The Character of Cats: The Origins, Intelligence, Behavior, and Stratagems of Felis Silvestris Catus

by Stephen Budiansky

There are no seeing-eye cats, guard cats, or sled cats -- and for very good reason. Cats -- as cat "owners" know -- are intractably independent, defying all rules about how and why animals become domesticated. Now, in The Character of Cats, acclaimed author and scientist Stephen Budiansky combines breakthrough scientific research, fascinating lore, and his own infectious fondness for all things feline to elucidate the mysteries of these amazing creatures.Simultaneously adaptive and perverse, affectionate and suspicious, dependent and aloof, cats are the least tamed and yet the most successful domestic species. Drawing on new research into cat genetics, brain chemistry, evolution, social behavior, and interaction with humans and fellow felines, Budiansky has written the first scientifically based popular book to explore exactly how and why cats are unique. Wide ranging, lively, and engaging, The Character of Cats also covers the full spectrum of feline fact and lore, from history to superstition, from hunting patterns to religious imagery, and from sexual behavior to preferred colors.Cats are not pets but fellow travelers, one foot in the parlor, one in the wild, and we impose our fantasies and expectations on them at our peril. This smart, wonderfully readable book finally gives cats their due.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Cats, Science, Biology, History, Science Nature

227 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2002

About the author

Historian and journalist Stephen Budiansky is the author of twelve books about military history, science, and nature.

His latest book is The Bloody Shirt: Terror After Appomattox, which chronicles the struggles of five courageous men in the post-Civil War South as they battled a rising tide of terrorist violence aimed at usurping the newly won rights of the freedmen.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading about cats. The title of this book made me think it would be really interesting and enlightening, but it was misleading. From the author's note and the book itself, I cannot tell whether the author is an animal researcher himself, an animal lover, or merely someone who combines other people's research to talk about something he himself is not that interested in. For someone who has read other cat books, this provided hardly any new information. I did find the discussion on the evolution of domesticated animals interesting, but that wasn't a large part of the book. I was dismayed by all of the research cited because most of it had to do with attaching electrodes to cats' brains or removing them from their mothers at an early age--all to determine...what again? (That's a whole other review.) I think the author was more interested on giving general information and then telling you what he thinks--which is ok--but in this case it was in a rather boring style. I'm giving it a 2, only because if you've never read anything about cats it would be interesting, but for someone who has some other info...it's rather redundant and lacks charm.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This falls somewhere between fluff and technical so it's just the right speed for someone that has a curiosity about the domestication of cats and their behavior. I use it as a go to book when ours asks a question that we don't know the answer to. The chapter on feline genetics is interesting but there may just not be enough material there to better appreciate the technical aspects. Chapters dealing with specific behavior and its sources i.e. inherited, ecological, or learned provides convincing evidence that cats are much more complicated than we give them credit for and that they cannot be viewed as just instinctual animals or Pavlovian pawns. The author’s fact based and referenced observations of cats recognize that that his conclusions have limited application and caution us not to project the basis of our behavior upon theirs. Overall, his story provides us a better appreciation for a partially domesticated animal that has shared the same environment with us for several millennia.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a good book to read and written clearly, though dealing with a difficult, scientific orientated subject. It traces the cat's history, from the first domestication right through to modern day, and discusses who its evolution has effected its behaviour and learning. The author's love of all things animal comes through the writing so well and everything is presented is a way that helps you understand what he is trying to say. I love all the line drawings throughout the book as well. Well worth readining.

[J.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, seriously? If you love cats, or even if you're just mildly interested in them, this is THE book to read. I devoured it and learned so much about the feline species while doing so that I went out and bought a second copy just so I could keep one. It's that good, honest (this from a woman who has to pass on every book she owns because she's out of space!). But yeah, this book rocks. One of the best I've read in years.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats have a long history, starting in Egypt in 1275 B.C. Cats were found on a wall painting during the reign of Ramses II.
During the middle ages, cats were associated with witchcraft; not a good life for the cat.
During the Revolutionary War period, cats were brought over her from England.
The color traits of cats were in different parts of the world. Example..Orange colored cats were mostly from Northern Scandinavian countries.
The book notes cat expressions form relaxed to fearful.
Purring goes back to mother and baby communication, also contentment. Cats have excellent hearing, giving them an edge on catching rodents.
Being the cat has no collar bone, he can twist and move in such a way that he lands on his feet from a fall. Cats are spending 3/4th of a day sleeping and resting 10% active and 4% eating and elimination.
Humans have a fastenation with cats and reminds them of wild creatures.
A very informative book.

[Perri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I'm a dog lover, and allergic to cats, so just picked this up on a whim. But, I did learn a lot about cats in this easy- to- read book, most importantly why when I try to ignore cats, they pick ME to cozy up to.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una obra diferente dentro de Las lecturas para los apasionados de Los Gatos; de ahí, presumo, su puntuación general.
Tiene ése tono aseptico por que se trata de un analisis clinico y de encuesta.
Es bastante completo, pero carece de apasionamiento en sus expresiones, y en vez de caer en la neutralidad a lo largo de sus páginas, en ciertos pasajes contiene un tono negativo.
Lo destacado es que desmitifica algunas aserveraciones históricas mediante la lógica y ensayo.

[Jessica T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long winded.

[Sophy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny little book about cats which is informative and amusing in a non scientific way. The section on the history of cats specifically in Egypt and the Middle Ages is quite fascinating, as is the section on fur colours and dominant/recessive colour genes. I wouldn't say this is THE definitive text on cats by any means, but the author can definitely be identified as an ardent cat lover which is enough for me. I enjoyed this.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is slightly outdated since it was published in 2002. Someone gave it to me as a gift, and I'm glad I read it. It is definitely not a light read and reads more like an anthropology book, but I learned a lot about my own cat and found it worth the time and effort. Plus the author has a light sense of humor, which I found enjoyable.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took a very scientific approach to describing cat behavior. This might indicate how geeky I am, but I loved learning about cats' behavior this way. The author starts by talking a little about how cats evolved and how interesting it is that (unlike dogs, horses, and many other domesticated animals) cats can still breed with their wild counterpart. It is also true that wild cats can survive without us, much better than wolves or the nearly extinct ancestors of today's horses. You can really feel the author's admiration and love of cats he discusses the implication of these facts: first, that cats choose to live with us even though they could survive without us and second that they have done so without changing to please us. He also presents a lot of really cool behavioral studies, showing that cats learn by observing other cats; that cats are intelligent, but are most intelligent at tests which make sense with their natural behavior; and showing that cats build mental maps with themselves at the center (not landmark based) - among other interesting tidbits. Together with The Cat Whisperer's description of a cat's sensory input, this description of the way cats think gave me a much better appreciation of my cat. I would highly recommend these books together to anyone who wants a really thorough understanding of how how their cat senses and thinks about the world around them.

[Andriy Zinchuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read dozens of books about cats, but this is the one I won't be re-selling on Amazon after having read it. Rarely does a book deal strictly with FACTS while also providing insightful and intriguing information. From the history of cats worldwide (I didn't know that brown tabbies like mine are commonplace in England) to easy-to-understand genetic basics (why orange tabbies are usually male) to clarification of fact vs. fallacy (a declawed cat may not be any more prone to behavioral problems than any non-declawed cat), this book takes solid research and translates it into fascinating, readable stuff. Best of all, the author's style is delightfully conversational, quite easy to read, and occasionally has me laughing out loud!

If you're looking for an author's first-person diatribe about what his cat did last Tuesday and how cute he is under the Christmas tree, this isn't the book for you. But if you want a book that teaches you more than you ever expected to know about our feline friends -- without making it tedious or hard to read -- THIS is the book you want.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Budiansky, author of The Truth About Dogs, takes a look at the scientific data as to why cats behave the way they do. Budiansky explains that cats are the domesticated animals that are most closely related to their wild ancestors. Budiansky argues that the cat is actually not domesticated, but in-stead an “exploited captive.” Physically, cats do not differ from their wild counter-parts. Unlike domesticated cows, dogs, and chickens that have changed physically to be dependent on humans for their survival, cats without human contact would be wild. Another interesting fact in this book is that genetically, the only difference between different breeds are the coat qualities and color genes (with the exception of the Persian, which has a squished face). Therefore, any temperament or health problems are not specific to certain breeds. This book was an interesting look at the intricacies of cat behavior

[Dan Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this book it was a just published volume and I was pretty new to living with cats. It was a delight to learn about their history, genetic entanglements, habits and foibles. I came away grateful that the few annoying behaviors of our cats were quite minor and I learned a few ways to manage them.
Jumping ahead 14 years and evaluating the volume after observing feline behavior during that time, Stephen Budianshy's effort seems even more engaging. Stuffed with studies, anecdotes, facts and a few legends, boredom is never an option. The last few chapters are loaded with practical information and considerations, including sensible reflections on the questions of indoor vs. outdoor and control of wild populations.
Altogether well worth the time, even in a re-reading, even after years of "Cat Fancy"(now 'Catster') magazine.
Recommended

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting thing I learned from this book is that house cats are not considered truly domesticated, rather they share with "domesticated" camels and elephants the classification of "exploited captive."

One reason for this is that unlike most domesticated animals like dogs, sheep cattle, etc, the cat's wild counterpart is still alive and well (the wildcat of Asia, Europe and Africa) and differs very little from the house cat genetically.

This is not a cutesy cat book, but a user-friendly scientific/behavioral/evolutionary snapshot. Enjoyable read.

[Jamie Lightfuss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im not one for reviews. So this is going to be short, and perhaps poorly worded. The book reads easily and quickly. The book seems empty some how. Like there's no substance to what hes saying or the way hes saying it. Mostly filler. By filler, I mean, rambling opinion that sometime touches on the subject of the chapter. Hmmmm... almost feels like he just saw a couple of documentaries on cats and googled some statistics and bam! Book. Good if you know nothing about cats. If you're in the fifth grade. This is a good book for you.

[Cassidy Clayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an interesting take on why cats do what they do. Written with a dry sense of humor and a scientist's perspective, it provides a number of facts about our favorite felines' behaviors, genetics, and psychology.

It's a pretty easy read, and is broken into concise chapters so you can take it one chunk at a time. The 3 star rating is because in spite of this, I probably won't read it again. IT was picked up on a whime, and while interesting it didn't change my life or anything.

[doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while, but I ran across this book at work today, and thought I'd include it, because it really was a great book on cats and cat behaviour. Stephen Budiansky writes well on the feline, incorporating scientific explanation along with personal experience on cats. Definite must for anyone who loves cats.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! I learned a lot about cat behavior, evolution, history, and a ton of other things. Some parts of it bothered me (like references to studies where electrodes were put into cat's brains), but overall I feel like I understand my cat much better! Definitely an entertaining read...

[Narrelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great guide to understand your cat as a cat rather than through anthropomorphy. Drawing on a range of behavioural and physical studies of cats, and written with a good deal of biting humour, Budiansky's book offers insight and even some practical tips for dealing with our furry and very independent friends.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the author owns cats, he does not over sentimentalize the character of cats. He refers to experiments carried out on cats without reference to any cruelty actual or perceived. A much more objective book than Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson's "The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats", which should have been subtitled The Emotional Life of Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson.

[Alysha Rummler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot about cats that I didn't know before. It wasn't decisive enough for me, a lot of times he would lead up to an idea like he was going to explain why cats do something and then finish off with a "not sure, just the way they are" kind of thing. But I still learned a lot more than I knew before.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book combining my interest in brain science and behavior & my love of cats. My favorite line, "Cats do, then, form a mental map of their environment, but in an interesting sort of way, one with the cat in the middle".

[Seana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, explained do much about cat behavior and people/culture's perception of them. Enjoyed it more than the author's book about dogs cause he wasn't 't so preachy. If you love cats, you should DEFINITELY read this book!!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for a cat counterpart to Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a Dog, but this one felt more like a cat book for people who don't know much about cats. It was a quick read and the historical sections were quite interesting.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 - the beginning was much more I tweeting than the ending of this book. Some of the writer's personal experiences made me laugh out loud. And learning about why cats are the way they are is intriguing.

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stuff for a cat lover--maybe tedious if you don't love cats.Some of it got a little boring and repetitive, but overall, not bad.

[Suzie]

Good book.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this.

[Christie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was full of information, but it felt really dry, so only parts of it were enjoyable to read. Tim and I enjoyed discussing the more interesting parts.