The Cat Who Couldn't See in the Dark: Veterinary Mysteries and Advice on Feline Care and Behavior
Howard Padwee, D.V.M. and Valerie Moolman
Chapters
Nonfiction, Memoirs/Pets
Themes: Felines, Urban Tales
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Description
A New York veterinarian recounts tales of various feline patients and the humans who care for them, in this part cat-care-manual and part-anecdote collection.
Review
A fun book, reminiscent of James Herriot but much more American and modern (of course.) Sometimes Padwee gets a little high and mighty about his idea of cat care, which is fine most of the time, but comes across a bit egotistically as he implies that he and he alone knows what's best for all cats in all situations. For one thing, he is a major proponent of declawing, which I have distinct (and justifiable) reservations about. That made some of his self-aggrandizing statements ring a bit hollow to me... he is not the be-all and end-all of cat care! Some of the stories are lighthearted, some are heartrending, and not all of them end happily. The title refers to a case concerning a couple of hyper-health-conscious vegetarian zealots with absolutely no idea of a feline's unique nutritional needs, cued in at last when their cat starts running into furniture at night. (Long story short: among other things, cats are obligate carnivores, which means that a no-meat diet is not only extremely bad for them, but potentially life-threatening; people who don't like the idea of carnivores are best advised not to own one, rather than attempt to warp nature to fit their own agenda.) Most of the stories are interesting, at least to a cat-lover like myself.