The cat's out of the bag by Max Cryer

The cat's out of the bag is a compendium of facts and whimsy about the domestic cat - a small, furry, and demanding creature that has invaded our hearts and our lives without seeming to really offer anything in return.  Having read Every dog has it's day, it seemed only right to read what is essentially a companion book.  While Max Cryer is a New Zealand author, this is a very international book with anecdotes and facts from around the world.

If you like quirky books that follow the whimsy of the author in a semi-structured way then The cat's out of the bag may just be the perfect book for you.  There are short, focused chapters that are not interrelated, and that have a collection of short writings and musings that are very easy to dip into and out of.  There are some truly interesting facts, especially the fact that cats have two distinct purrs - one of which manipulates humans by producing sound waves with peaks similar to the frequency of a crying baby!

If you like this book then try:

• Jessi-Cat the cat that unlocked a boy's heart by Jayne Dillon with Alison Maloney
• A friend like Henry by Nuala Gardner
• A street cat named Bob by James Bowen
• Dewey: The small-town library cat who touched the world by Vicki Myron & Bret Witter
• Homer's odyssey: A fearless feline tale, or how I learned about love and life with a blind wonder cat by Gwen Cooper
• Making the rounds with Oscar by David Dosa
• Norton, the loveable cat who travelled the world by Peter Gethers
• Cowboy & Wills by Monica Holloway
• Cleo: The cat who mended a family by Helen Brown
• The dog who rescues cats by Philip Gonzalez

Reviewed by Brilla