Book Review: "Taming Me: Memoir of a Clever Island Cat" By Cathy Unruh

I was delighted when offered the opportunity to receive an advance copy of the book, "Taming Me: Memoir of a Clever Island Cat" by Cathy Unruh.

My copy of "Taming Me" by Cathy Unruh

From the moment I started reading, I could NOT put the book down.  It is 224 pages and I finished it in less than 4 hours. It is eloquent, insightful, sensitive, suspenseful, full of love  and will lure you into it's pages as the scent of delicious oily salmon will lead a cat to eat. It's simply superb.

I found myself immediately transported into the mind of a feral kitten whose survival was nothing short of being a "miracle" and led to her appropriate moniker "Lucy Miracle". Lucy was born on the island  of Cat Cay, (think it received it's name because of 100s of cats that live on the island? Think again.)

Lucy introduces us to her world by sharing her thoughts about being  a feral kitten who is terrified and leery of humans,  dependent upon her mother for her sustenance,  she describes her  mother's struggle to find food, shelter,   to merely survive

Many cat lovers are  familiar with TNR (trap-neuter-return) and the various humane ways that this is accomplished. Volunteers work  tirelessly  seeking to help neglected cats by ensuring that they are spayed/neutered, and by educating the public about the  importance of  spaying/neutering cats to keep the numbers of cats without homes under control.

Wouldn't you love to know:


What goes on in the mind of a kitten (cat) when it is trapped?


What about those who loathe cats and find them trespassing on their property?



The  thoughts of a feral kitten surveying the world around it?


What does a feral kitten (cat) think and feel about humans?


 Does a feral kitten (cat)  really WANT to be adopted?


 Does  it long to return to the wild?


 Is a feral cat who becomes a "housecat" truly happy?

 Cathy Unruh does a brilliant job of  answering all of those questions by touchingly sharing with the reader what she thinks is going on in the mind of a feral cat, through the words of HER cat, the endearing Lucy Miracle. Her depiction of those thoughts is so vivid that you will find yourself alternating between gasps, laughs, tears and nods of agreement and recognition.

She  superbly presents what one who adopts a feral kitten (cat) is faced with when trying to introduce it to an indoor environment replete with resident cats. She beautifully conveys the love, patience, understanding, commitment and devotion needed to win their trust and their hearts.

From the Publisher, Collage Books Inc.:

"With an uncanny ability to imagine the thoughts and emotions of a cat, author Cathy Unruh's writing is richly metaphorical, honing every detail to its fullest potential. Ms. Unruh grew up on a hobby farm and is passionate about animal welfare; this story champions her views about the humane treatment of animals." (She is also an Emmy Award-winning television journalist)


This wonderful book will be released in trade paperback, hardcover and e-book formats on October 16, 2012, which just happens to be, National Feral Cat Day.


Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-0-938728-15-3
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-938728-25-2