SOLVED. YA? Juvenile? Boy keeps cat in a box in a tree [s]

[Valerie]

The puppy in a car one reminded me of this book, I read probably about 20 - 25 years ago. During this phase I was reading everything I could get my hands on, so sometimes details get a little confused!
It was a chapter book, probably for 10-12 year olds, about a boy who wanted to bring a cat home. It may have been one he was given, or was looking after for a friend or class or something. For some reason, perhaps a sibling or parent was allergic, he wasn't able to bring the cat home, so he put it in a box and tied the box to the branches of a tree outside his window. At some point there was a storm and the box was blown sideways and the cat escaped.
I don't really remember much else, but it would be nice to remember the book.

Thanks for any help.

[Valerie]

Bump!

I do remember that they lived in an apartment and that the tree he tied the box to was outside his window.

I think there may have been something special about the breed of cat.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Valerie, are you still searching for this book?

[Valerie]

I would still like to know what it was. I kept meaning to go back and bump it but life keeps happening! I will have a think and see if I can remember any more details.

[[deleted user]]

I think I remember this book. The cat was a Russian Blue and it showed up at the boy's class and became the class cat. The boy also had a habit of having an overactive imagination and the first time the cat showed up, no one believed him about the cat, until he showed that it had crawled under his desk and into his lap. The teacher started assigning students to watch the cat on the weekends and the boy offered to take a turn, even though his brother was allergic.

The problem is, I don't remember the name of the book either.:( I searched for titles and the only thing that seemed sort of familiar is "The Blue Velvet Cat," but it seems to be a picture book. Sorry, I wish I could be of more help. Maybe what I've said might jog your memory a bit.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Possibly The Almost All-White Rabbity Cat? 113 pp. pub. 1972.

"Left alone in the family's new city apartment, a boy befriends a white cat that mysteriously appears and disappears."

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Or Rico's Cat? 135 pp. pub. 1976.

"In St. Louis during World War II, a boy determines to hide and raise his kitten, despite the landlord's firm rule against pets on the premises."

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Maybe Manhattan Is Missing? 239 pp., pub. 1969.

"A young English boy and his family sublet an apartment in New York City on the condition that they take care of the owner's prized Siamese cat, but suddenly the cat disappears."

[Valerie]

R. wrote: "I think I remember this book. The cat was a Russian Blue and it showed up at the boy's class and became the class cat. The boy also had a habit of having an overactive imagination and the first tim..."


Yes, I believe this is the book. Russian Blue and the imaginative boy and taking turns to have the cat for the weekend all fit. Now if only we could remember title or author!

Digging deep into my memory, I think it would have been early to mid eighties that I read it.

I will keep thinking. I'm all intrigued again now.

[Tab]

Russian blue , maybe?

WorldCat's description says, Struggling to keep the valuable but injured cat he has grown to love, a ten-year-old's life becomes a mixture of deception and devotion.

If you have an OpenLibrary account, you can read it online for free.
http://openlibrary.org/books/OL543161....

[Valerie]

Thanks for trying Tab, but I don't think this is it. I went to OpenLibrary and created an account (and I think I might be spending a lot more time there!) but this book is only available as a protected Daisy, which apparently requires a special device to read. :-(
From the little information I can find, I think Russian Blue is too old, and also the cat in it seems to be injured and unable to walk.

[Brenda]

It's been so long that I don't remember if there's a box in a tree, but maybe It's Like This, Cat?

[Bargle]

Probably not, but just to eliminate it.
J.T.

[Valerie]

Brenda wrote: "It's been so long that I don't remember if there's a box in a tree, but maybe It's Like This, Cat?"

Not this one, but thanks for trying - and reminding me that I hadn't found it yet!

[Valerie]

Bargle wrote: "Probably not, but just to eliminate it.
J.T."

Nope, not it either, thanks anyway.

I'm trying to remember the boy's name, thinking this might trigger some more details. I'm fairly sure he had a longish name that was shortened to one syllable - like Max for Maximilian or something. I'll keep trying.

[Ayshe]

Topcat of Tam by Mary Francis Shura? This is the Kirkus review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

[Valerie]

YES! That's it! I knew I wasn't making it up! I remember really liking the book, I have just read the Kirkus review and thought it was a bit harsh.

Now, to remember how mark this as solved, and try to find a copy...

[Valerie]

Oh, eBay, how I love you!

Book purchased, free shipping, on its way to me. :-)

Thank you Ayshe!

[Ayshe]

You're welcome!