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Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death
by
Best-selling author and mortician Caitlin Doughty answers real questions from kids about death, dead bodies, and decomposition.
Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. What would happen to an astronaut’s body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can Grandma have a Viking funeral?
In Will My Cat ...more
Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. What would happen to an astronaut’s body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can Grandma have a Viking funeral?
In Will My Cat ...more
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Hardcover, 222 pages
Published
September 10th 2019
by W. W. Norton Company
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Start your review of Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death

Oct 04, 2020
Emily (Books with Emily Fox)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks
Interesting non-fiction that answers questions from kids all about death.
The author narrates the audiobook which was nice but I didn't know it was for kids... my bad! ...more
The author narrates the audiobook which was nice but I didn't know it was for kids... my bad! ...more

Instapot Corpse Disposal: Recipe for cooking a corpse
An alternative to cremation (not a tasty dish for cannibals).
First, put the body into a very large instapot (euphemistically called a 'pressurised stainless steel cremation chamber'. cover with water and alkali. Heat to 350°F and raise the pressure. 'Cook' for 4 to 6 hours. Finish by draining off the greenish-brownish liquid of amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts, (don't drink this soup, it's not edible and not because it has too much su ...more
An alternative to cremation (not a tasty dish for cannibals).
First, put the body into a very large instapot (euphemistically called a 'pressurised stainless steel cremation chamber'. cover with water and alkali. Heat to 350°F and raise the pressure. 'Cook' for 4 to 6 hours. Finish by draining off the greenish-brownish liquid of amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts, (don't drink this soup, it's not edible and not because it has too much su ...more

Jan 28, 2020
Paul Bryant
marked it as to-read-nonfiction
Update :
Greatly disturbed by this question, I had a talk with my cats today. I said look, it's about my eyeballs.
They said - Oh, so you know about the eyeball thing. Who told you?
I said It's in this book. Everyone knows now.
They said This is gonna be bad for cats.
I said Look, I like you, I'm a fair person, I want to make a deal. If I predecease you, you can have the eyeballs, I'll bequeath them. But no eating them off my head. They'll be removed by a proper eye doctor in a dignified manner, okay ...more
Greatly disturbed by this question, I had a talk with my cats today. I said look, it's about my eyeballs.
They said - Oh, so you know about the eyeball thing. Who told you?
I said It's in this book. Everyone knows now.
They said This is gonna be bad for cats.
I said Look, I like you, I'm a fair person, I want to make a deal. If I predecease you, you can have the eyeballs, I'll bequeath them. But no eating them off my head. They'll be removed by a proper eye doctor in a dignified manner, okay ...more

Death. The grim reaper. The big nothing. The great leveler. And so on, or no, precisely not, or still? Puh, getting philosophical in here, so put out all your thoughts...
Come, little kitty cat, tasty eyeballs are served. No matter if it is a dog, cat, weasel, reptile (I am not sure regarding their eating behavior), if time and hunger are combined and carrion acceptable for the animal, well... At least one lives on in his pet, except it gets a food poisoning from rotten flesh which would be an u ...more
Come, little kitty cat, tasty eyeballs are served. No matter if it is a dog, cat, weasel, reptile (I am not sure regarding their eating behavior), if time and hunger are combined and carrion acceptable for the animal, well... At least one lives on in his pet, except it gets a food poisoning from rotten flesh which would be an u ...more


Those who have read Caitlin Doughty's previous books know her talent for taking the usually bleak and depressing subject of death and turning it into something entertaining. A bit on the gross side perhaps, but entertaining nonetheless.
In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Ms. Doughty answers several questions about death, dying, and dead bodies asked of her by children. They are things that many of you may have wondered too, at least when you were children and before you learned that death is a ...more

“He won’t be diving straight for the human flesh. But a cat has got to eat, and you are the person who feeds him. This is the cat-human compact. Death doesn’t free you from performing your contractual obligations.”
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? - Big Questions From Tiny Mortals About Death, written by mortician Caitlin Doughty, is the book to answer all those questions about death you've been too embarressed to ask.
In a Q & A format, Doughty answers questions about death she's been asked again a ...more
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? - Big Questions From Tiny Mortals About Death, written by mortician Caitlin Doughty, is the book to answer all those questions about death you've been too embarressed to ask.
In a Q & A format, Doughty answers questions about death she's been asked again a ...more

Yay! This was yet another enjoyable go-round with my favorite mortician!
Here Doughty dumbs it down a bit with a younger audience in mind, but not so dumb that adults can't get something out of her lessons too. Here are snappy answers to not-so-stupid questions, like Can We Give Grandma a Viking Funeral?, What If They Make a Mistake and Bury Me When I'm Just in a Coma?, and If I Died Making a Stupid Face, Would It Be Stuck Like That Forever?. She also tackles a few questions that I found rather d ...more
Here Doughty dumbs it down a bit with a younger audience in mind, but not so dumb that adults can't get something out of her lessons too. Here are snappy answers to not-so-stupid questions, like Can We Give Grandma a Viking Funeral?, What If They Make a Mistake and Bury Me When I'm Just in a Coma?, and If I Died Making a Stupid Face, Would It Be Stuck Like That Forever?. She also tackles a few questions that I found rather d ...more

Caitlin, you're a national treasure, you're a great time, and you teach me and everyone who wants to know so much Stuff about being dead. I was late to the party that is "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: And Other Lessons From the Crematory" and loved it so
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...?
I pre-ordered this one, but thank goodness I didn't read it right away because when I couldn't concentrate on much at all, Caitlin saved me. I wish I had her as a resource when I was a tiny mortal. I love how s ...more
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...?
I pre-ordered this one, but thank goodness I didn't read it right away because when I couldn't concentrate on much at all, Caitlin saved me. I wish I had her as a resource when I was a tiny mortal. I love how s ...more

fulfilling my 2020 goal to read (at least) one book each month that i bought in hardcover and put off reading long enough that it is now in paperback.
review to come!!
review to come!!

[12/10/19] - Congratulations, Caitlin Doughty, on winning the 2019 Goodreads Choice Award for Science & Nonfiction!
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after giving it much thought, i think that yes... cats would eat eyeballs.
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i love this title. it makes me laugh
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram ...more
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after giving it much thought, i think that yes... cats would eat eyeballs.
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i love this title. it makes me laugh
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram ...more

★★½ /5
This was a little bit too simplistic.
A few parts in the book I found really interesting, but in general, it was a little bit too oversimplified. It was written in question-answer format (I listened to an audiobook) so it was really easy to get through it, but the majority of questions were just a little bit too ridiculous, I think she could answer more difficult questions then book would be much more fascinating. I could definitely see that she really knows what she is talking about, so I ...more
This was a little bit too simplistic.
A few parts in the book I found really interesting, but in general, it was a little bit too oversimplified. It was written in question-answer format (I listened to an audiobook) so it was really easy to get through it, but the majority of questions were just a little bit too ridiculous, I think she could answer more difficult questions then book would be much more fascinating. I could definitely see that she really knows what she is talking about, so I ...more

Caitlin Doughty rules. She takes a scary topic like death and makes it feel normal. Because it is normal. We’re all gonna die, y’all, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
While this book is influenced by questions from children, I wouldn’t say it’s a great book for kiddos to read unless they’re mature enough to think about decomposing bodies. But hey, maybe that’s the point. Normalize it!
Her answers to these questions (“If I die making a funny face, will it stay like that?” and “can I be bur ...more
While this book is influenced by questions from children, I wouldn’t say it’s a great book for kiddos to read unless they’re mature enough to think about decomposing bodies. But hey, maybe that’s the point. Normalize it!
Her answers to these questions (“If I die making a funny face, will it stay like that?” and “can I be bur ...more

Nov 13, 2019
Lois Bujold
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anybody
Another excellent book by California mortician and death geek Doughty on her favorite subject, this one in the form of candid answers to frank questions she has fielded from youngsters over the years on the subject of death. Or, all the things the adults wanted to know but were too embarrassed to ask. A quick and engrossing read, and thus a good intro to the writer, but for my money her earlier more personal memoir Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: and Other Lessons from the Crematory has the most depth, ...more

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death is a collection of questions asked by children and their answers from Caitlin Doughty's book tours.
Until fairly recently, my wife entertained the possibility of being a funeral director. As a result, we've watched about 80% of Caitlin Doughty's Ask a Mortician videos on Youtube. I bought her all three of Caitlin's books and now I'm reading them as some sort of homework assignment.
In this volume, Caitlin addresses such topic ...more
Until fairly recently, my wife entertained the possibility of being a funeral director. As a result, we've watched about 80% of Caitlin Doughty's Ask a Mortician videos on Youtube. I bought her all three of Caitlin's books and now I'm reading them as some sort of homework assignment.
In this volume, Caitlin addresses such topic ...more

Sep 10, 2019
Olive Fellows (abookolive)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
olr-reviews,
favorites-2019
Check out my review on Booktube...
AND the below review originally appeared on Open Letters Review.
Speaking to children about difficult topics is never easy, but the concerns are often comfortingly stereotypical. Perhaps the kids are old enough to discuss the birds and the bees or they’ve joined a sketchy peer group that demands a stern talk about drug or alcohol abuse. But sitting them down to talk about death? A talk centered on the most uncomfortable reality of all might end up being tougher t ...more
AND the below review originally appeared on Open Letters Review.
Speaking to children about difficult topics is never easy, but the concerns are often comfortingly stereotypical. Perhaps the kids are old enough to discuss the birds and the bees or they’ve joined a sketchy peer group that demands a stern talk about drug or alcohol abuse. But sitting them down to talk about death? A talk centered on the most uncomfortable reality of all might end up being tougher t ...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
Wow, this was absolutely magnificent. It was my first Caitlin Doughty read, but it certainly won't be my last. First of all, I love Caitlin's sense of humor so much, and it conveys just as well through text as it does in her videos. I know it's a book about death, but I found myself laughing out loud so many times and bugging my spouse endlessly with quotes from this book.
That said, it's also incredibly informative! She doesn't pull any punches but isn't overly descriptive, either, so even if yo ...more
That said, it's also incredibly informative! She doesn't pull any punches but isn't overly descriptive, either, so even if yo ...more

This is a non-fiction book about death, corpses, and funeral practices. I never read any of Caitlin Doughty books, but I hear her books are a short fun read. I have to agree this book was a short fun read. I found the information funny and nice to know. I did not find this book boring like I do with some non-fiction books. (*)

Sep 28, 2019
Rachel Reads Ravenously
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Rachel Reads Ravenously by:
Olive Fellows (abookolive)
3.75 stars
First off, full confession: A Book Olive did not personally recommend this book to me. I watched her youtube video about this book and I consider it a recommendation because I never would have read this book otherwise. I also like to give credit where credit is due. So, thank you, Olive! You can watch her review here
This book is by a mortician who likes to talk about death. She got lots of interesting questions from kids and decided to tackle them all in this book. Starting with “ ...more
First off, full confession: A Book Olive did not personally recommend this book to me. I watched her youtube video about this book and I consider it a recommendation because I never would have read this book otherwise. I also like to give credit where credit is due. So, thank you, Olive! You can watch her review here
This book is by a mortician who likes to talk about death. She got lots of interesting questions from kids and decided to tackle them all in this book. Starting with “ ...more

October 5, 2019 Um, I didn't expect to get this many likes before I even have the book in my hands, so I thought I'd update everyone: I pre-ordered the book, which of course means I get a signed copy and a pin of Caitlin's face. I haven't picked them up from the post office yet, but thanks Caitlin for being you!
- - -
April 5, 2019 All hail the mother of all deathlings. I know, I know, I still haven't read her previous books. Better get to it soon! (And no, I would have no problem with my [still i ...more
- - -
April 5, 2019 All hail the mother of all deathlings. I know, I know, I still haven't read her previous books. Better get to it soon! (And no, I would have no problem with my [still i ...more

Caitlin Doughty is a mortician who runs a funeral home in Los Angeles, founded the Order of the Good Death, and hosts the Ask A Mortician channel on YouTube. She's also the author of three books, and now one of my must-read authors. In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty answers this and many other questions she has been asked, specifically by children. There are 34 questions total, including "Can I keep my parents' skull after they die?", "Can we give grandma a Viking funeral?" and "What happ
...more

Apr 10, 2020
Montzalee Wittmann
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites
Hilarious and informative!
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty is a funny book all about death. It is very informative about a sensitive subject matter but she presents it with humor and in a manner the reader is not likely to forget. The questions are from kids (although I am sure adults have thought of these questions too). I love to watch her on YouTube and didn't realize she was the author until I started reading the book! Great book! Going in favorite folder! ...more
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty is a funny book all about death. It is very informative about a sensitive subject matter but she presents it with humor and in a manner the reader is not likely to forget. The questions are from kids (although I am sure adults have thought of these questions too). I love to watch her on YouTube and didn't realize she was the author until I started reading the book! Great book! Going in favorite folder! ...more

This is the third book by the millennial mortician, and I’ve taken perverse glee in reading them all. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes explains cremation and combats misconceptions about death; From Here to Eternity surveys death rituals from around the world. This new book seems to be aimed at (morbid) children, but for me it was more like one of those New Scientist books (Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze?) or Why Do Men Have Nipples?
Some of the questions are more serious than others, but with her usual ...more
Some of the questions are more serious than others, but with her usual ...more

“Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death” is a gift from Caitlin Doughty that I enjoyed and didn’t know I wanted. One thing to love about her is that she will answer ANY and all questions about death, no matter how weird the question. If you have any doubts, go check out her YouTube channel “Ask a Mortician” or watch any of her live Q&A sessions (also found on YouTube).
In this book, Doughty collected a number of questions she’s received from children over the y ...more
In this book, Doughty collected a number of questions she’s received from children over the y ...more

Grotesque!! I did not want to know all that happens after death. I regret having read the book.

We can’t make death fun, but we can make learning about death fun.A book written by a funeral director, answering questions asked by kids, about death? This future corpse had to read this book! I now know the answers to over thirty death related questions, some I’ve always been curious about and others I didn’t know that I needed to know until I came across them here.
Can I keep my parents’ skulls after they die?...more
Will I poop when I die?
What would happen if you swallowed a bag of popcorn befor

Sep 04, 2019
Bark | Ladies Of Horror Fiction
marked it as own-tbr
Ahhhh! Would you look at this? WOULD YOU LOOK AT THIS?! I must have it.

4.5 stars
This was a very random book that talks about many things I had no interest at all in learning about but it was actually very interesting! Who knew how interesting death could be? It was written in a very accessible way, so it was easy to understand all of the info and concepts, the author added in just the right amount of humor and it was laid out well and to the point. It was a very interesting and straight forward read. I loved how the author took questions that children asked because ...more
This was a very random book that talks about many things I had no interest at all in learning about but it was actually very interesting! Who knew how interesting death could be? It was written in a very accessible way, so it was easy to understand all of the info and concepts, the author added in just the right amount of humor and it was laid out well and to the point. It was a very interesting and straight forward read. I loved how the author took questions that children asked because ...more

Look. I've already pre-ordered this.
I need it in my life badly.
I don't think my local bookstore gets a lot of pre-orders, even though I pre-order several books per year, because the clerk, with whom I've spoken about pre-orders before, kept letting me know that this book won't be out until mid-September. I assured her I was well aware, that's why I am PRE-ordering it.
She made note of my knowledge.
So, anyway...
Remember when Caitlin requested children?
This is the result of that request.
And ...more

I need it in my life badly.
I don't think my local bookstore gets a lot of pre-orders, even though I pre-order several books per year, because the clerk, with whom I've spoken about pre-orders before, kept letting me know that this book won't be out until mid-September. I assured her I was well aware, that's why I am PRE-ordering it.
She made note of my knowledge.

So, anyway...
Remember when Caitlin requested children?
This is the result of that request.
And ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Read With Me!: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death | 1 | 2 | Dec 01, 2020 08:24PM | |
Play Book Tag: (Poll Ballot + Flurries) Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs by Caitlin Doughty - 4 stars | 1 | 10 | Oct 07, 2020 04:33AM | |
The Reading For P...: August - September Nonfiction Group Read - Will my Cat Eat my Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty | 14 | 39 | Oct 01, 2020 03:02AM | |
Non Fiction Book ...: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? (Jun 1-30, 2020) | 24 | 30 | Jun 24, 2020 07:06AM | |
Goodreads Choice ...: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? - April 2020 | 19 | 100 | Apr 19, 2020 02:22PM | |
Play Book Tag: [Poll Ballot] Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? by Caitlin Doughty 4 stars | 3 | 10 | Feb 28, 2020 11:31AM | |
Fox Book Club: Best Science | 2 | 52 | Feb 08, 2020 10:34AM |
Caitlin Doughty is a mortician and the author of Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? as well as the New York Times best-selling books Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and From Here to Eternity. She is the creator of the “Ask a Mortician” web series and founder of The Order of the Good Death. She lives in Los Angeles, where she owns and runs a funeral home.
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“We can't make death fun, but we can make learning about it fun. Death is science and history, art and literature. It bridges every culture and unites the whole of humanity!”
—
23 likes
“He won’t be diving straight for the human flesh. But a cat has got to eat, and you are the person who feeds him. This is the cat-human compact. Death doesn’t free you from performing your contractual obligations.”
—
16 likes
More quotes…