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The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds: The Comprehensive Visual Directory of all the World's Cat Breeds, Plus Invaluable Practical Information on Breeding, Training, Care, and Showing
Lavishly illustrated, the 256 page directory is presented according to basic shorthairs, longhairs, semi-longhairs, orientals, and foreign breeds--all featuring full color identification photography plus photographs of varieties to show variations within the breed. Breed standards are given as well as care boxes for at a glance tips for each breed. An introductory section covers the history of cats, ranging back over the millennia to the wild cats which roamed the earth with early humans to the domesticated cats of today. There follow sections on the anatomy, physiology, and psychology of the cat, and specialist terminology is illustrated with examples taken from the breeds featured in the Encyclopedia. Photographs, maps, and drawings show how particular conformations and characteristics have evolved into groupings which are recognized today.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 26, 2020
I love cats. I'm pretty sure I'm a crazy cat lady, so this book is absolutely perfect for me to read! I've had many cats and absolutely love learning more about them (especially since sometimes I wonder if mine are little alien babies hiding in cat bodies).
Things I appreciated:
1. Actual, real pictures of cats. The focus is not on cartoon cats like most cat encyclopedias I remember from my youth.
2. The book is very informative and professional in nature. Evolution, history and breeding are just some of the topics discussed within just the first few pages. There is a LOT of information available at the beginning of the book for everything you'd want to know about the cat as a species.
3. The body types of cats really interested me since the cats I've had all varied in size, so it was cool to see the variations.
Things to be worked on:
1. This is a basic introduction to the breeds. It's not exhaustive nor is it full of all of the information you could want on every breed. If you go in looking for just some fun, useful information, then this is the book for you! There is a lot of initial background information on cats as a whole, but you won't learn every piece of information about every cat breed.
2. "Cats are considered less intelligent than dogs." This is totally not a hit against the book, but who are you talking to? All of the cats I've known (minus one) have been way smarter than all of the dogs I've known. Except when my dog knew how to hunt a mouse but my cats didn't, but that's the exception.
Overall, this book is super informative and very helpful! I think this is a great way to start out learning about cats. I'd highly recommend it!
Four out of five stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Chartwell Books for an opportunity to pick up and review this book!
Things I appreciated:
1. Actual, real pictures of cats. The focus is not on cartoon cats like most cat encyclopedias I remember from my youth.
2. The book is very informative and professional in nature. Evolution, history and breeding are just some of the topics discussed within just the first few pages. There is a LOT of information available at the beginning of the book for everything you'd want to know about the cat as a species.
3. The body types of cats really interested me since the cats I've had all varied in size, so it was cool to see the variations.
Things to be worked on:
1. This is a basic introduction to the breeds. It's not exhaustive nor is it full of all of the information you could want on every breed. If you go in looking for just some fun, useful information, then this is the book for you! There is a lot of initial background information on cats as a whole, but you won't learn every piece of information about every cat breed.
2. "Cats are considered less intelligent than dogs." This is totally not a hit against the book, but who are you talking to? All of the cats I've known (minus one) have been way smarter than all of the dogs I've known. Except when my dog knew how to hunt a mouse but my cats didn't, but that's the exception.
Overall, this book is super informative and very helpful! I think this is a great way to start out learning about cats. I'd highly recommend it!
Four out of five stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Chartwell Books for an opportunity to pick up and review this book!
January 13, 2012
This is a cat.
This is a dog
This is a cat.
This is a dog
[image error]
Can you tell the dog from the cats?
[image error]
I have no frigging idea what this is.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds will help you tell the difference between a cat and a dog. It will also widen your perception of what a cat looks like. There are both common and rare breeds, from the hairless Sphinx to the over-haired Persian. I wish it had more information on each breed and its origins. The book is definitely not exhaustive in its area of breeds. There are quite a few that are missing. However, it does have some beautiful photos that show off the wide variety of colors in each breed. If nothing else, it is a wonderful coffee table book.
This is a dog
This is a cat.
This is a dog
[image error]
Can you tell the dog from the cats?
[image error]
I have no frigging idea what this is.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds will help you tell the difference between a cat and a dog. It will also widen your perception of what a cat looks like. There are both common and rare breeds, from the hairless Sphinx to the over-haired Persian. I wish it had more information on each breed and its origins. The book is definitely not exhaustive in its area of breeds. There are quite a few that are missing. However, it does have some beautiful photos that show off the wide variety of colors in each breed. If nothing else, it is a wonderful coffee table book.
August 26, 2026
Cat breeds? Not if they're neutered they don't
January 27, 2020
My review is based a brief amount of information (four cat breeds information included in the book) given in the temporary PDF downloaded for review purposes. The temporary book contained breed information such as characteristics and profile information. The information presented was well-written and informative.
Recommend based on the caveats given.
Review written after downloading a temporary book from NetGalley.
Recommend based on the caveats given.
Review written after downloading a temporary book from NetGalley.
March 4, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book definitely has a lot of information, from evolution, to behavior, to care, and descriptions of various breeds. This is a fun encyclopedia with good pictures.
This book definitely has a lot of information, from evolution, to behavior, to care, and descriptions of various breeds. This is a fun encyclopedia with good pictures.
May 31, 2021
skimmed
September 28, 2021
I read the opening stuff, but after that I just skimmed the breed entries and looked at the pictures lol. A good time was had by all.
November 12, 2023
Who knew there were so many types of cats! Very informative, and the illustrations were lovely.
March 23, 2020
AUTHOR
Angela Rixon ARPS is President of the Cat Association of Great Britain. She is an ex-show judge, and cat breeder. She is a prolific author with more than 30 publications on cats, horses and canines.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE
Principally, the target audience is the world of cat lovers, but anyone who loves animals will appreciate the beauty of this encyclopedia.
SYNOPSIS
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats is the essential guide for every feline fanatic. Resplendent with full color images across the 256 page conspectus. This encyclopedic knowledge of cats is packed with practical information, advice and original ideas for the serious ailurophile.
Whilst it is not an all-embracing examination of every cat breed it is comprehensive enough to satisfy the serious cat lover. The publication covers a brief history of the cat, body types, behaviors, breeding, showing and care.
Even though I do not own a cat, I found the book to be extremely interesting. It offered me a unique insight into the life of cats through the eyes of a devoted professional cat breeder. In addition to the plethora of photographs, there are multiple color illustrations, anatomical drawings and plates. Additionally included within the pages are charts, maps, and a table of feline diseases.
CONCLUSION
You have to see The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats to believe just how aesthetically pleasing this manual is. It has been a while since I had so much fun reading a reference work. I can highly recommend this text for the exceptional quality of the visuals and the invaluable information contained within.
In my opinion The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats is a wonderful reference work for anyone who owns cat.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Angela Rixon, NetGalley, and Chartwell Books for affording me the opportunity to review The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats.
Angela Rixon ARPS is President of the Cat Association of Great Britain. She is an ex-show judge, and cat breeder. She is a prolific author with more than 30 publications on cats, horses and canines.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE
Principally, the target audience is the world of cat lovers, but anyone who loves animals will appreciate the beauty of this encyclopedia.
SYNOPSIS
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats is the essential guide for every feline fanatic. Resplendent with full color images across the 256 page conspectus. This encyclopedic knowledge of cats is packed with practical information, advice and original ideas for the serious ailurophile.
Whilst it is not an all-embracing examination of every cat breed it is comprehensive enough to satisfy the serious cat lover. The publication covers a brief history of the cat, body types, behaviors, breeding, showing and care.
Even though I do not own a cat, I found the book to be extremely interesting. It offered me a unique insight into the life of cats through the eyes of a devoted professional cat breeder. In addition to the plethora of photographs, there are multiple color illustrations, anatomical drawings and plates. Additionally included within the pages are charts, maps, and a table of feline diseases.
CONCLUSION
You have to see The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats to believe just how aesthetically pleasing this manual is. It has been a while since I had so much fun reading a reference work. I can highly recommend this text for the exceptional quality of the visuals and the invaluable information contained within.
In my opinion The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats is a wonderful reference work for anyone who owns cat.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Angela Rixon, NetGalley, and Chartwell Books for affording me the opportunity to review The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats.
May 9, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats is a beautifully illustrated and photographed encyclopedia of all things feline. Due out 2nd June 2020 from Quarto on their Chartwell imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
The book has an logical and accessible layout which will appeal to all ages. The introductory chapters cover physiology, biology, behavior, a general overview over breeding, showing, and care and husbandry. The following chapters split most of the recognized breeds of cats into longhair, semi-longhair, and shorthair. Each of the breed pages provides a description of the breed standard, short bio of the development of the breed, and interesting tidbits of behavior or trivia info. The breed pages also provide gorgeous color photos of many of the different color variations for each cat.There's a cross referenced index at the back of the book for finding info quickly.
This is a beautifully made book, full of lovely full color photos of gorgeous kitties.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats is a beautifully illustrated and photographed encyclopedia of all things feline. Due out 2nd June 2020 from Quarto on their Chartwell imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
The book has an logical and accessible layout which will appeal to all ages. The introductory chapters cover physiology, biology, behavior, a general overview over breeding, showing, and care and husbandry. The following chapters split most of the recognized breeds of cats into longhair, semi-longhair, and shorthair. Each of the breed pages provides a description of the breed standard, short bio of the development of the breed, and interesting tidbits of behavior or trivia info. The breed pages also provide gorgeous color photos of many of the different color variations for each cat.There's a cross referenced index at the back of the book for finding info quickly.
This is a beautifully made book, full of lovely full color photos of gorgeous kitties.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
March 7, 2020
Requested this because I wanted to find out more about the cats that live in our garage, and it was a pretty comprehensive, um, catpilation. There's detailed info on evolution and feline behavior and breed traits and cat care and so on. Fun and educational to read for cat n00bs like me, and likely more special for the truly cat loving hoomans. And the photos are purrcious!
Everything I read in 2020 here :)
Everything I read in 2020 here :)
February 23, 2020
In this book, we learn about the make up of cats from body, facial and marking types, habits, growth, origin, habits, care and illnesses etc.
It also shows us in depth looks at each breed of cat and what intrigued me to pick this book up is the fact that I only know of and love the ragdoll breed. That hasn't changed but now I do have more knowledge of other breeds at least and broadens our knowledge of cats in general and is a great starting point to learn from!
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
It also shows us in depth looks at each breed of cat and what intrigued me to pick this book up is the fact that I only know of and love the ragdoll breed. That hasn't changed but now I do have more knowledge of other breeds at least and broadens our knowledge of cats in general and is a great starting point to learn from!
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
February 26, 2020
This is a most informative book on cats, especially if you are serious about showing. The book stats of with chapters on History, Origin, Body Shape/Fur, Behavior, Reproductive /Breeding, Showing and Cat Care.
This is all followed by beautifully illustrated and explained requirements and characteristic of the various breeds of cats. Broken down into sections of Long Haired, Semi Long Haired, Short Haired, Foreign Short Haired and Orientals. I did not know there where so many bred, all beautiful and very well detailed. a must book for anyone who enjoys cats and/or shows them at any level.
This is all followed by beautifully illustrated and explained requirements and characteristic of the various breeds of cats. Broken down into sections of Long Haired, Semi Long Haired, Short Haired, Foreign Short Haired and Orientals. I did not know there where so many bred, all beautiful and very well detailed. a must book for anyone who enjoys cats and/or shows them at any level.
May 14, 2020
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cats by Angela Rixon is a lovely compilation of cat facts paired with gorgeous pictures. There are sections that look at the history and the biology of cats, followed by the cat breeds divided into short, medium, and long hair, Oriental, and unusual breeds. Each cat breed has basic breed standards, and care considerations. Little boxes provide extra 'at-a-glance' tips and tidbits. Great gift for the cat enthusiast in your life!
***Many thanks to the Netgalley & Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
***Many thanks to the Netgalley & Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 22, 2020
I’m not sure what is wrong it’s the digital copy it is only four (4) pages long. In the the pages I can see it refers to the book being considerably longer. What I can see showing the Ragdoll and American Shorthair is very detailed and the illustrations and pictures re very good. Unfortunately with only 2 cars and a few pages it’s hard to determine how in-depth this book will be. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
February 12, 2020
I received an ARC in change of an honest review through NetGalley, all the opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
The book was very interesting, specially for those interested to start breeding cats and how to do it and showing the results of it. For me was enjoyable because I got to know a lot of interesting new facts about cats and now I have a huge repertoire of different cat breeds which is always a plus.
The book was very interesting, specially for those interested to start breeding cats and how to do it and showing the results of it. For me was enjoyable because I got to know a lot of interesting new facts about cats and now I have a huge repertoire of different cat breeds which is always a plus.
February 28, 2020
***Thank you to NetGalley and Chartwell Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date April 28, 2020.***
Being a typical cat lady, hoping for an advance copy of this book was a no-brainer for me. There was a lot of information provided, both on cat type and breed. Also, the wealth of pictures was very enjoyable.
Being a typical cat lady, hoping for an advance copy of this book was a no-brainer for me. There was a lot of information provided, both on cat type and breed. Also, the wealth of pictures was very enjoyable.
July 16, 2020
--- I would like to review this book - but all I can see in this ARC are 4 pages.and so I only can give a glimpse of review
The information are okay but overall useless, my son has a really good illustrated Cat Book with much more information - and it is not an Enyclopedia!
So I would not recommend this book, because I don´t know the rest of it!
Sorry
The information are okay but overall useless, my son has a really good illustrated Cat Book with much more information - and it is not an Enyclopedia!
So I would not recommend this book, because I don´t know the rest of it!
Sorry
February 10, 2020
I loved this book! It reminds me of the over sized picture books on cat breeds. A great table top photo book of breeds. There is a great variety of information included as well as beautiful photographs. I would still prefer to own and view this book in a print version.
March 6, 2020
A good read if you are interested in the different breed of cats. It's full of facts and information.
The pictures are lovely.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The pictures are lovely.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
June 20, 2021
So entertaining. It's just simply fun to compare features and photographs of cats of mine and my friends to the book. Definitely a to-go-book for cat nerd.
February 23, 2024
It’s about cats - what more is there to say 😍
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews