CATWATCHING.

CATWATCHING by DESMOND MORRIS.

INNER COVER BLURB: Desmond Morris's international bestseller, Catwatching, is now published for the first time with stunning colour photographs to illustrate the author's fascination exploration of cat behaviour.

Desmond Morris examines fully the mysterious complexities of a cat's behaviour in its social and sexual life, its displays of aggression and its hunting skills. Early Egyptian records show that the cat was already fully domesticated 3,00 years ago, and every single cat today carries with it an ancient inheritance of amazing sensory capacities, vocal utterances, body language and territorial displays which its human companions often find puzzling.

The author answers many of the questions with which people have confronted him over the years - and some they never thought to ask. His intriguing answers make compelling reading, and include the reasons why cats purr, how they manage to fall on their feet, why they keep crying to be let out and then cry to be let in, how sociable are cats, how do they use their whiskers and many more. With a wealth of photographs to illustrate the sex, this book is an essential, and delightful, addition to every cat lover's bookshelf.

FIRST SENTENCE {Introduction}: The domestic cat is a contradiction.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 42: Why are cats attracted to people who dislike them?}: Children are sometimes told 'it is rude to stare', but cat lovers often forget this rule when they are looking at an approaching feline. Instead of a glance, which is always acceptable, they keep staring at the animal in a way that makes it feel uncomfortable. The only person there not doing this is the cat hater, who looks away and keeps very still, trying to be ignored by the feared animal. But such behaviour has precisely the opposite effect.

SOURCE: A re-read of a book bought for me many moons ago by Mr T.

MY THOUGHTS: A hardback 'coffee-table' sized read of a book published by Edbury Press Ltd in 1994 which as far as I can ascertain is no longer in print though second-hand copies are available. As beautiful to look at as it is interesting to read, if ever there was a book guaranteed to have cat lovers swooning this is it.

A beautifully photographed book which answers many a question posed by cat lovers the world over 
(just why are cats attracted to those who 'dislike' them? Do they have ESP and can they predict an earthquake? Why do we say its raining cats and dogs?) albeit sometimes a bit too simply - those wanting more in-depth explanations might be disappointed but for your average 'crazy cat person' and especially those wanting an introduction into feline behaviour this is purrfect.