100 Ways to be more like your Cat: Feline Wisdom for Happy Humans by Celia Haddon (published on 22nd February 2018) is the sort of book your cat would write for you if he could. Broken into sections which cover all aspects of human life, each section has several tips written from a cat’s point of view. Many of these I could identify with such as these from ‘Feline Ways to Live Wisely’:
‘Live in the present moment
Your cat doesn’t worry about what might happen tomorrow or regret what happened in the past. He lives in the present minute. Let go of the past and future and focus your thoughts upon now.’
and
‘Self-pity and whining are not a feline fault
Dogs whine when they are unhappy and humans whine when they think life is unfair. Your cat stays silent. Over thousands of years, cats have learned that self-pity is self-defeating. It’s better to move on.’
‘Feline Ways to be a Cool Cat’ has these gems:
‘Contentment can be learned
Nothing in life is purrfect, but much of life is good enough. You may not get everything you like, but you can like everything you get. Cats are good at finding out the good things of life, whether it’s a patch of sunlight or a soft pile of clean laundry to sleep on. Look for the little things that make you happy, like petting your cat.’
‘Tread softly and lightly over the world
Don’t trample upon other people’s hopes and dreams but leave light footprints on their hearts. Like your cat.’
This book is small enough to tuck into a pocket, handbag or manbag and can be read in one sitting or savoured in small dips. Each time I dip back into it, I find another gem. It would make a lovely Mother’s Day present (UK: March 11th; US and Canada: May 13th and the rest of the world has dates throughout the year!) or pop Celia’s book in nice wrapping paper and give instead of an egg at Easter.
Published by Yellow Kite, an imprint of Hodder and Stoughton, 100 Ways to be more like your Cat is available in hardback, ebook (Kindle) and audiobook from www.amazon.co.uk and www.amazon.com
ISBN: 978-1-473-68187-3
Celia Haddon is a best-selling anthologist whose books have sold well over 1,000,000 copies worldwide. She was the Daily Telegraph's pet agony aunt and is a reputed lover and worshipper of cats, having lived with them and loved them since she was a child. She has compiled a number of anthologies in their honour. She is also a compiler of the best-selling One Hundred Ways series and a qualified cat behaviourist.
"Dogs come when called. Cats take a message and get back to you."
"Of course, every cat is really the most beautiful woman in the room."
Edward Verrall Luca (essayist)