The Inner Life of Cats

"Tom McNamee has provided a great service not just to cat lovers but to people like me, who don't much care for them. In this wise, humane, deeply researched book, he makes a persuasive case that these creatures are much more interesting, mysterious, and complicated than we ever gave them credit for. And they probably have misgivings about some of us, too."--Charles McGrath, former editor, New York Times Book Review "To see an animal in so many ways: as a scientist, a naturalist, a human being, and a writer of uncommon sensitivity, this is Tom McNamee's The Inner Life of Cats; and this book is a gift."--Dorothy Kalins, founding editor, Saveur "This entertaining but serious book tells everything of the complex relationship between humans and cats. Tom McNamee, in a lively and insightful account, explores the relationship from all angles, explaining the many opportunities and consequences of living with cats. This book, written in conversational language and easy to read, is filled with fascinating anecdotes, a wealth of scientific data and a great deal of thoughtful meditations. It is a complete reference on these elusive companions and it offers a passionate but objective perspective. You will find a lot to learn, regardless whether you love or hate cats!"--Luigi Boitani, co-author of Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation "This deeply researched book helps us understand how our cats experience the world and what they are trying to communicate to us."--Catster "Learn how to give your cat an emotionally satisfying life and create a greater bond with you."--Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation "It is so important to dispel the many myths surrounding these majestic animals. This book is steeped in honesty, it's informative, extremely well-written, and truly a must for all those who would like a better understanding of and a better relationship with their cats. It is written with such an abiding love and respect for these largely misunderstood creatures, that one cannot help but be moved."--Bonnie Berman, Topical Currents, WLRN "Elegant and absorbing, The Inner Life of Cats offers fascinating insights into the interior world of these mysterious and compelling animals. Required reading for anyone who lives with, loves, or has ever wondered about the deep and ancient connections we share with these magnificent creatures."--Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, MD and Kathryn Bowers, co-authors of Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health "Cats are fascinating beings who often get the short end of the stick when they're casually and wrongly dismissed as mysterious, solitary, and unemotional animals when compared, for example, to dogs, or when they're accused of being vicious predators on wildlife. In fact, cats, just like Mr. McNamee's beloved Augusta, are highly intelligent, emotional, and sentient animals who have rich and deep inner lives, as well documented in this seminal book in which heartwarming stories and scientific data are nicely woven together. Thomas McNamee's latest book is a much needed corrective and myth-buster for which cat lovers and cats around the world will be most grateful."--Marc Bekoff, author of The Animals' Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age "As a conservation biologist, I have mixed emotions about cats. I am all too aware of the damage free-roaming cats do to bird populations and other wildlife, but on the other hand some of my best friends have been cats. Thomas McNamee has written a sensitive, sometimes heart-wrenching, but scientifically accurate book about these beguiling creatures and their amazing attributes. This book objectively addresses the feral cat issue as the serious problem it is. Yet, readers (sometimes teary-eyed) likely will be convinced that a cat is 'pure awareness' and, despite its craziness, quite capable of mutual love with its human com

Thomas McNamee is the recipient of a 2016 John Simon Guggenheim Foundation fellowship. He is the author of The Grizzly Bear; Nature First: Keeping Our Wild Places and Wild Creatures Wild; A Story of Deep Delight; The Return of the Wolf to Yellowstone; Alice Waters and Chez Panisse: The Romantic, Impractical, Often Eccentric, Ultimately Brilliant Making of a Food Revolution; The Man Who Changed the Way We Eat: Craig Claiborne and the American Food Renaissance;and The Killing of the Wolf Number Ten. He wrote the PBS documentary Alexander Calder, which won a Peabody Award and an Emmy. He lives in San Francisco.