What's the Matter with Henry? The True Tale of a Three-Legged Cat

by Cathy Conheim, B.J. Gallagher, Bob Walker (Illustrator)

When Henry was found, his left front leg dangled uselessly from his shoulder. That could have been the end of the story for this little striped kitten. But instead, it was the beginning of an unlikely adventure, as two dog lovers rescued him. Henry had to lose his leg but what he gained was far more valuable. His is a story of survival, courage, perseverance, and triumph over barriers and bias. Henry shows his rescuers the power of love to overcome any and all obstacles. Henry’s story is for kids of all ages . . . from six to sixty . . . (and beyond!) “The more we expose our children to books that promote respect for diversity, compassion, courage, and resiliency, the more we'll see children who thrive in this incredibly complex, diverse world. Oh, how I would love to get this true tale about Henry the three-legged cat into the hands of all children! At its core, it's about so much more than a cat. I'm not a 'cat' person, so I normally don't seek out cat stories. Henry's owners, Cathy and Donna, weren't cat people either, and they certainly didn't seek him out. But sometimes we don't always get to decide what happens to us in life. What we do get to decide is how we respond. When Henry shows up with a front leg beyond repair, Cathy and Donna respond in a way that changes their lives as well as the lives of many others. There are many powerful messages in this book, but I love how Henry's life reminds us that we are not defined by our misfortunes, but by our responses to them. In the back of the book are kibbles and bits of advice and life lessons from Henry himself. The end of the book actually is only the beginning, as we learn that Henry is now a cat with a mission to help animals and children in need. (Would you believe he receives over 100 emails a day from all over the world?)” — Chinaberry CatalogALL profits from the sale of this book are being donated to animal rescue groups, shelters, zoos, and other animal causes.

Genres: Cats, Animals

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2013

About the author

Business Consultant,Psychotherapist ,author, speaker, producer henrysworld.org / realwomenproject.org





My passion as a change agent is to give people the tools to transform their lives. I am known to be outcome oriented in all that I do. I only work with people who have the willingness and courage to travel beyond their comfort zones. I have been blessed with many special teachers, some with two legs, some with four and fur. Birthing new projects is one if my passions..

Specialties: Short term behavioral therapy, treating addictions, negotiating and conflict management and communications training

Reviews

[Cindra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually a reread for me; I reread this book when I need to put things in perspective. It's one of the sweetest stories I've ever read, and a good lesson in diversity and embracing differences.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book suitable for all ages that uses its adorable, eponymous feline to impart a deeper message about prejudice. For a woman who has always hated cats without having much firsthand experience with one, the author comes to appreciate Henry for what he is when they are forced to live together by circumstance. One of the messages that the book champions is that fact that bias or dislike towards something that someone has no real experience with is often based on false preconceptions, and spending time with that person, animal, or thing can help to erase prejudice. Applicable in more contexts than just pet selection! Proceeds from the book all benefit animal-rights organizations like the ASPCA. Awesome!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet ending to a brutal start, Henry the cat is on a mission to spread an important message applicable to pets as well as people. Wisdom cleverly applied to life situations, there is much room for thought. I liked it, despite the areas of sadness that were included.

[Todd LaMontagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis: What's the Matter with Henry? The True Tale of a Three-Legged Cat by Cathy Conheim and BJ Gallagher is a book I love for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is a story about facing a handicap with strength and determination and not letting that handicap keep you down. In the case of Henry, the 3-legged cat that is meant to be taken literally. No matter how hard his adopted family tries to keep him in an enclosed space, he just wont have it. I also love this book because Henry comes to his new family when they discover four abandoned kittens outside their front door. That is how I came to adopt my kitty, Tiedye. My sister found Tiedye and three of her siblings near their wood pile. After she nursed the kittens for about six weeks, my sister had to find homes for them, and we were lucky enough to get our little bundle of multi-colored energy. She has been a great addition to our family and my son has really taken to the responsibilities of caring for a pet in a mature manner. The book has plenty of pictures of the real-life Henry and all the proceeds from sales of the book are donated to animal rescue organizations.
Themes/Curriculum Connections: Animals, cats, animal rescue, handicaps, perseverance, pets.
Age/Grade Recommendation: Elementary and up

[Mokamonkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It looks like this one might be self-published, but it is surprisingly good. It's a non-fiction book written by 2 women about their 3 legged cat. The writing made me smile and the pictures of the cat were great - they really enhanced the text. At one point they used pictures of his head and then just his eyes to convey the irresitable sweetness that compelled them to adopt him. My only quibble is that the end was too moralistic. I think they could have let the moral speak for itself a bit more, rather than spelling it out completely.

[Tori]

I am a sucker for special needs animals and my parents just adopted a three-legged kitten about three months ago.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

the real story of a three legged cat and how he suirves

[Finny]

Chinaberry recommended, Holiday 2011

[Cana]

Chinaberry recommended, Holiday 2011

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved it. Photos added a lot to the story. Uplifting

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet picture book for kids! It tells how a cat needed a leg amputated, and how she got along after the amputation had healed. It has lessons for the child, plus some open-ended questions for the child and parent/teacher to explore.

[Timi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures make the book. I didn't realize it was intended for children when I bought it. The price made sense when I read at the end that all profits go to an animal shelter.