Keli Cat’s Book Corner

Hi! Welcome to Keli Cat’s Book Corner, a page about cats and books!

On this page you will find various things ‘cats and books’. To start off with there is a list of books with cats in them–not one where a cat makes an appearance alone but ones where kitties play a significant role. Next to each book is a short description, a link that will take you to its goodreads page, and next to that the link to my review (wherever I have reviewed the book) or reviews from fellow bloggers.

Since this is literary potpourri, we are not confined to any particular genre so you will find general fiction and classics, children’s fiction, mysteries, and translated titles among others. The list will be updated off and on as I discover and/or read and review ‘new’ titles. Also, many of the categories have links to interesting posts on other blogs and from the internet on the category.

Also below are links to some posts I did with cat pun book titles, ‘cats and books’ posts, and a little About Keli Cat.

For ease of navigation, here are quick links to all we have so far:

The ‘Cat’ Book List

• General Fiction and Classics
  • Interesting Posts (Classics)
• Anthologies
• Mysteries
  • Classic and Golden Age Crime Fiction
  • Modern/Contemporary Crime Fiction
  • Gothic
  • Nancy Drew
  • Interesting Posts (Mysteries)
• Fairy Tales, Folklore and Myths
  • Interesting Posts (Fairy Tales)
• Children’s Fiction
  • Children’s Fiction
  • Beatrix Potter
  • Enid Blyton
  • Interesting Posts (Children’s Fiction)
• Christmas Books
• Translated Fiction
  • Interesting Posts (Translated Fiction)
• Manga
• Poetry
  • Interesting Posts: Poems
• Cat Astrology and Zodiac
  • The Zodicat-Signs
• Quirky Reads
• Non-fiction and Memoirs
  • Interesting Posts

Cat Pun Book Titles

About Keli Cat

Suggestions for more titles, ‘Cat book’ recommendations, and suggestions for new ‘Cats and Books’ posts are always welcome! Also if you have any posts or reviews that you think will fit in here, do drop a comment down below, I’ll be happy to include them.

The ‘Cat’ Book List

Below is a list of books where cats not only feature but play a significant or memorable role. From one of the first prose works to be written in English to a ninth century Irish poem, from classic literature to mysteries, Saki to Le Guin, Beatrix Potter to Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie to Erle Stanley Gardner, cats have appeared in a range of stories and books, in prose and verse, and not just in English, but in works in various languages. I will be adding to the list below often, and I will subdivide into further categories as well. I am including a short description of each and the Goodreads link, and wherever I have reviewed the book (only a handful of cases so far), the link to my review or reviews from fellow bloggers.

General Fiction and Classics

Beware the Cat (1533/1553/1561) by William Baldwin: said to be the first work of prose fiction in English, this book published by a printer’s assistant and poet, William Baldwin, is a satire with talking cats (Goodreads) (Full text of the novel here and here (modern English))

The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr (1819) by E.T.A. Hoffman: A complex satirical novel, this has a double narrative, the Tomcat Murr, a vain bourgeois cat writing his memoirs, and the author himself in the guise of a hypochondriac, antisocial and moody musician, Johannes Kreisler. Explores a range of themes from social commentary to magic and the supernatural. (Goodreads) (review by Helen at She Reads Novels)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1871) by Lewis Carroll: No list would be complete (or could even really begin) without this. The Cheshire Cat with his philosophical observations and well-known grin is surely among the best known fictional cats. Then there’s also Alice’s cat Dinah (Goodreads) (review by Brona at This Reading Life).

The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt (1889) by G.A. Henty: When a priest’s son Chebron accidentally kills the cat of Bubastes, fifteen-year-old Prince Amuba (captured in war and now a slave) must with his aide Jethro, help the family (Goodreads) (my review) (p.s.. The cat does not have much of a role in this one, but it is what gets the story started!)

Tobermory (1911) by H.H. Munro ‘Saki’: the story of a cat ‘Tobermory’ who can talk. Cornelius Appin teaches a cat belonging to his friends, the Blemleys, to talk. He exhibits his skills before various party guests. But when he begins to reveal various guests’ secrets, they begin to start fearing him (Summary and Analysis of the story on Interesting Literature).

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958) by Truman Capote: a writer recalls his early days in New York City and his acquaintance with his remarkable neighbour Holly Golightly; her pet, a cat, with no name (Goodreads).

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bugakov (1967): Bulgakov’s Faustian telling of life in the Soviet in the 1930s; the devil arrives in Moscow accompanied, among others, by a black talking cat Behemoth, with a fondness for chess and vodka (Goodreads) (review at Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends)

Aunts Aren’t Gentleman or The Cat-nappers (1974) by P.G. Wodehouse: the last completed novel by Wodehouse. In this one, Bertie Wooster heads to Maiden Eggsford to live a quiet life. But his aunt Dahlia has other plans. She involves Bertie in a plot to kidnap a cat so that she can win a wager. Expectedly hilarity ensues. (Goodreads) (review by FictionFan) (review by Fanda at Fanda Classic Lit)

Tailchaser’s Song (1985) by Tad Williams: Set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, each with their language and culture, this one focuses on Fritti Tailchaser who sets out to look for his friend Hushpad who goes missing. A quest that takes him all the way to cat hell and beyond (Goodreads).

Matthew Flinders’ Cat (2002) by Bryce Courtenay: Billy O’Shannessy, once a barrister, is now homeless, sleeping on a bench outside the State Library where is displayed the statute of Trim, the cat who accompanied navigator Matthew Flinders on his voyage to circumnavigate the Australian coastline. O’Shannessy bonds with ten-year-old street kid Ryan, headed for all sorts of trouble, over tales of the cat, which begins a process of healing and rehabilitation for both. (Goodreads)

The Wildings (2012) and The Hundred Names of Darkness (2013) by Nilanjana Roy: The tale of a band of cats living in Nizamuddin, Delhi, strays and feral cats facing various dangers in their struggle to survive; the sequel sees the band face new dangers including conflict with people. (Goodreads here and here) (my review (of The Wildings))

Mort(e) (2015) by Robert Repino: The first in a trology, this features a house cat turned assassin, Mort(e) who in the midst of the ‘War With No Name’, one that seeks to end the human race, is searching for his lost friend. Described as a strange but moving Sci-fi epic, this sees Mort(e) take on dangerous missions and fight bioweapons. (Goodreads)

The Cat and the City (2020) by Nick Bradley: A series of stories about Tokyo–its glory and shame, characters, and a calico cat (Goodreads) (review on Emma’s Biblio Treasures)

The Emporium of Imagination (2021) by Tabitha Bird: A story of ‘love, loss and grief’ in which a man, a cat and a key arrive in the small town of Boonah, with special phones (to talk just once with those who have passed), giving a ear to grief in all stages (Goodreads) (review by Gretchen on Thoughts Become Words).

Cat Flap (2018/2021) by Alan S. Cowell: Dolores Tremayne, a successful business executive out on one of her frequent trips finds part of herself waking up in her family’s cat, X. Through X’s eyes, she finds that all is not well in her home, for her husband Gerald is cheating on her, while her older daughter is corresponding with a suspicious character online. But can Dolores as a cat do anything? Does her human part find all this out? (Goodreads) (my review)

Diary of a Buddhist Cat (2021) by Julian Worker: Freddie a three-year-old tom narrates his adventures as he is adopted from a shelter by John and Mary and arrives to live at their home with Gemma, a cat they adopted some days earlier. Freddie is no ordinary cat but a Buddhist cat who enjoys reading widely (from fiction to philosophy) and applies Buddhist principles in his daily life–seeing the good in everyone and trying to make friends with everyone around him. The book traces his adventures (Goodreads) (my review)

Our Cats in Amsterdam (2022) by Julian Worker: This sequel to Diary of a Buddhist Cat sees Freddie and Gemma travel to Amsterdam where they become involved with the mafia, diamond smugglers and human traffickers as they try to save two Van Gogh paintings from thieves. (Goodreads) (my review)

Mala’s Cat: A Memoir of Survival in World War II (2022) by Mala Kacenberg: The true story of a young Jewish girl growing up in the Polish village of Tarnogrod. in the face of the Nazi invasion, she must navigate forests, outwit soldiers and survive against all odds with the companionship of a stray cat (Goodreads)

Odesa at Dawn (2022) by Sally McGrave: A contemporary take on classic spy fiction, this one sees ex-CIA man Max Rushmore travel tp Odesa where he becomes embroiled in an assignment involving dubious businessmen, corrupt officials, pasty-chefs, poets, cops and killers. Alongside, tracking Max are a group of mafia-like cats, who seem to know what’s going on far better than Mx does. The book pays tribute to Odessans Babel, Gogol, Pushkin and Chekov. (Goodreads) Reviews at Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings and Heaven Ali.

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Interesting Posts (Classics And General Fiction)

Top 10 Cats in Literature on The Guardian

Feline Good with Our Favourite Literary Cats by Gwen Glazer, an article on various literary cats, from classic to contemporary.

19 Literary Cats We’d Love to Cuddle on The Penguin Random House website: literary cats from the Cheshire Cat and Carbonel to Murakami.

A Brief History of Literary Cats by Livia Gershon on JSTOR Daily explores the transition from cultural depictions to literature, and their different faces therein.

100 Must-Read Books with Cats in Them on Bookriot: 100 books across categories Children and Young Adult, Literary Fiction, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Horror and more.

10 Best Short Stories About Cats on Interesting Literature; some of these are already part of Keli Cat’s Corner but there are others too

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Anthologies

Midnight Prowlers: Stories of Cats and Their Enslaved Owners (1981) edited by Phyllis R. Fenner and illustrated by George Gershinowitz; a collection of ten stories by authors including Elizabeth Goudge, Joan Aiken, Sylvia Townsend Warner, and Dorothy Sayers of cats in many guises (Goodreads).

Cat Tales (1989) with Photographs b Robin Upwards: snippets about cats from a selection of writers (review by Lisa at Hopewell’s Library of Life)

Cat Stories (2011) edited by Diana Secker Tesdell: anthology of cat stories from Everyman’s Library with stories by among others, Patricia Highsmith, Saki, Ursula LeGuin, and P.G. Wodehouse (Goodreads).

The Dover Anthology of Cat Stories (2015): with stories by authors including Lovecraft, Honore de Balzac, Saki, Kipling, Booth Tarkington, and others (Goodreads)

Cats: An Anthology of Stories and Poems (2016) by Mark Bryant: from the verse of Chaucer, Baudelaire, Dickenson, Christina Rosetti, Wordsworth and Hardy to the humour of Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, and Jerome K. Jerome, this anthology covers a range of writings from poems and stories to essays and diaries. (Link on Amazon; I couldn’t find the Goodreads listing for this one; this is not an affiliate link, but the only one I could find for the book)

On Cats: An Anthology (2021) with an Introduction by Margaret Atwood: a collection of essays, stories and poems, by authors including Belloc, Gorey, Keats, Sparks, Le Guin, and also Nikola Tesla! (Goodreads) (review on Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings) (review by Jan at What I Think About When I Think About Reading)

Cat People (2022) edited by Devapriya Roy: From a writer in Lahore house sitting for her father and having to cater to his cat’s obsessions to a cat adopted by a couple in San Francisco to a cat and dog in Noida lining up for their vitamin syrup, these are stories capturing the many moods of felines and their humans (Goodreads) (review in The Hindu newspaper); (another from The Asian Age).

Saki’s Cats (2022): Published by Renard Pres, this collection compiles tales by the ‘undisputed master of the short story’ with cats in all shapes and sizes. From the best-known Tobermory to larger cats in Mrs Packletide’s Tiger and The Guests, we also learn about Saki’s own adopted tiger cub! (Blurb from Renard Press here) (review from Karen at Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings)

Cover image via the Renard Press website

Mysteries

Classic and Golden Age Crime Fiction

Murder is Easy (1939) by Agatha Christie: Officer Luke Fitzwilliam meets an old lady on a train who tells him about a serial killer in her village; he dismisses these as her ramblings but in London, she is run over. The old lady’s cat Wonky Pooh has an important part to play. (Goodreads)

The Puzzle of the Silver Persian (1934) by Stuart Palmer: Sleuth Hildegarde Withers is on a transatlantic liner but even here, she cannot escape mysterious deaths. The cat in question is Tobermory, not too pleased with his trip but playing a role in catching the killer (Goodreads; review by Kate from Crossexamining Crime)

The Case of the Caretaker’s Cat (1935) by Erle Stanley Gardner: In his will, Peter Laxter had guaranteed his caretaker a job and home for life. But Peter’s grandchildren have moved into the house and want the caretaker to get rid of his cat, even threatening to poison it if he doesn’t (Goodreads).

The Cat Saw Murder (1939) by D.B. Olsen and others in the Rachel Murdock series: Written by American author, Dolores Hitches under the pseudonym D.B. Olsen, in The Cat Saw Murder, this one involves a murder, a cat who is heiress to a fortune. Both Rachel and the cat solve the mystery (Goodreads)(review by Kate at Crossexamining Crime here)

The Case of the Careless Kitten (1942) by Erle Stanley Gardner: Perry Mason’s client Helen Kendall, gets a mysterious phonecall from her uncle Franklin Shore who had disappeared a decade ago; before she can follow his instructions, her kitten, Amber Eyes is poisoned. Amber Eyes is very much at the centre of things throughout with her antics giving Perry the clues he needs (Goodreads) (My review).

The Man Who Shot at Cats (1952) by J. Jefferson Farjeon: a short story about a man with wrecked nerves who shoots at a screeching cat but ends up shooting a man instead. But things are not quite as simple as they look.

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Modern/Contemporary Crime Fiction

Undercover Cat or That Darn Cat by the Gordons (1963): Darn Cat or DC helps the FBI track down kidnappers and bank robbers (Goodreads).

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (1966) by Lilian Jackson Braun: first of a series of mysteries featuring award winning reporter James ‘Jim’ Qwilleran and his two siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum. In this first book, Jim meets an eccentric and unpopular art critic, George Bonifield Montclemens who offers him an apartment at a nominal rent. Montclemens has a siamese, KoKo. Later a gallery owner to whom Montclemens was favourable and Montclemens himself are found dead. Qwilleran investigates. (Goodreads) (Series Page)

Dekok and the Sorrowing Tomcat (1969) by A.C. Baantjer: in this mystery, originally in Dutch, the body of a man with a dagger protruding from his back is found. Dekok investigates, searching the city of Amsterdam for answers but soon another body is found; cats have a role in our mystery (Goodreads) (review at Mysteries Ahoy).

Felidae (1989) by Akif Pirinçci: In this novel by German-Turkish writer, Pirinçci, a cat called Francis who is the central character in the story, investigates the murders of several cats in a German city. This is the first of a series of Felidae books, and also goes into ethical and philosophical issues like the relationship between people and animals and race (Goodreads).

Catnip (2014) by Valerie Tate: Set in Dumbarton, Ontario, a cat who inherits all of her owner’s fortune is kidnapped (Goodreads) (a shelf control post I did).

The Cat Who Caught a Killer (2022) by L.T. Shearer: Lulu Lewis is a former police detective, mourning the death of her husband, and looking to settle down to a peaceful life on her new canal boat from where she can also visit her mother-in-law Emily, in a care home. But Emily dies in mysterious circumstances. Lulu senses something is wrong and resolves to investigate. On her way she is helped by a detective like no other she’s ever met, Conrad the cat. This one releases in October and I have an ARC that I will be reviewing closer to the date.

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Gothic/HORROR

The Black Cat (1843) by Edgar Allan Poe: the story of a man who enjoyed family life, and had numerous pets but then starts to loose his mind; his alcoholism leading him down a path of destruction. Cats–including the black cat of the title play an important role (Goodreads) (Summary and Analysis on Interesting Literature).

The Cats of Ulthar (1920) by H.P. Lovecraft: a short story which explores how a law in Ulthar which forbids the killing of cats came about (Goodreads) (a public domain copy on Faded Page here).

The House on Parchment Street (1973) by Patricia A. McKillip: A young girl finds herself helping her cousin with the troubled ghosts in her house while staying with her; this one features a ghost cat (Goodreads).

The Court of the Stone Children (1973) by Eleanor A Cameron: Nina is faced with a two-century-old mystery when she meets Dominique in the French museum; and she has to travel back through time to do it; once again has a ghost cat (Goodreads).

Heartstones (1987) by Ruth Rendell: fifteen-year-old Elvira is upset at the death of her mother, but perhaps not as much as her sister Spinny, who is also worried about their father Luke. But then Luke decides to remarry, and Elvira will stop at nothing to prevent this; a story with elements of Greek tragedy, gothic novels, psychological study and crime fiction. There is a cat of course, a witch’s cat, a ghostly cat who weaves in and out of our story (Goodreads) (review by Chris at Calmgrove)

Nancy Drew

The Clue of the Tapping Heels (1939) by Carolyn Keene: Nancy returns a lost Persian cat to Anne Carter, an elderly woman who keeps twenty-five cats. But her neighbours are annoyed by the cats. Soon enough Nancy stumbles onto a new mystery (Goodreads).

The Emerald-eyed Cat Mystery (1984) by Carolyn Keene: Nancy at a hacienda in Colombia investigates the connection between strange events at the hacienda and sunken ships; there is an emerald-eyed cat with not very much role but it does help Nancy (Goodreads).

The Search for the Silver Persian (1993) by Carolyn Keene: Nancy’s friend’s cat is kidnapped after entering a cat show in River Heights. Nancy investigates (Goodreads).

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Interesting Posts

Kate at Crossexamining Crime has this very interesting post on cats on covers of classic crime fiction: Death Paints a Picture: The Feline Edition

Also on Crossexamining Crime, find this wonderful post on cats in classic crime fiction–not necessarily the cute, cuddly figures of today’s cosies: Cats and Crime: An Eclectic Exploration of the Darker Side to Cats in Early Mystery Fiction

On a lighter note, on this blog, I had written a post about cats in Agatha Christie’s books, Tracing Cats in Christie.

The Case of the Feline Flatfoot: Aren’t Cats More Likely to Commit Crimes than Detect Them by Britt Peterson: an article exploring that popular subgenre, Cat Mysteries, and the many reasons why people love them.

Five Fabulous Fictional Felines for the Crime Fiction Fan by Clea Simon: Five felines who have left their ‘clawmarks’ on the author’s heart.

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Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Myths

Contes de Fees (1908), illustration from the White Cat Fairy Tale via wikimedia commons

Puss in Boots, dating back to the 16th century in its oldest available telling (in Italian) is the story of a miller’s sons; the older two receive the mill and mules as their inheritance while the youngest gets a cat. Of course this is no ordinary cat, and once he receives the pair of books he asks for, he transforms the young man’s life completely (Goodreads).

The White Cat (1698) by Madame d’Aulnoy: A king sets tasks for his sons to distract them from stealing his throne; the youngest finds a beautifully decorated castle populated by talking cats, with a beautiful white cat as queen. She helps him with his tasks and he falls in love with her (Goodreads).

Dick Whittington and His Cat: English folklore surrounding the real-life mayor of London Richard Whittington, which tells of Whittington’s rise from poverty to fortune, with his cat. (A version of this tale by American Author Marcia Brown is on Goodreads, and something about the folklore on wikipedia).

The Bremen Town Musicians (1819) by the Brothers Grimm: a dog, a cat, a donkey and a rooster, aging and mistreated by their humans decide to go to Bremen and become musicians; there they scare away robbers and live happily ever after (one of the versions on Goodreads).

Cats of Myth: Tales from Around the World (2000) by Gerald and Loretta Hausmann: a collection of nine stories from different parts of the world including India, Japan, Egypt and Polynesia. Watercolour illustrations by Leslie Baker (Goodreads).

Interesting Posts

On Enchanted Living Magazine, Sarah Cletto and Brittany Warman have a post on The Magical Cats of Fairy Tales

Terri Windling has a marvellous post on Feline Folklore with some lovely art to accompany the piece.

Feline Folktails: Cats in Folklore and Superstition by Sarah Hartwell: explores the connections of cats with demons, fairies, gods, and luck.

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Children’s Fiction

Children’s Fiction

Millions of Cats (1928) by Wanda Gag: The story of an old man and an old woman who were very lonely. They decide to get a cat and so the old man sets off, but instead of one cat, he finds millions and billions and when he can’t decide on the best one, he brings them all home. How they find ‘their’ cat from these makes up the story. The winner of a Newberry Honor. (Goodreads)

Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat (1942) by Ursula Moray Williams: Gobbolino, born a witch’s kitten, sets off to look for a normal life as a kitchen cat while his sister Sootica learns to ride a broomstick and turn mice into toads (Goodreads)

Jennie (1950) by Paul Gallico: A young boy Peter, is knocked down by a car; but when he recovers, he is no longer a boy but a cat; he then meets a cat Jennie who teaches him feline ways (Goodreads).

The Carbonel books by Barbara Sleigh: published between 1955 and 1978, this set of three books, the first being Carbonel: The King of Cats tells of a young girl Rosemary who buys a broom and cat from a woman at a marketplace. The broom turns out to be a witch’s broomstick and the cat is no ordinary one either, but Carbonel, the King of Cats imprisoned by a spell (Goodreads).

Thomasina (1957) by Paul Gallico: Seven-year-old Mary is on the verge of death after her father puts her ginger cat Thomasina down. But Thomasina has been rescued by a mysterious lady in the forest (Goodreads).

Swamp Cat (1957) by Jim Kjelgaard: a feral cat and the last of a backcountry family who owns mostly swamp. But the family’s rivals tries to sabotage their plans of running a muskrat farm. Nominee for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s book in 1959 (Goodreads)

The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof (1970) by Annie M.G. Schmidt: A down-on-his-luck reporter Tibbles is on the verge of losing his job because he only writes about cats; but the unusual Miss Minou begins to provide him with juicy news; but why does Miss Minou climb trees and rooftops so well? This is a Dutch book translated to English; I’ve seen the film (with subtitles) but not read the book yet. (Goodreads).

Socks (1973) by Beverly Cleary: Socks lives with his owners Mr and Mrs Bricker and is the centre of their world; but then a new baby arrives and the Brickers have less time for Socks (Goodreads).

The Cat in the Hat (1985) by Dr Seuss: A giant cat in a hat transforms Sally and her brother’s boring day into an extraordinary adventure (Goodreads).

Catwings (1988) by Ursula Le Guin: four kittens, born with wings. escape the city slums and head to the country; but they soon discover, country life isn’t very much easier. The book explores various themes from marginalisation to race (Goodreads) (review by Jonathan Shaw)

Six-dinner Sid (1991) by Inga Moore: A sly cat, Sid, plays the pet of six different owners so that he gets six dinners every day. Since the neighbours on Aristotle Street don’t speak to each other, they don’t catch on to his trick. But then Sid catches a cold and now being six people’s pet is not so nice after all. (Goodreads) In book 2, Six-dinner Sid: A Highland Adventure (2010), all six of Sid’s owners decide to go on vacation at the same time. Now how will Sid get his six meals? (Goodreads)

The Time-Travelling Cat (1999) by Julia Jarman: Topher’s cat Ka is no ordinary cat–sometimes she disappears for days leaving only a stone carving of a cat near him. One day she leaves a clue on Topher’s computer. Following it, Topher finds himself travelling to Bubastis where Ka is in danger! (Goodreads). The first of a series with six books (series page).

Varjak Paw (2003) by S.F. Said: Varjak the cat has always lived with his family in an isolated house on the hill. But when the sinister gentleman and his two menacing cats take over the house, Varjak, the blue Mesopotamian cat is forced to go to the city. With help from his ancestor Jalal, he manages to overcome obstacles but will he manage to save his family? (Goodreads). In The Outlaw Varjak Paw (2005), Varjak, now the leader of a gang that supports freedom and kindness for all is faced with the evil Sally Bones. Soon the city erupts in an all out gang war. (Goodreads)

Kitten’s First Full Moon (2004) by Kevin Henkes: Kitten sees her first full moon and mistakes it for a bowl of milk and she wants that bowl of milk from the sky; described as having simple but cute artwork (Goodreads) (review by Calista on Goodreads).

A Cat for Claire (2008) by Ann Keegan: A little girl Claire, looks for a cat for her birthday, while a playful kitty hides from her. With poetic text, and elegant illustrations! (Goodreads)

Puss Jekyll Cat Hyde (2013) by Joyce Dunbar: The soft and cuddly Puss Jekyll becomes Cat Hyde at night (Goodreads)

Max the Detective Cat (2018-2019) by Sarah Todd Taylor and illustrated by Nicola Kinnear: A series of three books; Max is a pampered (or do I mean pampurred) cat, chief mouser at the Theater Royal. his detective career begins when he notices the famous singer, Madame Emerald acting strangely, and afraid of singing in public (Max the Detective Cat: The Disappearing Diva). He has also solved the matter of The Phantom Portrait and the Catnap Caper (2019)

Cat Problems (2021) by Jory John and Lane Smith: A pampered house cat deals with problems like a moving sunspot, dry food and the horror that is the vacuum cleaner! (Goodreads)

Temple Alley Summer (2021) by Sachiko Kashiwaba, Miho Satake (illus) and Avery Fischer Udagawa (trans): an adventure story of fantasy and mystery involving the living dead, magical pearls, and a nosy, black cat named Kiriko (Goodreads)

A Cat About Town (2022) by Lea Decan: Lisa’s cat has a very busy schedule through the week, visiting different human friends on different days of the week–writers, musicians, painters, and gardeners. Narrated by the moggy himself, this one has lovely pictures of the various places he visits (Goodreads) (review on Red Reading Hub)

The Unofficial Guide to the Ancient Egyptian Afterlife (2022) by Bastet the Cat, Sophe Berger and Laura Winstone: A picture book in which Bastet the Cat (not to be confused with the Cat goddess Bastet) takes one on a journey through Ancient Egyptian rituals, observances and beliefs about death and the afterlife (my review).

The Book Cat (2022) by Polly Faber (author) and Clara Vulliamy (illustrator): From the author-illustrator team behind the Mango and Bambang books is this story of a cat who finds a cosy home at a London publishers and during the blitz takes on the task of rescuing kittens (Goodreads).

The Fire Cats of London (2022) by Anna Fargher: This piece of historical fiction takes us back to London in 1666, where two wild cats, Asta and Ash are captured and taken to an apothecary’s shop, at a time when fear and superstition are rife. Asta is determined to escape London and return to the wild but her journey sees her on a perilous race against time to foil a dangerous plot that threatens the city and Ash! (Goodreads)

Baker and Taylor and the Mystery of the Library Cats (2022) by Candy Rodo: Baker and Taylor, two cat buddies, opposites in personality or should that be purrsonality, leave the cosy comfort of the library to embark on a road trip! (Goodreads) (Featured on Mawson Bear)

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Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter has so many lovely works featuring cats, I thought she needed a whole section for herself!

Tom Kitten and his mother; by Beatrix Potter via Project Gutenberg

Miss Moppet via Wikimedia Commons

Ginger via Wikimedia Commons

The Tale of Tom Kitten (1907) by Beatrix Potter: Naughty Tom kitten and his sisters are dressed in their best (Tom is found to have grown too fat to fit into his suit and the buttons burst), and sent outdoors, but all three get into trouble (Goodreads). The book is now in public domain so you can find it on Project Gutenberg here with Potter’s gorgeous illustrations.

The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or the Roly-Poly Pudding (1908): further adventures of Tom Kitten as he accidentally enters the home of a mouse, Samuel Whiskers, and finds himself in trouble again (Goodreads) (Project Gutenberg).

The Story of Miss Moppet (1906): the story of Miss Moppet, a kitten teased by a mouse; once again with gorgeous art work; this one is not one of Potter’s more popular works (Goodreads) (Project Gutenberg).

The Tale of the Pie and the Patty Pan (1905): a cat called Ribby invites her dog friend Duchess to tea; Duchess is apprehensive that she will be served mouse pie (Goodreads) (Project Gutenberg).

The Tale of Ginger and Pickles (1909): Ginger, a yellow tomcat and Pickles, a terrier open a shop; but they give unlimited credit to all their customers, ending up with their business in trouble (Goodreads) (Project Gutenberg).

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Enid Blyton

Bimbo and Topsy (1943): Different from Blyton’s other books, this one features her own children and own pets; Bimbo, a Siamese arrives at Green Hedges, but is bored when the children are at school, so a little fox terrier called Topsy is brought as a playmate; the two get into all sorts of mischief including eating their way out of the larder when they get locked in (Goodreads) (See a review and the artwork at the enidblytonsociety page)

The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat (1943): The Five Findouters (and dog) solve the mystery of a valuable Siamese cat, Dark Queen who disappears (Goodreads) (my review).

The Witch’s Cat and Other Stories About Cats (1991): A collection of Blyton’s short stories, all about cats.

Interesting Posts: Children’s Fiction

Pip Jones’ Top 10 Cats in Children’s Fiction on The Guardian showcases 10 cats from children’s fiction, which include some new-to-me names as well!

21 Purrfect Cat Books for Kids via Bookriot, from picture books to manga

Christmas Books

Kittyboy’s Christmas (1898) by Amy Ella Blanchard and illustrated by Ida Waugh: the story of a lost black kitten, Kittyboy, and his first Christmas (Goodreads) (find the full text of the book will illustrations on Project Gutenberg here).

A Cat’s Christmas Carol (1947) by Dorothy L. Sayers: A small book in verse by Sayers with lino-cuts by Norah Lambourne, this one is verses by a cat, for whom Christmas brings ‘joy’ and ‘giblets’ (some pictures at jonkers)

Christmas Kitten (1953) by Janet Konkle: a kitten chooses her family (review by Lisa at Hopewell’s Library of Life)

Mog’s Christmas (1976) by Judith Kerr: By the author of Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, is a series of books about Mog, the forgetful cat. Mog appears in 17 little adventures, usually in trouble for her forgetfulness. In the second book in the series, Mog’s Christmas, Mog finds some unusual things going on in her house which she can’t quite understand, including a tree coming in through the front door. These cause her to bolt for the roof, but then unexpectedly, she comes back down the chimney with a bump! Mog also appears in a second Christmas story, Mog’s Christmas Calamity (2015), in which Mog and her family are looking forward to Christmas, but calamity strikes all of a sudden. Does Mog manage to save Christmas?

The Snow Kitten (1978) by Nina Warner Hooke: A kitten outside, alone in the freezing snow with no one in town paying it the littlest attention. Will it be rescued? Will the icy human hearts melt? (review by Chris at Calmgrove)

The Church Mice at Christmas (1980) by Graham Oakley: The church mice decide to have a Christmas party but have no money. They turn to their friend, Sampson, the ginger cat–raffling him–to get the money! (Goodreads)

The Christmas Day Kitten (1986) by James Herriot: James Herriot’s story tells of Mrs Pickering who had three dogs (basset hounds). A stray cat, Debbie visited their home from time to time for food. But one snowy evening, Debbie arrives at the Pickerings’ home with her kitten, and this time she needs help! A bittersweet tale from Herriot’s memoirs. (Goodreads)

The Cat Who Came for Christmas (1988) by Cleveland Amory: One snowy Christmas Eve, the curmudgeonly Cleveland Amory meets a starving and injured kitten, Polar Bear. In their first year together, Amory, a bachelor journalist and dog lover grows to love Polar Bear. This books tells their story! (Goodreads)

The Night Before Cat-Mas (1998) by Karen Anagnost and Arlene Greco: ‘T’was the Night Before Christmas’ in its catty version; a tiny pocket book with illustrations where a little kitten happens to meet KittyClaws. (Goodreads)

The Snowball Series by Kristen McKanagh: Snowball, a tiny ball of fluff, finds a home in Miss Tilly’s Victorian B&B. Here the little kitten ends up playing matchmaker for some couple who she thinks belong together. The first in the series is Snowball’s Christmas (2020) (review by Carrie at Carrie’s Book Reviews) and the second The Twelve Days of Snowball (2021) (review by Wendy at the Bashful Bookworm) (review by Carrie at Carrie’s Book Reviews) (Goodreads page for the series).

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Translated Fiction

Cat Country (1933) by Lao She: A science fiction, dystopian novel by Lao She, this one finds the unnamed narrator on Mars which is populated by people with the faces of cats. He becomes acquainted with the people and language, and finds them suffering the same flaws that human kind does. A dark satire in the guise of an easy read. (Goodreads) (review here)

A Cat, A Man and Two Women (1937) by Junichiro Tanizaki: a novel about loneliness, love and companionship; Shinako finds herself alone when her husband falls in love with the younger Fukuko; but she longs to have Lily, the tortoiseshell cat she shared with her husband (Goodreads)

Prayashchit or Atonement by Bhagwati Charan Verma: In this short story, the bane of a fourteen-year-old bride, in her in-laws home for the first time, is a spotted cat who drinks up the milk or eats the ghee and cream, or sometimes upsets and gobbles up the rice pudding, for the little bride at times forgets to lock the storeroom or falls asleep inside. The girl decides to get rid of the cat and takes action. But killing a cat is a sin of the worst kind. The priest must be called and the sin atoned (find a translation of this short story here).

The Guest Cat (2001) by Takashi Hiraide: A cat moves in with a estranged couple in their thirties bringing light and colour into their lives (Goodreads) (review by Winstonsdad).

I am a Cat (2001) by Natsume Soseki: This ‘comic masterpiece’ satirizes the life of the upper-middle-class Japanese during the Meiji era; it follows the adventures of a world weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of those around him (Goodreads).

Kafka on the Shore (2002) by Haruki Murakami: a metaphysical tale featuring among other things a rescuer of lost cats, and a talking cat (Goodreads).

The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2012) by Hiro Arikawa: Nana the cat is on a road trip with his beloved owner Saturo, travelling through Japan in its changing seasons (Goodreads) (review by fellow blogger Emmabbooks).

If Cats Disappeared from the World (2018/2021) by Genki Kawamura: the narrator suffering a terminal illness is visited by the devil. (review by Simon at Stuck in a Book)

The Cat Who Saved Books (2017) by Sosuke Natsukawa: Rintaro Natsuki has inherited a second-hand bookshop from his grandfather which he is about to close; then a talking cat visits and helps him liberate lonely books (Goodreads). (review by Nira, my mom) (my review) (review by Simon at Stuck in a Book)

The Goodbye Cat (2021) by Hiro Arikawa: the stories of seven cats who weave their way through their humans’ lives. (Goodreads)

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Interesting Posts

Stephanie on Adventures of a Bibliophile writes about 5 Japanese Bestsellers…About Cats that she read.

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Manga and Graphic Novels

Baron: The Cat Returns (2002) by Aoi Hiiragi: The basis for the Studio Ghibli film, this tells the story of a soft-spoken girl Haru, who has the ability to speak to cats. One day, she saves a dark coloured cat from being hit by a truck. Then suddenly, she begins to receive gifts, for the cat she saved was Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom. Not only that, she is offered Lune’s hand in marriage! (Goodreads)

Cats of the Louvre (2018) by Taiyo Matsumoto and translated by Michael Arias: Every night, at the world-renowned Louvre, an unseen and surreal world comes to life. The only witnesses–a family of cats living in the attic. (Goodreads) (a post on the manga and a Hobonichi Techo cover it inspired on dolcebelezza)

A Man and His Cat (2020) by Umi Sakurai: A kitten is in the pet shop, unwanted and unloved. But then an older gentleman comes into the shop and takes him home. Do the man and the cat find what they’re looking for, in each other? (Goodreads) (series page) (post on dolcebellezza) (review on Hopewell’s Public Library of Life)

Sue and Tai-chan (2020) by Kanata Konami: Sue is an ageing house cat who wants to live in peace; but her human finds himself being given a kitten; this one explores their adventures, as the mischievous black tom, Tai-chan enters the home. (Goodreads) (my review)

Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan (2021) by Sasami Nitori: Another slice of life series, where Hinata, a young professional adopts Kyuu-chan, a mischievous kitten. A story in which the ordinary and extraordinary live side by side!

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Poetry

Pangur Bán: A ninth century poem in old Irish written by a monk about his cat Pangur Bán; the poem compares the experience of the author and Pangur Bán, each engaged side by side in their own pursuits, the author in his study, and Pangur Bán in hunting mice. Each of them enjoy their respective pursuits and amuse themselves in them. Find the full poem in Irish and a 1903 English translation by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan on Wikipedia here

The Hunting of the Snark (1874-1876) by Lewis Carroll: While ‘The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits’, a ‘nonsense’ poem by Carroll which follows a crew of ten as they hunt the elusive snark, a creature which may turn out to be a dangerous Boojum, features no cats to speak of, blogger Goetz Kluge alerted me to a panel from ‘Fit the Fifth: The Beaver’s Lesson’ in Henry Holiday’s illustrations to the poem, which has not one but two kittens. On his blog and through his other publications, Kluge explores the poem’s hidden references and meanings, and especially the layers added to it by Holliday’s illustrations including a reference to Thomas Cranmer’s burning. Find his blog, and links to his writings here. Below is Holliday’s original illustration, kittens to the bottom left

Edward Lear’s Cats by Edward Lear: with amazing illustrations hand drawn by Lear himself, including of his own beloved cat, ‘Foss’ (Goodreads)

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T.S. Eliot: loveable cat poems, including my favourite Macavity (Goodreads) (my mother’s review)!

Honourable Cat (1972) by Paul Gallico: Gallico takes a look at cats’ charm, grace, beauty, dignity, habits, guile and love, all through verse. Find cats’ views on humans as illogical masters, adored providers, but also ones beneath their contempt (Goodreads).

Poetry for Cats: The Definitive Anthology of Distinguished Feline Verse (1994) by Henry Beard and illustrated by Gary Zamchick; an anthology of poems by distinguished feline poets including Poe’s cat and Dylan Thomas’ cat (Goodreads).

On Cats by Charles Bukowski: poetry, musings, reflections on cats and their humans; raw and funny (Goodreads).

archy and mehitabel by Don Marquis: A satirical commentary on life in 1910s and 1920s New York through the eyes of archy, a cockroach, and mehitabel, an alley cat (Goodreads here, here, here, here).

INTERESTING Posts: POEMS

Paula from Bookjotter showcases an interesting and enigmatic poem, ‘The Cat and the Sea‘ by Welsh poet R. S. (Ronald Stuart) Thomas as part of #Dewithon2022; also find on the page two links to rather different interpretations of the poem

10 Classic Poems About Cats Everyone Should Read on Interesting Literature: Pangur Bán to Maccavity and lots before and after.

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Cat Astrology and Zodiac

You might be one of those who look at your horoscopes often or some times, seriously or for fun, or you might be one who doesn’t look at them at all, but did you know cats have zodiac signs too? These books tell you all about them!

Cat Zodiac: An Astrological Guide to the Feline Mystique by Maeva Considine and illustrated by Vikki Chu: insights into the inner lives of cats, character traits, lifestyle insights and more (Goodreads)

Cat Astrology by Mary Daniels: sun sign profiles of your feline pals (Goodreads).

Feline Astrology: The Horoscope for Your Cat You Never Knew You Needed (2019) by Clair Lofthouse: practical advice on making your cat happier based on their sun sign (Goodreads).

Cat Astrology (2011) by Vivian Buchan: how the planets influence your cat’s personality (Goodreads).

Cat Astrology: The Complete Guide to Feline Horoscopes (1993) by Michael Zullo: in depth descriptions of cats born under each sun sign.

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The Zodi-cat Signs

The Zodi-cat Signs is a special series of posts prepared for Keli Cat’s Book Corner by my friend and astrology blogger, Deepa Kansra (find her blog here). This series explores cat’s personalities (or should that be purrsonalities?) based on their zodiac (zodi-cat) signs!

Zodi-cats: The Water Signs

Zodi-cats: The Earth Signs

Zodi-cats: The Air Signs

Zodi-cats: The Fire Signs

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Quirky Reads

The No 2 Feline Detective Agency Series by Mandy Morton: set in a cat world, Hetty Bagshot and Tilly Jenkins, two tabbies run a detective agency, the No 2 Feline Detective Agency; while the animals are anthropomorphic and the mysteries very much in the human realm, the author has given this world plenty of lovely cat touches. I have so far read and reviewed two titles, A Pocket Full of Pie (here) and The Cat and the Pendulum (here). The series list is on Goodreads (here).

Petectives (2012) by Robert J. Smith: The first in a series featuring cat detectives Yoshi and Gatsby who help a pretty young cat in search of her missing brother and face a gang of criminal pit bulls and the neighbourhood dog police. (Goodreads) The series has five books so far, the latest being from 2021. Find the series page on goodreads here

Tabby Trouble (2021) by Iris Leigh: The first in a cosy mystery series. In this we have Kat who is pet sitting three cats for a friend and finding herself out of her depth doing so. One morning, her neighbour, Rose Hastings, is found dead and another neighbour, Mrs Higgins (wife of a former policeman), suspects this is murder. Outside her door, she finds Rose Hastings cat Rusty. Some time later, Kat is suddenly hit on her head and when she comes to she finds she can understand what Rusty and the cats she is looking after are saying. And Rusty wants her to solve Rose Hastings’ murder! (Goodreads) (my review)

The Great Catsby and Romeow and Juliet by Eliza Garrett: Part of the Classic Tails books, these are retellings of some of our favourite classics but starring kitties; so whether it’s Jay Catsby or the Montamews or Cattulets, I’m sure you’ll enjoy meeting the feline versions of your favourite classic characters. On Goodreads: The Great Catsby and Romeow and Juliet.

Thunderpaws and the Tower of London (2021) by Ben Housden: Teufel or Thunderpaws, a black tom, finds himself caught in the plots of some ghosts from history, among them Anne Boleyn and Sir Walter Raleigh, when his family moves to the Tower of London (Goodreads) (my review)!

The Oyster Cove Guesthouse Series by Leighann Dobbs: This series of three mysteries, A Twist in the Tale, A Whisker in the Dark, and A Purrfect Alibi is set around the dilapidated Oyster Cove Guesthouse on the Maine coast, which Josie Waters purchases, essentially to escape Ohio and her chef ex-husband. Here she’s also promised to adopt the guesthouse’s two resident cats, Nero and Marlowe and treatment in the manner they’ve been accustomed. And if coping with this wasn’t enough, her first guest ends up dead! And so begins the series, in which each book involves an individual mystery. And how does this fit on Keli Cat’s Page? The story is told not only from Josie’s pint of view but also Nero and Marlowe’s! Find reviews of the three titles by Rekha from the Book Decoder here, here, and here.

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Non-fiction/Memoirs

A Cat in the Window (1962) By Derek Tangye: the author describes how he ‘met’ his cat Monty and life with him thereafter in the various places they lived in. (review by Rebecca at Bookish Beck)

The Silent Miaow: A Manual for Kittens, Strays and Homeless Cats (1964): by Paul Gallico and Susanne Szasz: A ‘manual’ instructing kittens, strays, and homeless cats in obtaining, captivating and dominating families of their choice!

On Cats/ Particularly Cats (1967) by Dorris Lessing: Lessing’s memoirs of the various cats in her life (Goodreads; also here) (review by Simon from Stuck in a Book).

My Cat Sammy (1971) by Ethel Mannin: There are no descriptions or reviews of this book that I’ve been able to locate so far, but from the title alone it seems as its says to be Mannin’s memories of her cat (Goodreads).

The Cat Inside (1986) by William S. Burroughs: the author explores the various cats in his life and his journey to becoming at cat lover. (review by Karen at Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings)

Cats in Concord (2001) by Doreen Tovey: the author’s life with her various Siamese cats. (review by Rebecca at Bookish Beck)

The Cats of Moon Cottage (2003) by Marilyn Edwards: The Cats of Moon Cottage (2003) by Marilyn Edwards: The true story of two cats, Septi, old, loyal, independent and king of his domain and Otto, a tiny tortoiseshell who joins the household. Chronicles the unique and rewarding relationship between humans and their kitties. (Goodreads)

Cat Miscellany: Fascinating Facts About Cats (2005) by Max Cryer: All kinds of interesting facts from the Bible not mentioning cats at all to why we think they have nine lives: a collection of poems, stories, facts, and more (Goodreads) (review on ReadingNook).

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World (2008) by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter: The beloved library cat of a small town, Spencer, Iowa touches more lives than one (Goodreads) (review by blogger Kayli A Hertel).

The Dalai Lama’s Cat (2012) by David Michie: A mud-smeared kitten, rescued from Delhi is transported to a completely different life in the Himalayas, as the Dalai Lama’s cat (Goodreads).

A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets (2012) by James Bowen: The unlikely story of a man on the street and a ginger cat that adopts him and helps him heal (Goodreads).

Shop Cats of New York (2016) by Tamar Arslanian: Popular cat-blogger Tamar Arsalanian and instagram per photographer Andrew Marttila put together a book about the deeply loved and well cared for felines who inhabit some legendary and cosy New York spots. (Goodreads) (A review on Cootsreviews).

Of Cats and Men: Profiles of History’s Great Cat-loving Artists, Writers, Thinkers, and Statesmen (2017) by Sam Klada: This gift book profiles thirty men from Murakami and T.S. Eliot to Churchill, Newton and Tesla. What makes it stand out is the inclusion of illustrations (Goodreads)

Trim, The Cartographer’s Cat (2019) by Matthew Flinders, Philippa Sandal, and Gillian Dooley: This book traces the adventures of Trim that cat who accompanied Matthew Flinders on his quest to circumnavigate and map the Australian coastline. The book includes Flinders’ own tribute to Trim, a cat to whom no less than six memorial statues are dedicated. (Goodreads) (review on Thoughts Become Words) Find a related fiction title listed in the general fiction section on this page above.

The Cat with Three Passports (2020) by C.J. Fentiman: The story of the author’s time spent in Japan (partly because of a silver tabby) and the cats she adopted there (Goodreads) (review by Emmabbooks).

A Cat’s Tale: A Journey Through Feline History (2020) by Baba the Cat as told to Paul Koudounaris: This nonfiction read traces the history of cats including their origins, relationship with humans, and surprising parallels between feline and human history. (Goodreads)

Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life (2020) by John H. Gray: explores the nature of cats and what we can learn from it; how we can endure both crisis and transformation (Goodreads)

The Writer’s Cats (2021) by Muriel Barbery, trans. Alison Anderson: A peek into Muriel Barbery’s day and writing process told from the eyes of her cats. (Goodreads) (Review on From First Page to Last) (Review on What Cathy Read Next)

Seven Cats I Have Loved (2022) by Anat Levit and translated by Yardenne Greenspan: Israeli poet and author Anat Levit writes about the cats who entered her life and how she loved and lost each. (review by Simon at Stuck in a Book)

Cats in the Navy (2022) by Scott Christenson: A fascinating look at the many roles cats played aboard ships (rats weren’t all they caught, even bootleggers), with many interesting qualities of our feline friends which might even surprise ardent cat lovers (Goodreads) (Thoughts by Chris Wolak at Stay Curious).

Interesting Posts

The Best Books for Cat Lovers: The Scientific American lists some reads which cat lovers may enjoy, on behaviour, care, nutrition and such for common readers and veterinary practitioners.

Author Bob Eckstein on the process of making the perfect cover for his book, The Complete Book of Cat Names, in ‘The Nine Lives of a Cat‘.

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Keli Cat

Cat Pun Book Titles

The Cheshire Cat by John Tenniel

On the blog I’ve put together some lists of Cat Pun book titles; the two posts I have so far are linked below. I have plenty more fun ones planned out and will add new posts to the list soon.

Books, Cats, Puns: Cat (Pun) Book Titles

More Cat (Pun) Book Titles

Cat Pun Book Titles: The Catamewtics Edition

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About Keli Cat

Keli or Keli Banana (her name was a play on the word for black in Hindi (Kali) and then a play on Kela (meaning banana) was my five-year-old tabby cat who I lost in an accident on May 20 this year, just a day after her fifth birthday. She was the sweetest and most loving little girl and I miss her beyond what words can express. This ‘books and cats’ page, Keli Cat’s Book Corner, is my little tribute to her.

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