A Cat

A Cat is a nicely illustrated re-release of a book first published in 1995. The book was written by the late Leonard Michaels, who taught at the University of California, Berkeley. The line drawings for this edition are by Francis Lerner, and they well represent the relaxed yet athletic nature of cats.

A Cat is both an examination of and a tribute to felines. Each page contains a parable-like statement about the nature of cats, although Michaels admitted that we can never truly capture the essence of these creatures: “A cat reminds us that much in the world remains unknown.”

Michaels certainly loved cats: “Looking at a cat makes it difficult to believe there is nothing miraculous in this world.” Cats remain in the present moment, making the most of life. In Michaels’ words, “For a cat, just to live is splendid.” And cats show us that sometimes it is best to get out of one’s mind: “To be quick as a cat you must not think.”

Cats live on their well-developed instincts, “However a cat looks or behaves, it is what it is, a small and intensely serious being.” Well recommended for anyone who is owned by a cat.