A cat book

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

79268

Title

A cat book

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A whimsical collection of poems and illustrations by E. V. Lucas that humorously catalog the distinct behaviors, appetites, and quirks of domestic cats. From their insatiable love for cream and butter to their playful destruction of yarn and their notorious cruelty to mice, this book offers a charming, if slightly exasperated, portrait of feline nature through lively verse and charming artwork.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1927 and illustrated by the creator of Felix the Cat, Pat Sullivan, E. V. Lucas's *A Cat Book* offers a humorous and affectionate exploration of feline nature through a series of short poems. The volume personifies the cat's distinct traits, beginning with its fastidious cleanliness and refined palate. Cats are depicted as creatures of dainty taste who disdain plain bread in favor of butter and cream. This selectivity quickly gives way to notorious greed; the poems describe how a cat will commit a hundred wrongs to obtain milk, multiplying those sins by ten if cream is involved. In a dream sequence, the cat imagines filling a large milk-pail with fresh cream drawn directly from the cow. The text contrasts the cat's physical habits with its moral character. While a cat's tongue is a perfect tool for self-cleaning, its conscience is notably absent. Unlike a dog that feels guilt over stolen bones, the cat views theft as a game, showing no shame when food mysteriously disappears. Playfulness is another defining trait, with cats shown enthusiastically chasing balls of worsted, wool, or string, often ruining knitting projects in the process. However, the tone darkens when addressing the cat's cruelty. Lucas suggests that while other creatures kill outright, the cat delights in persecution, urging readers to celebrate a caught mouse by asking for marmalade. Dietary preferences expand beyond mice and birds to include fish, though the text notes a specific dislike for goldfish in the presence of cats. The poems also touch on the cat's vanity regarding dolls, its impatience with children using them as steeds, and its preference for female companionship over teasing boys. The feline's enemies are listed, with dogs and birds of prey taking the lead. The narrative concludes by acknowledging the cat's short-sightedness regarding bees versus birds, its masterful ability to steal a child's meal, and its sleepless night-time meowing. Ultimately, the book pleads for cats to polish boots and read instead of hunting mice, reinforcing the illustrations' visual reinforcement of the text's lighthearted yet critical depiction of the feline subject.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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