In Search of Cleo: How I Found My Kitty and Lost My Mind

by Gina Gershon

A charming memoir about the search for self, sanity, and a woman’s best friend.
 
Film and television icon Gina Gershon is a self-described cat person. So when her hippy-dippy newfound assistant Cassandra* (yes, Cassandra spelled with a star) lost her beloved cat Cleo en route to a dog-grooming shop—yes, dog grooming—Gina sunk into a state of desperation and despair. Cleo had meowed by her side through one of the most difficult times in Gina’s life. This humanlike black cat with piercing green eyes acted as her support system after she lost her father, uncle, and three close friends and suffered a devastating breakup with her boyfriend of eight years. Cleo was the constant in Gina’s life, a loyal companion—even if at times a naughty, headstrong panther.

Gina, determined to find Cleo, spent two and half months roaming the streets of Lost Angeles at all hours of the night. A cast of various, at times eccentric characters helped her in her quest. Ellen DeGeneres recommended a pet psychic, Sonia; Arthur, a newspaper delivery man, gave her advice; John, from jail, promised to deliver Cleo; and a mysterious fortune-teller, who appeared from the shadows, gave her a statue of St. Gertrude, protector of cats everywhere. Armed with never-ceasing hope, Gina found herself enmeshed in L.A.’s strangest subcultures, doing everything possible to bring her cat home.

In this personal, quirky memoir, Gina reflects on the various cats that have been a part of her life and how they were analogues to her relationships with men, as well as her finding unconditional love in unexpected places. Rife with humor and no-holds-barred honesty, In Search of Cleo is an account of a single girl’s travails in search of her cat, love, and some sanity.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Animals, Cats, Humor, Audiobook

177 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really loved this book! I found at a dollar store of all places and the author is giving the profits to animal charities. She is so funny and I love how she shares her intuitive gifts and ability to communicate with animals.

[Bridget Petrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, let me preface this with "Gina Gershon is by far one of the most intelligent, gifted, hilarious, phenomenal actresses of my generation." Gina Gershon is candid, real, no-holds-barred and doesn't apologize for it... EVER. I cannot begin to explain how rare that really is in the film/entertainment industry. She does everything on her own terms, lives her life, 95% of the time, out of the "public eye"... and isn't afraid to admit her mistakes. In fact, she can tell a story that will make you laugh from your gut, even though it is probably self-depracating. It doesn't get much better than that. So when I received my review copy of the book, I IMMEDIATELY read it. All of it. In one sitting. It's written exactly the way it would be spoken. It captures Gina's perspective on how truly difficult relationships are. How life will always present itself to you in metaphors; you just have to discover the lessons in it all. So... here it is...

It's no fun losing your pet, but for Gina Gershon it was a life changer. Roughly 10 years ago, the actress known for such movies as Bound, Face/Off and most recently Killer Joe, came home from the Cannes film festival to find that her assistant ( Cassandra with a star at the end of her name) no longer had her cat Cleo in her care. Apparently, the ex staffer had taken the kitty to a dog groomer, which scared Cleo so much that he ran away. "So many people were like, 'Oh just get another cat.' But oh my God, I just fell apart. I was heartbroken," Gershon says from New York, where she currently lives. "I got to the point where I thought I was going crazy. I was so desperate to have him back. I didn't realize how insane it all was until later."

Her book, In Search of Cleo: How I Found My Pussy and Lost My Mind (Gotham Books, $22.50) chronicles the 2½ month period it took to find the black cat, searching the streets of Los Angeles and meeting with random strangers who claimed to have him (there was a sweet $1,000 reward). Gershon, 50, encountered various impostors. She was initially fooled a few times by copycats, which was devastating. "After you've had your heart broke a couple of times you kind of shut down."

In Search of Cleo is also a metaphor for the men in Gershon's life. The sexy singleton interweaves past boyfriends into the story, like an unnamed designer Gershon hooked up with Hong Kong. She was convinced he was her soul mate and husband in another life until he revealed he was married. "I wasn't sure that [experience] belonged in there," Gershon admits. "But the book is just a trippy journey about looking for love. If you're open anything can happen, I suppose."

In the last chapter, we read that "a large woman with short, cropped hair and pierced body parts" finally found Gershon's dear feline, near the grooming place where he originally ran off. Gershon knew almost immediately: Cleo has a telltale spot on the roof on his mouth and a certain way he eats. Her one true love is still around. "He's a very demanding, spoiled cat," she admits. "He's getting older now, he's all brown and moving a little bit slower. But he still wakes me up in the morning with kisses."

Could another book be in the works? Doubtful. "It was important for me to tell my story but I'm not a writer," she stresses. "I love writers, and I wish I were a really good one. My style was just keeping it in my own voice, even if there were run-on sentences. My favorite passages are the ones I wrote and never looked at again."

[SheilaRaeO · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a riot! Gina Gershon is a very funny writer. This very quick read takes you on the crazy train for a little while, then you climb down the steps at the end of line onto the platform of sanity and smile... Then go straight to the ticket booth and ask when the next Gershon train is leaving! If you have ever known the trauma of losing a pet (and there have got to be millions of you out there judging by the "lost cat" / "lost dog" posters on every telephone pole in the city...), this book is for you. I especially enjoyed the little sketches Gina includes of the various characters she encounters on her search for Cleo. All in all - the title itself is worth the price of admission.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who has ever lost a beloved pet knows the horror, the angst and unremitting compulsion to search high and low and continue looking until that pet has been found and reunited with its people. Until it's happened to you, you have no idea of the extent of emotions that will boil through your psyche. Gina Gershon has been there. So have I. Her experience was much more amusing than mine.

This is a funny funny book. Gershon takes the reader along on her quest to find her cat Cleo (who is a male, incidentally). She throws in some wonderful anecdotes about past pets and people in her life while telling stories about various people she encountered in her search for Cleo. It's a motley cast of characters and the stories are hilarious. Gershon spins her tales with a friendly familiarity. The outcome is wildly entertaining. How could it possibly be anything else when her kitty call is "HERE, KITTY, KITTY, KITTY, KITTY. HERE, CLEO. WHERE IS THE CLEO? YOU ARE NO GOOD." Do you love it or what?

I would offer one word of caution to the reader. If you, like me, laugh out loud when you read about the guy in jail or the stalker cat, just be aware of who might be watching you. Giggling in the break room at my store led several people to ask me what I found so funny. Without thinking, I held the book up so that they might see the title. One twenty-something burst out laughing. That caught the attention of one of the managers, who looked up from his lunch, read the title and did a double take. The look on his face was priceless but I don't know that he will ever get over it.

Hehehehehe...

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

"How I Found My Pussy and Lost My Mind" by Gina Gershon is a short, picture filled book that is entertaining, funny and sad at the same time.

Part of it is memoir about her childhood and later about her friends, cats, and men that she dated and lived with. There are a lot of double entrendres referring to cats and men. I enjoyed learning how she became a “cat person” and the tales of her series of cats. It is also the story of how she lost Cleo and her desperate measure to find her cat. She became friends with some very quirky characters on the way. Ellen DeGeneres went with her on some of her 4:30 in the morning walks. She consulted several psychics. This book will make you laugh and cry with the vivid images of her search. One image of what she did, I simply cannot get out of my mind!

I do have a caution though there is quite a bit of racy language in this book.

I think this book would be a good book to take on plane trip. I recommend it to all cat lovers who are not bothered by some risqué language.

This book was received as a win from The Library Thing but that in no way influenced my review.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sort of meandering memoir, but I highly enjoyed it. I was a little startled with the title, but it did capture my attention so it did what it was supposed to do. And it made me laugh, another plus.
Diving in, I followed Gina's story of love of the cats and people in her life. Especially the love for her Cleo. How Cleo came into her life, won her heart and then broke it by disappearing.
The rest of the tale details what Gina went through to get Cleo back. I loved reading her meeting her guardian angels, the left-of-center-plumb, the psychics...all helping her along her path to finding Cleo.
This is an incredibly fast read, funny, warm, poignant. Can definitely recommend.

[Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for people who love their pets. Gina is the main character, and she goes looking desperately for the lost cat named Cleo. Adventures ensue, and a motley cast of characters try to help Gina in her adventure. This is a beautiful and well-written book. It includes some great detail about Los Angeles.

[Laurel Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I stopped asking myself if Gina Gershon had lost her mind or was just making stuff up, I found that I love this little book. Whether it's true or not doesn't matter to me, because it touched me and made me laugh out loud. The emotional muck she goes through while trying to find her cat is certainly real to me. The most satisfying book I've read in recent memory.

[Anthony Colozza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is one of those books that I believe was written because the author needed to write a book to stay relevant and or because everyone else is writing books. The book is somewhat like a stream of conscious that revolves around finding a lost cat. The book is not profound and the story is somewhat trivial as life events go. At times it seems like things are in the book because the author had to fill a certain number of pages and had to write about something. That said it is still an enjoyable read. It is written in a lighthearted style providing a good sense of the author's personality. The only really annoying part of the text is the yodel that she uses to call her cat. Which come up over and over throughout the book. If you are looking for a meaningful life story book it is probably best to look elsewhere. But if you want an easy, enjoyable read to take your mind off of more distressing things and provide a relaxing escape, this book is worth a look.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always been a fan of Gina Gershon and I'm a mega fan of cats, so what could go wrong with this one? Well, it started out strong, but I'll admit that I no longer think I'm a crazy cat lady, though I'd say Gina Gershon definitely is. Some of this was downright bizarre, but at the heart of it was a woman with so much love for her cat that she was willing to do anything to find it. While I can appreciate that, it felt really tedious by about the halfway point and definitely wasn't the experience I was hoping for.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ms. Gershon was the main draw in choosing to read this but I'm sorry to realize I now find her much less mysterious. The story was basically a vehicle for compiling a number of mildly interesting events from the course of her life, most of which are small talk caliber, hardly formative enough to offer any enlightenment.

[Kaitlyn Graver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it was interesting that I read the whole thing 1 day! it was funny and entertaining with some very funky twists and childhood stories that make you fall off your reading chair laughing!

[Dallas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite bazaar stories and yet very interesting. Overall, not bad for a short read.

[Jonelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very quirky and entertaining, really enjoyed. Short read.

[wildandwitchyreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little book. The writing was quite humorous and had me laughing out loud. Any book about a cat is always a good time.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy cat lady is a label many of us wear with pride. Gina Gershon, star of great cinematic fare like Bound and Showgirls is no exception. In The Search for Cleo: How I Found My Pussy and Lost My Mind, Gershon engagingly and humorously recounts returning from the Cannes Film Festival to discover that her assistant, Cassandra with a Star (because she always signed her first name with a superscripted star at the end) has lost Cleo, the author's domestic short-haired black cat, while transporting him to the groomer's in West Hollywood. Yes, Gershon's first question to her assistant was, "Why were you taking my cat to the groomer in the first place!" Cassandra with a Star has no legitimate answer. Thus begins the desperate search for Cleo.

Gershon recounts how she spent two months combing the alleys, bushes and streets of West Hollywood at 4:30 every morning looking for Cleo, armed with a can of tuna and a knife for her own protection, calling out to him in song. During these early morning sojourns she makes friends with a colorful cast of characters (because who else is out at 4:30 every morning in Hollywood). Looking for guidance she visits psychics, shamans and a Santeria priest; hangs flyers, sleeps with her door open, and begins to take strange comfort in television preachers. She is also "reunited" with several false Cleos and has to rehome them.

Each journey Gershon undertakes to find her beloved feline triggers an event in her childhood or young adulthood, focusing on her relationship with past pets, ostensibly exploring the nature of the strong bonds we form with them and how animals can be our greatest teachers when it comes to human interaction. Past and present are reflected upon with equal doses of sweetness, wisdom and self-deprecation. There are many laugh-out-loud moments as she recognizes the insane measures she's undertaking to find Cleo (one involves urine and Tropicana bottles).

And in a pleasantly surprising turn, In Search of Cleo also tackles tough metaphysical issues as the hunt for the elusive feline brings up issues of life, loss, death, and the realm of unexplainable phenomena. Does Mr. Cleo return home? You'll have to read this highly enjoyable book to find out.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short and mostly sweet read. Gina was very dedicated to tracking her kitty, Cleo, down when he slipped away from her incredibly stupid cat sitter.

There was a thread of magical realism in her quest, and I enjoyed that. Fortune tellers, psychics, and truth seekers of all kinds seemed to line her path. It's different in California. :)

Gina also shared things from her childhood (and who knew she played a Jew's harp well enough to land on recordings? I am not sure I really even knew what a Jew's harp was until she explained it. An interesting talent to be sure).

I would give it 4 stars if she had saved the little kitten from the abusive husband (and called the cops so they could check on his wife's welfare), but she didn't so I have to deduct. She could have, you see. She had the money to do it, but she walked away. Why Gina? Why? That was something that wasn't adequately answered.

I am glad that she and Cleo were eventually reunited. It's good to know Cleo wound up back in his comfortable home rather than on the street.

[Rayah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a First-Reads giveaway.

Despite the risque-sounding title, this easy, funny read is actually quite sweet. I admit I did not have high hopes for this one, but I ended up enjoying it.

Gina Gershon intersperses stories of her search for her lost cat, Cleo, with stories of past pets, past loves, her childhood, and "impostor" cats she finds along the way. References to her Valley Girl upbringing partially explain the wackiness she allows herself to get into - pet psychics and Santeria priests are just the beginning. Anyone who has ever lost their codependent cat will relate to the lengths she goes to to find her beloved kitty.

She swears her stories are true, so I'll take that at face value. Some are laugh-out-loud funny, some are surprisingly touching. This book will not change your life, but it will entertain you for a couple hours.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick read, would be perfect for a plane trip. In the book, Gina journals the weeks she spent searching for her cat who got lost in LA. Along the way she relates some of her current and past life experiences, which are very different from most. I think she has a gift for writing and it seems she may have psychic connections or gifts as well. If you enjoy that kind of thing, this book is worth reading for fun. If you don't believe in psychics or angels, you may not like it. But, if you are a cat lover, you can completely relate to the gut wrenching feeling of losing your cat and trying to find it in what appears to be a hopeless situation.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird. Gershon likes to think of the various cats in her life as boyfriend-/lover-types. Some are great; Mr. Right. Some have been jerks; and there has been the occasional one night stand. These comparisons didn't really draw me in.

But at least there was a happy ending for Cleo the cat.

Oh, and based on a chapter about how much she loves pimps and trusts them and enjoyed the Pimp's Ball, I'd suggest Ms. Gershon educate herself about what life is like for women who are turned out by pimps. They aren't "classy", they're abusers. And her narrative exposes her ignorance.

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just okay. The lady loses her cat and goes to great lengths to find it. Aside from the normal ways a person would typically look for a lost animal - flyers, animal control etc., she also consults a few "unique" people. Some of the things the "consultants" suggest to her are pretty bizarre - crawling around on the ground at cat level, leaving her urine trail...... WHAT? The books tends to get off topic and talks about her childhood, a nanny type lady, friends, relationships etc. This book is a quick read, but not one I recommend to my friends and not one I would read again.

[Kimberly Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been a big Gina Gershon fan ever since I seen her in the film Bound with Jennifer Tilly. So when I heard that she wrote a book about her misadventures with her beloved cat Cleo, I just had to read it. And to be honest, I was not disappointed one bit! Gina's book gives you some insight into how spiritually connected she is not only towards her lost cat Cleo, but to the animal and spirit world as well. And the lengths she'll go to to get her Cleo back is nothing short of amazing! I highly recommend this book for all animal lovers.

[Jerri Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL;DR: Fun and quick read. I finished it in less than 24 hours.

I'm glad the preface indicated that this was more of a collection of short vignettes, rather than one story about Gershon looking for her cat. Otherwise, the pacing and jumping backwards and forwards in time much more irritating than it already was.

It seems like Gina is my kind of crazy cat lady. Independent, irreverent, kinda nutty. Some tales are unbelievable but fun to read nonetheless.

[Sandy Dunn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dissapointing

Boring and repetitive. And I am a huge Cat lover. It did not hold my interest. I couldn't wait for the book to be over. Even the finding of Cleo was disturbing. If you own and love a cat, you know every inch of the cat and would immediately know if it is your cat.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this a philosophical book thats going to save the world..... Absolutely not.

Is it a quirky, funny, easy to read memoir involving animals and some strange characters..... Absolutely.


* I received this book in exchange for a review *

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!!Great book. Witty,funny,and you don't have to be a pussy lover to totally relate! Definately a book to keep on hand when you need a gift for someone. Totally would read again.

[Natasha Small · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the adventure & the realness of the author and her experiences with lossing her loved ones and temporary lossing her cat. Very mellow and comfortable, the run around was well planned through out the books plot. Good fall/winter read.

[Courtenay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quick, enjoyable read. Didn't expect any more than that. I have always thought GG was cool, and as a cat person I could relate to her panic over her beloved Cleo disappearing. It was a refreshing celebrity bio.

[Jo Maeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because I went somewhat crazy when my beloved Lupe vanished. I didn't expect this book to be so funny, eerie and riveting. I listened to the audio book which, of course, features Ms. Gershon's fabulous voice. Highly recommend it.

[Rese · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Gina Gershon and have since 1996 so clearly I to read her memior. Although, I did find it enjoyable, I do question her sanity or drug usage. However, I did watch The Haunting of...and Kim Russo said she had a gift so maybe that's with cats too.