I spent days looking at this book before I was able to send it off to the person I bought it for. I had read similar reviews when I purchased it and thought, "Ya, right." Well, they WERE right. It's hard to part with!So, this is another book I will be purchasing for myself. Sigh. Would make a great coffee table book, too. People who saw it in my home before I shipped really enjoyed it, too.
I own and I've read this book from cover to cover several times -- it's a very well written and accurate book on purebred and mixed breed cats, a bargain for the price. The preface is an excellent intro to a book about purebred cats, and also includes thoughtful and well-balanced coverage of both points of view regarding the overpopulation problem and the role pedigreed cats play (and don't play) in it. When you don't take parts of the preface out of context it makes valid points. People SHOULD think long and hard before embarking on breeding any kind of cat, and even one unplanned or unwanted litter IS too many. Below is the entire preface:
"To us cat lovers, nothing is more natural than loving our feline friends for their grace, beauty, independent personalities, and myriad other attractive qualities. The fascination of cats is hard to define -- if you are a cat lover, you understand, if you are not, no amount of mere words could intrigue you. Since you are reading this, I have to assume that you are acquainted with the charm and joy of having a feline companion.
In the six years that I've been researching and profiling pedigreed breeds, I've developed a real love for these beautiful and intriguing cats. Exploring their histories, personalities, and myriad colors, patterns and fur types have been a personal journey into the mystery and magic that is the feline. In this book I'll try to share that journey with you.
The fascination with purebred cats is easy to understand since these beautifully colored and coated examples of the species seem to legitimize our feelings about felines. It's natural to want others to look at our beloved kitties with as much admiration as we do ourselves. These cats, with their colorful coats, histories, and temperaments, fascinate the novice and experienced cat fancier alike. Still, the cat fancy -- the common term used to describe the people involved with showing or breeding cats -- has become so much more than that. For many of those involved, it's a way of life -- a community of people dedicated to breeding, showing, and loving cats.
We must remember, however, that purebred cats comprise only an approximate five percent of the total cat population in the United States today, and cat lovers are of two minds when it comes to our feline friends. In one camp, cat lovers wish to retain their right to breed the cats they have worked so hard to protect, promote, and perfect. In another, cat lovers watch helplessly as an endless tide of equally beautiful and worthy cats are euthanized because there aren't enough homes for them all. Do purebred breeds contribute to the overpopulation problem? Yes. Would the overpopulation problem go away if all purebred breeding stopped tomorrow? No. Purebreds make up too small a percentage. It will take an effort on the part of all of us cat owners to put an end to what is most certainly a national tragedy. I offer this book as a modest tribute to the lovely purebred and random-bred members of the species Felis catus, and urge that you think long and hard before you decide to breed cats -- pedigreed or otherwise. Even one litter is too many."
Comprehensive, but some questionable statements
This is a great cat book for cat lovers of all types. The history, personality and conformation of each of the breeds is comprehensive and well-researched. The writing is always clear and easy to read. And the photos, though small, are exceptional in capturing beautiful poses, color patterns and expressions of the different cats. The book also gives some insight into the world of cat associations, which was a refreshing surprise.
Unfortunately, the book is somewht marred by the conflicting views stated in the author's own preface. In the final paragraph, she claims that purebreed cats contribute to the overpopulation problem. Yet, with only a little research, it can be ascertained that purebred cats contribute little or nothing toward the overpopulation problem. On the question of breeding, the author "urges you to think long and hard before[you]decide to breed cats - pedigreed or otherwise. Even one litter is too many." Even one litter is too many? Where does she think that the cats in her book have come from? While this may be sound advice in many contexts, it has no place in a book devoted to exploring cat breeds. I can't help but wonder if the author shouldn't have thought longer and harder before accepting payment on a project which apparently conflicts with her moral views!
