Kym

by Joyce Stranger

Siamese cats are demanding characters but Kym was in a league of his own: noisy, aggressive, insisting always on having his own way, greedy and obstreperous. He lived in very close conjunction with his mistress, not because she wanted it that way but because he didn't give her any choice.

Genres: Animals, Cats, Nonfiction

137 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Psuedonym of Joyce Muriel Wilson (1921–2007). Lived in Anglesey, Wales.
Trained as a biologist, specialising in animal behaviour, and tried her hand at dog training too. Not surprisingly, animal themes, especially relationships between human and animal feature in all of her books. She thought that the human-animal/human-nature relationship was extremely important and that a co-existence between the two could improve quality of life. She said "for many people an animal can provide a harmony lacking in day-to-day relationships with people."
Her books are not very anthropomorphic, deliberately so. She thought that many animal books, especially childrens were inaccurate or sentimental or humanised the animal and wanted her stories instead to "show how animals live in a world that is real to them"
They are definitely not sentimental either, many are quite downbeat. Disasters often strike her fictional worlds and her characters are often unhappy, guilt-stricken or remorseful. However they usually end on a more upbeat and optimistic note.
Ms. Stranger was one of the few authors to write horse stories aimed at adults. Most of her pony books are either adult or teenage stories.

Reviews

[Alix Zahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I read as a kid, and reread periodically since. This and Ajax occupy similar spaces in my brain. I cry every time etc etc

[Stephanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coincidentally, my one-and-only dog so far was named Kym, so I already know this author has excellent taste. Even without that, I feel I can safely say this is the best cat memoir I've ever read. While there were 4 or 5 times I noticed she would repeat some comment she'd already made (paging The Editor!), it hardly mattered because I stayed up until 2 in the morning to finish, frequently laughing aloud at Kym's exploits.

She keeps saying she doesn't like to humanize/anthropomorphize animals too much, but she certainly finds herself translating her cat's yammering a lot, in the most delightful way. I can just imagine him telling her "all about his day," and all the amazing things he saw and did. Flipping to a random excerpt: "Waugh," he yelled as we went over a bridge across the new motorway and he Saw Cars Down There. He couldn't believe it. Down there!"

Or another: "Kym greeted us with glee, safely inside the caravan, purring around us, rolling to have his tummy rubbed, jumping into my arms, looking into my eyes, telling us how lonely he'd been and how long we'd been away and probably how this horrible animal had come to the van and then started to tear up a lamb right under his nose."

Each chapter also opens with a beautifully realistic ink drawing of Kym, making the cat come to life even more than the words on the page.

He is a most adventurous cat, picking fights with all the neighborhood toms on his walkabouts, catching all manner of wildlife (often delivered to his owner alive), edging carefully away from such fearsome beasts as sheep and cattle, stealing tasty human/Kym-suitable food, and on one memorable occasion, getting himself covered in quickly drying varnish and having to be shaved nearly bald. But for all his troubles and the immense financial burden he puts on the family with his numerous vet emergencies, he is truly endearing. Besides, who wouldn't love a cat they can take on camper-van vacations and not even have to keep him shut inside?

Side note: I also love her habit of being disgruntled by Progress, particularly when she waxes rhapsodic about camping holidays she and her family took to Plas Coch, located on the grounds of an "old Elizabethan house." As she describes it, "It is [now] tidy and the maze has been replaced by a swimming pool, and all the old world charm has gone," but back in the day, "it enchanted us as the gardens, though overrun and almost wild, held memories of former times when the house had been a stately home. There was a walled garden, now high with uncut grass, with the remains of fig and peach trees. "

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious adventures of a cat full of personality.

[Pauline Mary Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book a long time ago, but it made an impression on me, still got the book even though it must be nearly 35 years ago! Loved it.