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The Story of Mrs. Lovewright and Purrless Her Cat
For the first time in paperback, three-time Caldecott Honor recipient Paul O.Zelinsky and author Lore Segal's hilarious story tells about a finicky felineand his frustrated owner. Full color.
40 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 1985
About the author
Lore Segal
39 books145 followersLore Vailer Segal was an Austrian-American novelist, translator, teacher, short story writer, and author of children's books. Her novel Shakespeare's Kitchen was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 18, 2021
Miss Lovewright “enjoyed” a first time cat owner experience. The author knows cats well. Super cute!
May 29, 2013
I think it's supposed to be funny: The owner who doesn't understand cats trying to force her cat to behave in certain ways and of course, no succeeding. But L didn't like the illustrations (He doesn't like it when people or animals appear distorted) and he didn't think much of the owner. His feeling was that the cat should be able to go to a better owner. Like himself.
June 7, 2013
Words cannot describe how wonderful it was to hear Paul O. Zelinsky read this out loud to our class. <3
October 8, 2015
“You can never know anyone as completely as you want. But that’s okay, love is better.”
June 5, 2017
Story: 2 stars
Illustrations: 4 stars
Strange picture book about a "chilly" older woman who gets a pet cat. She tries to get the cat to act docilely and affectionately, but fails miserably, of course, when the cat behaves according to his true nature. Doesn't this woman know that cats are not trainable like dogs? Why would she even choose a cat if she craves affection? It's not like cats are known for that.
I think there is a deeper meaning to this book; the cat IS affectionate to the young grocery delivery guy, but not to the loveless woman who attempts to force the cat to fit into her erroneous perceptions of what her cat should be like. But I had to think about the book for a while to discern that, so I highly doubt that young children will glean that message from this book.
Very wordy by modern picture book standards, compounded by the limited plot. Illustrations are lovely, but feel repetitious, because the text is repetitious. The setting is limited; much of the story takes place at the woman's door and in her living room armchair, because the woman never leaves her house. Also, there are no child characters to engage young readers.
Illustrations: 4 stars
Strange picture book about a "chilly" older woman who gets a pet cat. She tries to get the cat to act docilely and affectionately, but fails miserably, of course, when the cat behaves according to his true nature. Doesn't this woman know that cats are not trainable like dogs? Why would she even choose a cat if she craves affection? It's not like cats are known for that.
I think there is a deeper meaning to this book; the cat IS affectionate to the young grocery delivery guy, but not to the loveless woman who attempts to force the cat to fit into her erroneous perceptions of what her cat should be like. But I had to think about the book for a while to discern that, so I highly doubt that young children will glean that message from this book.
Very wordy by modern picture book standards, compounded by the limited plot. Illustrations are lovely, but feel repetitious, because the text is repetitious. The setting is limited; much of the story takes place at the woman's door and in her living room armchair, because the woman never leaves her house. Also, there are no child characters to engage young readers.
March 30, 2015
The Story of Mrs. Lovewright and Purrless Her Cat is a strange story about a lady who felt lonely, and cold that wanted a cat to fix all of her problems. This story is not fun for the reader at all.
The moral of the story that I think is very predominant in this story is don't force something that isn't suppose to happen. The lady wanted the cat to cuddle with her, but the cat just wanted to lie down, and the lady thought it was the cat, but whenever the grocer would stop by the cat would have no problem with him.
The images in this book are realistic, and are great at showing the emotions of the lady. The way the illustrator creates a black eye is very interesting because the worse the bruises on her body get, the more intense it becomes. The images are fun for the children because the children that have animals may find what the lady doing wrong.
The moral of the story that I think is very predominant in this story is don't force something that isn't suppose to happen. The lady wanted the cat to cuddle with her, but the cat just wanted to lie down, and the lady thought it was the cat, but whenever the grocer would stop by the cat would have no problem with him.
The images in this book are realistic, and are great at showing the emotions of the lady. The way the illustrator creates a black eye is very interesting because the worse the bruises on her body get, the more intense it becomes. The images are fun for the children because the children that have animals may find what the lady doing wrong.
March 4, 2016
A lonely woman with cold feet wants a cat to keep her company and so she can stroke it in front of the fire. Her grocery delivery boy brings her a cat, but this cat does not want to cooperate (in typical cat style). Even though they start out not getting along, eventually Mrs. Lovewright and her cat find their own special rhythm.
Fun illustrations.
Fun illustrations.
July 15, 2012
As a cat owner, this story struck close to home and I wondered between laughs if Purrless was based on my own cat. The tale delightfully captures the complex relationship between a loving owner and a stubborn cat. The illustrations give a whimsical charm to this relatable story.
January 3, 2012
I am crazy about this story about a lonely woman who gets a cat to relieve her loneliness and discovers the cat is irritatingly unwilling to sit in her lap. A deep, deep children's book.
October 19, 2016
Beautifully illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky...great story by Lore Segal. Cat-haters won't get it; cat-lovers totally will.
July 7, 2025
I did not like this book. I had several problems with the storyline. I KNOW it’s a kids’ story. But, still–there are standards. I have read more realistic & plausible fairy tales. The two stars are for the illustrations.
First, for someone who was always “chilly”, Mrs. Lovewright didn’t dress properly for the cold. Her lower arms and parts of her legs are BARE. She should make sure all bare skin is covered up. She should also be wearing warm slippers. Mrs. Lovewright could also wear a sweater and cover up with a blanket when she sits in front of the fire. She wasn’t just physically cold…she was also an icy, aloof person. She was never happy.
Second, Mrs. Lovewright told poor Dylan that she specifically wanted a kitten. She seemed to want a kitten to complete her aesthetic of being “cozy”. She complained that the kitten was…ACTING LIKE A KITTEN! The kitten didn’t want to listen to her, but wanted to attack her feet–like a kitten does. She complained when the kitten didn’t listen to her or do what she wanted him to do. He didn’t not want to get “cozy” with her on her lap in front of the fire. She didn’t need a kitten or a cat–she needed an obedient DOG.
Third, Mrs. Lovewright immediately named the kitten “Purrly” because she was going to force him to curl up on her lap and purr. Then, because he refused to conform to her strict standard of laying on her lap and purring, she renamed him “Purrless” because he refused to purr because he wasn’t happy! Kittens purr at the drop of a hat! Mrs. LoveWRONG must’ve been horrible to that poor kitten in order for him to NEVER PURR!
Fourth, Purrly seemed to really like Dylan and enjoy his visits when he brought Mrs. Lovewrong her groceries. It was probably one of the only times he was shown real affection. All she does is complain about how “bad” Purrly is to Dylan and tell Purrly to his face that he’s “mean”. He’s acting like a CAT and/or KITTEN! Mrs. Lovewrong yells at this poor cat to purr and when he refuses, she kicks him out of her house! Thankfully, even though Mrs. Lovewrong is not a nice person, she lets him back in.
I am glad that Purrly got his licks into Mrs. Lovewrong when he could–even though they were all her own doing. She deserved everything she got and more. Purrly would’ve been better off with Dylan. They really seemed to like each other. I’m sure he would’ve been happier and actually purred for Dylan.
I question “New York Daily News”, “New York Times Book Review”, “Washington Post Book World” & “Publishers Weekly” for their positive reviews of this book. It makes me wonder how many other sub-par or even bad books they’ve reviewed positively. I am not surprised by Maruice Sendak’s good review of this book because the books he’s written aren’t the best, either.
First, for someone who was always “chilly”, Mrs. Lovewright didn’t dress properly for the cold. Her lower arms and parts of her legs are BARE. She should make sure all bare skin is covered up. She should also be wearing warm slippers. Mrs. Lovewright could also wear a sweater and cover up with a blanket when she sits in front of the fire. She wasn’t just physically cold…she was also an icy, aloof person. She was never happy.
Second, Mrs. Lovewright told poor Dylan that she specifically wanted a kitten. She seemed to want a kitten to complete her aesthetic of being “cozy”. She complained that the kitten was…ACTING LIKE A KITTEN! The kitten didn’t want to listen to her, but wanted to attack her feet–like a kitten does. She complained when the kitten didn’t listen to her or do what she wanted him to do. He didn’t not want to get “cozy” with her on her lap in front of the fire. She didn’t need a kitten or a cat–she needed an obedient DOG.
Third, Mrs. Lovewright immediately named the kitten “Purrly” because she was going to force him to curl up on her lap and purr. Then, because he refused to conform to her strict standard of laying on her lap and purring, she renamed him “Purrless” because he refused to purr because he wasn’t happy! Kittens purr at the drop of a hat! Mrs. LoveWRONG must’ve been horrible to that poor kitten in order for him to NEVER PURR!
Fourth, Purrly seemed to really like Dylan and enjoy his visits when he brought Mrs. Lovewrong her groceries. It was probably one of the only times he was shown real affection. All she does is complain about how “bad” Purrly is to Dylan and tell Purrly to his face that he’s “mean”. He’s acting like a CAT and/or KITTEN! Mrs. Lovewrong yells at this poor cat to purr and when he refuses, she kicks him out of her house! Thankfully, even though Mrs. Lovewrong is not a nice person, she lets him back in.
I am glad that Purrly got his licks into Mrs. Lovewrong when he could–even though they were all her own doing. She deserved everything she got and more. Purrly would’ve been better off with Dylan. They really seemed to like each other. I’m sure he would’ve been happier and actually purred for Dylan.
I question “New York Daily News”, “New York Times Book Review”, “Washington Post Book World” & “Publishers Weekly” for their positive reviews of this book. It makes me wonder how many other sub-par or even bad books they’ve reviewed positively. I am not surprised by Maruice Sendak’s good review of this book because the books he’s written aren’t the best, either.
January 2, 2021
The late American philosopher Gareth B. Matthews reviewed this book in his column "Thinking in Stories" for the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children, available here: https://www.montclair.edu/iapc/review.... He writes, "Our natures determine what it is natural for us to do. And our nature fixes the kind of being we are. Cats have natures. But what can we say about a cat that doesn’t do what it is natural for cats to do? Of course, we shouldn’t confuse natures with mere stereotypes. But how can we tell the difference? Is it by nature, or only by stereotype, that dogs are obsequious to their owners, whereas cats are haughty and independent?"
January 25, 2023
Ah the nature of cats
Lore Segal (author) and Paul O. Zelinsky must have had cat experiences to write this story. Let this be a warning to all those that think they know the cat's mind.
I have a cat of the same mentality named Cat-thulhu after " The Call of Cthulhu" by H. P. Lovecraft. She will call you into the next room so she can sneak up from behind and bite then run.
There are all kinds of cat stories in the big city and this is one of them.
Lore Segal (author) and Paul O. Zelinsky must have had cat experiences to write this story. Let this be a warning to all those that think they know the cat's mind.
I have a cat of the same mentality named Cat-thulhu after " The Call of Cthulhu" by H. P. Lovecraft. She will call you into the next room so she can sneak up from behind and bite then run.
There are all kinds of cat stories in the big city and this is one of them.
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January 23, 2026Read on openlibrary. Can't rate. I mean, she honorably can't give the cat up. And it probably wouldn't welcome a second cat, one that might be friendlier. But the lady shouldn't have to give up her bed for the damn thing, or get all those bruises! I don't think it's funny or heartwarming. The moral lesson might be that it should be neutered - it does go outside and is too likely to get into mischief. And maybe if neutered it would be calmer & less abusive.
October 31, 2017
When I read this, I thought of my cat! I think that readers with cats would enjoy this book very much. It is funny and so real in many ways. Mrs. Loverwright doesn't understand Purrless and Purrless just wants to do what he likes as most cats do! I think is funny, the illustrations are great and it is entertaining. I think some kids may get bored becacuse of the language and lack of rhyming.
November 16, 2018
Mrs Lovewright lived alone, and was always chilly. She decided that she needed a cat to sit in her lap and enjoy the warm fireplace with her. When Purrless first arrived he displayed a streak of independence, and he didn't purr, or do anything else Mrs. Lovewright expected a cat to do.
February 7, 2019
The kids were facinated to hear a story about a cat that wasn't actually kind. Ha! The transition from one part of the story to the next was slightly confusing for them. Overall ot's a cute story though.
February 5, 2019
How futie it is to try to change someone!
December 19, 2011
This was an entertaining story about a lonely old lady who wants a pet who will do whatever she wants, when she wants it to. Somehow she decides that a cat will do the trick. As most cat owners know, this is not the way to earn the love of a cat. As a cat owner and decidedly "cat person," I thought this would be a humorous story. It's a Reading Rainbow, book, too. And we love Paul O. Zelinsky's illustrations from Rapunzel and other books, so I was sure this would be a hit.
Somehow, though, it wasn't. The story just fell flat and does not have the charm that Mrs. Crump's Cat does. The illustrations are humorous, but I expected that Mrs. Lovewright's angularity would somehow soften more. Ah, well, you can't win them all. We enjoyed reading this story together, even if it's not a favorite.
Somehow, though, it wasn't. The story just fell flat and does not have the charm that Mrs. Crump's Cat does. The illustrations are humorous, but I expected that Mrs. Lovewright's angularity would somehow soften more. Ah, well, you can't win them all. We enjoyed reading this story together, even if it's not a favorite.
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October 6, 2009The shapes in this book are square. Each picture is shaped as a square or rectangle. However, the last page has a picture that is shaped in a circle. I think the author is trying to show that the story ended happy and is giving comfort to the reader. The words are also very small and aren’t in the same spot on every page. There is also a lot of negative space. Behind each picture there is a whole bunch of white space. The pictures also have low intensity color. The pictures look as if the artist just drew them in with color pencil.
February 6, 2017
This is a perfect story about a lady who totally misunderstands a cat and how it will effect her life. Poor Mrs. Lovewright can't catch a break. Her cat just doesn't want to cuddle and purr and do all the things she's always dreamed of. As a dog person myself, I really loved this book. I've owned this cat. I've cowered in fear. The illustrations really make this book. Maybe if the kid in your life wants a cat and you're not really on board, you could read this to them? Cat lovers will love it too. After all, we've all been spurned by a cat.
February 13, 2017
This was so cute! In every picture the poor woman has another injury. You just can't win with a cat!!
January 28, 2010
The kids really didn't like this book about a prickly cat. Multiple kids said, I don't like this.
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August 11, 2011I read this nearly 30 years ago, and it still wanders into my mind from time to time. This, truly, was written by someone who loves cats, and occasionally wonders why exactly she does!
January 9, 2026
This is the story of how "a chilly woman" adopts a delicious-looking marmalade cat to warm up her life. But the cat won't purr. Segal solves the problem in a realistic and wryly touching way.
August 5, 2016
Mrs. Lovewright just does not get it. Poor Purrless. This is not comforting in a traditional way, but it is when you know folks who are just as stubborn as this old lady. Life.
March 9, 2016
How real.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews