well and we can be sure he will reunite with us safely. Indeed: bolstering great pages of housecat photography and inspiring quotations are biological and behavioural facts. The remaining chapters comprise well-known cat information but it is timely for me to reinforce that knowledge. How gratefully reassuring it is, to confirm how naturally and how well, cats evade predators!

This very beautiful book is not solely a suite of quotations. Choice phrases are sprinkled around. This starts out as the story of a woman falling in love with a cat she babysat; discovering that she needed her own. She grew up thinking she only cherished dogs. I love hearing of people who realized cats can be the precious pets by our sides through strife and joy. She appears to have three. I only critique that the non-Siamese appear rarely.