Secrets of the Cat: Its Lore, Legend, and Lives

by Barbara Holland

A lively appreciation of cats from tip to tail, this witty analysis considers everything we think we know about cats, and offers something new, too. Meet cats in high places such as Winston Churchill's ginger tom, who attended cabinet meetings, and Teddy Roosevelt's cat, Slippers, who came to dinner. Filled with warm, vivid speculations on their lives and times, their social psychic, mythological legacy, and their impenetrable mysteries, this charming book offers a delightful and loving cat's-eye view of the world to be read and cherished by all their human friends.

Genres: Cats, Nonfiction, Animals, Essays, Humor, Nature, Ebooks

225 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Barbara Murray Holland was an American author who wrote in defense of such modern-day vices as cursing, drinking, eating fatty food and smoking cigarettes, as well as a memoir of her time spent growing up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, near Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a sentimental or sappy book about cats. This is a serious look at what cats and humans get from each other, and every cat owner will recognize his or her pet in these pages somewhere.

[Ed Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't intend to read the whole thing, and yet I did, and I enjoyed it. Cats are strange and interesting, and Holland really gets that. Still, I'd rather read about them than try to serve and obey one.

[Meredith Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not waste your time, I thought there might be some good insights into the inner world of the cat…but it is really just stories about cats the author has known!

[Yelena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really want to be best friends with Barbara Holland after reading this book. Witty, but not arrogant, knowledgeable, but not preach-y. I really wish we could have tea and talk about cats. Also the fact that she doesn't infantilize or glamorize animals, but is just respectful and accepting, is soooo refreshing.

[Violet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected. The book is largely a collection of stories about the writer's cats, with a few tidbits of literature and history thrown in. Relatively little about the lore and legend, and lots about the lives of a few specific cats.

[GoldGato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've served the feline species for a while now and as such, believed that I knew all there was to know about them. How silly was I. If I can only have one book about cats, this would be the one.

Barbara Holland gets into the details about the history of cats, how they've been perceived, their relationship with humans, why they purr, and medical concerns that occasionally occur. After reading this, I felt I had a much better idea of why cats act the way they do.

I can't imagine a room of books without a feline curled up among the stacks. It seems this is their place to be...although my own furry warriors would certainly debate that picture.

Book Season = Spring

[Charlie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre

I, a lifelong cat owner, lover, and reader, cannot really recommend this book to hardly anyone. The majority of it seems to be rambling anecdotes and speculations with some poorly attributed history. The final three chapters, 10, 11, and 12, offer some some really good, plainspoken advice, and are also written in a more organized style.

[Kecia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The personal stories in this book are beautiful and heartbreaking. Every cat lover should own it (if there's one in your life, consider giving it for Christmas if you can find it). And if you don't like cats, this book just might change your mind about them.

[Alexa Cascade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very personal account of living with her own cats, along with often very opinionated views about cats, how we live with them and how they live with us.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't finish this or get into it, despite trying twice. The authors opinions on various topics made me want to throw the book into the wall, completely overshadowing its main focus: cats.

[Marlene McManus · Rating 1 out of 5]

The tone of this book put me off. Half the time Holland is writing a charming, observant love letter to the 'secrets of the cat', with a running theme on how cats are wholly their own beings, who can never fully be understood or controlled by humans. These are the good parts. But interspersed throughout, Holland makes broad generalizations and snarky remarks concerning dog lovers, scientists, historians and people in general, mocking and disregarding anything these groups have said or thought about cats. Rather than coming across as tongue-in-cheek, it reads as mean-spirited and ignorant. Holland's refutation of all this misinformation comes in the form of her own personal experience owning many cats. If she has witnessed anything contrary to commonly accepted cat knowledge, well then everyone else is completely wrong. This goes both ways in the chapter 'a choice of cats' where she celebrates the physicality and personalities of several purebreds she has owned and then makes the shocking, sweeping statement that 'no one seems to have a deep personal relationship with a striped cat.' Excuse me? I am one of the thousands of cat owners who can prove you wrong Ms. Holland. The paragraph continues to justify the universal 'no striped cat relationships' rule by explaining that SHE was never close with the striped cats SHE owned. Therefore, no one ever has been.

This supplanting her own personal opinions as more correct than written accounts by scientists and historians isn't helped by the fact that she uses no citations. At all. There isn't a bibliography either. This book explains cat behavior, physicality, husbandry, origins and history and doesn't refer to a single source of research. Holland states everything as plain fact and moves on. It reads as if she is the omnipotent goddess of all things cat and no one else 'gets it'.

I read 8 of 12 chapters before tossing this in a donation bin. Once Holland wrote off striped cats and used the term 'oriental people' I was done.

[Matt Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was mainly a mix of personal anecdotes from the author’s experiences with cats and a history of peoples attitudes towards cats, cat behavior etc. For me, the historical aspects were the most interesting, as there were a lot of tidbits, some funny, fascinating, and even disturbing (see: the cat’s treatment in medieval Europe) to read about. I will add that I’m somewhat ambivalent on whether I like the author herself or how much she actually likes cats. Granted, this was written in the 80s before I was even born, so perhaps attitudes towards pet keeping were different than they are today, but on multiple instances did she mention hitting or smacking her (supposedly) beloved cats and even mentioned (without a hint of guilt or regret whatsoever) that she once got rid of a cat just because it was dull. Perhaps others picked up on this too? Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

[Jaclyn]

DNF page 77

Sweet book, and I love how much the author's love for cats shines through on the page.

It's just not quite keeping me hooked. Like, I'd love to have tea with the author and gush about how adorable cats are, and how many hilarious antics they can get up to, but as a book, I'm not just learning anything new to keep me interested. I'd recommend instead The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World, which has a similar love and respect for cats, but really delves into their biology, the evolution of their relationships with humans, and the psychology of humans who love them.

[Nenda · Rating 1 out of 5]

2017 Reading Challenge
10. A book with a cat on the cover

It just boring, too much anecdote.

[David Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

More anecdotal that informational, but a charming read. Worth it just for the image of Persian soldiers marching into battle with a herd of cats.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, interesting book. The only chapter I didn't like was "The Cats and the Church". This book does help in understanding the cat.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may have two cats, but I am not a cat person. I do not dream of having a house of cats and living a lonely life. The two cats I have, adopted me. This book was recommended to me by a friend that thinks I am a cat lover....and I groaned (silently) as she looked so excited to recommend this book, I decided to test it out. I am happy to report that this book is not wishy-washy silly tidbits about cats...it is witty, but informational and interesting. I am not sure if I would take all of her information as medical truth, but I do value the fact that she often recommends you check with your vet...she is pro-neuter...and she is pro-cat.
I only took off one star because the edition I am reading is a bit old and I think it needs to be updated to reflect changes....I shall pass on to my vet friends.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

By turns sentimental and scholarly, this exhaustively researched account of the cat is written in essayist Barbara Holland's trademark lucid prose, with unapologetic candor. The historical chapter on how and when cats came on the domestic scene outlasted my interest, while the chapter on cats' persecution in the Middle Ages was hard for this cat lover to read, but other than that Secrets of the Cat was enjoyable light reading.

[lia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice book about cat. A bit scattered. I feel like the chapters are not club together nicely. It is still entertaining though, and read this if you are cat lover

[Kenton Monjon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly interesting.

Surprisingly interesting.

This book contains both interesting and anecdotal information about cats and their history. The anecdotal stories are enjoyable as are the legends. She also covers diseases and different breeds. A very enjoyable read.

[MBP · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can tell the author really "gets" cats - she has a great style, witty and opinionated.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me want to go to the shelter and grab an armful of cats and run.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cat stories for cat lovers from the woman who said she would never write a cat book.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read with some interesting tidbits. And I do have one of "those cats."

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read on cats. Nor deeply researched though.

[Chef · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best way to understand cats is to accept that you cannot understand them.

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit chatty and somewhat chaotic but still one of the better cats books.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far I'm a third of the way through and her elitist writing is making me dislike cats, which according to her makes me just like Hitler.

[Kathy Canova · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book with stories and tips about cats.

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

One

Why a one? Because they won't let you give anyone a zero. This is the most ludicrous book I've ever not managed to finish.