Books like Cat Talk — picked by fans

I was so moved by this true story of Alaa, an ambulance driver who loves his city of Aleppo so much that he chooses to stay there when war breaks out. In addition to helping the people of Aleppo, Alaa helps the hundreds of cats left homeless by the war. His kindness inspires others, who volunteer and donate enough money for Alaa to build a shelter he names “The House of Cats Ernesto” in memory of a friend’s beloved cat. People who visit the shelter are so filled with hope, they donate more money and soon Alaa builds a playground for the children of Aleppo. Kindness begets kindness, and this story lifted my heart and restored my faith in people, most of whom I truly believe are innately kind.

No one wants to buy Pablo Picasso’s sad blue paintings. Unable to feed himself or his cat, Picasso sends Minou out into the world, hoping she can find herself a meal. Minou meets some circus performers who feed her, but she doesn’t finish her food; she brings a sausage home to Picasso. Minou introduces Picasso to her new friends, who inspire him to create more joyful paintings which are purchased by an art dealer. This book is all about kindness. The circus performers kindly feed Minou, Minou kindly brings food to Picasso, and Picasso kindly paints the circus performers’ portraits in exchange for meals. This book, based on a true story, shows that cats, who are rumored to be self-centered and aloof, are really very loving, generous, and kind.

I love that this book features a character who is grumpy and (at first) doesn’t like cats! Mr. Modiano thinks cats are a nuisance, but when a neighbor’s cat, Ketzie goes missing, guess who searches for her and brings her home? And guess who then adopts a cat of his own? And finally, shares a cup of tea with his neighbor who has been trying for a long time to befriend him? Many people are not fond of cats until one special feline sneaks into their heart. I love that this book shows a character’s concern for his neighbor inspires him to open his heart. And the illustrations are adorable!

I have read this book at least a dozen times. First published in 1930, it has become a classic, winning the Newbery Medal (the Oscar of children’s books!) and other awards. The story, which takes place in Japan, is about a poor, humble artist, who is working on an important painting. Though he has very little money and cannot afford another mouth to feed, his housekeeper brings a little white cat home from the market. At first, the artist is disgruntled, but nevertheless, the cat becomes known as Good Fortune, and indeed, through an act of selflessness, the cat does bring good fortune to the artist. The writing style is gorgeous, and the book is an absolute pleasure to read. Very soothing and meditative. No wonder it’s become a classic!

Yes, cats can be trained. Training your cat is fun for you and it is fun for your cat. This is the best training manual you can ever buy and it also tells you a lot about cats. Have a go. You won’t regret it! I train my cats, even though I am a very amateur trainer, as you can see from my YouTube channel! They purr while they do it. 

Like my book, this one draws young readers into the topic of animal adaptations with a question. Although the book doesn’t have a table of contents for easy perusing, it does provide a model for picking and choosing the chapters of interest. It’s likely to be a young reader’s first experience with the scanning procedure we use in nonfiction materials--as opposed to the page after page reading necessary in fiction stories. The book consists of 20 chapters each addressing a question about cat behavior. The explanatory paragraph is from 3-10 sentences long, pitched at a late 1st-grade reader. The visuals are a combination of photographs and drawings.

This is a really good book for someone who wants to be able to pick up a book and read a little bit at a time.

It’s got information about everything you need to know about keeping a cat, from cat problems to why cats do the odd things they do. Jo Lewis is a vet and obviously loves cats.

I have always loved this book as it makes me laugh (a lot) while teaching me some interesting things about cats and how they behave. Published in 1990, it is still as fresh as it was back in the day. I can’t get enough of how zany text full of invented words (told from an alien’s perspective) is ‘translated’ by hilarious illustrations that anyone who ever owned a cat knows to ring true.

I love how you have to pore over the illustrations to get the jokes and, most importantly, to learn about cats, what they are like, and the funny things they do. In this wonderful picture book (and series of picture books), you really learn through laughter.

I loved this book because it perfectly depicts the hilarious and creative things cats do in their owner's house, as any cat owner (and I have three) will know.

The humorous take on life with cats had me chuckling, and each illustration is filled with a palpable love for these furry creatures. The way it captures their expressions is just perfect.

As an art lover, I was mesmerized by the soft, glowing illustrations that bring the cats' world to life. Whether it's a children's book or an adult book, it works for both.

A lifelong cat person, I was drawn to Betsy Lewin’s light-hearted illustrations and lilting rhyme featuring an orange tabby.

It starts, “Everyone knows where Tippy Toes is/ when the sun is up and the day is his.” The next spread shows a mouse’s view of a paw through its hole followed by one from the cat’s viewpoint showing the mouse’s tail through its hole. More clever cutouts add to the fun as we follow Tippy Toe through an adventure with a garden hose, a nap in a drawer, and a dash through a blueberry pie.

The final text reads, “No, nobody knows where Tippy Toes creeps/ when darkness falls and the whole world sleeps…”. The last page turn reveals the cat curled up under his boy’s covers, finishing “…except me.”