The Best Cat Books I Read in 2015

I've had so many great opportunities to review books this year.  I've even had the chance to work with some of the amazing authors whose books I've reviewed.  If you like to read, I encourage you to check out these fantastic books.

Please note: Not all of these books were published in 2015.  Rather, these are the best cat books I've read this year.

Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat - Not a Sour Puss: Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett was one of the first books I read for review on this blog.  The book is like a cat Bible for feline behavior!  The book covers many topics, such as litter box issues, scratching, relationship issues between cats and other cats, dogs, and humans, how to conduct play sessions and how they can be utilized for behavior modification, and how to choose the right kitten or cat for you.  The book also includes a medical appendix in the back, which I really like.  You can read my full review of Think Like a Cat here.

Rescued: The Stories of 12 Cats, Through Their Eyes: Rescued edited by Janiss Garza of Sparkle Cat is a wonderful anthology.  I knew a few of the authors who contributed to this anthology and really enjoyed reading their kitties' stories.  A few of the stories started off really sad (in fact, I ended up crying in the Tattered Cover while reading one of them!), but they all have happy endings.  I loved how each story is told from the cat's point of view.  It really made me think (even more) about how my kitties might view their journeys through life.  You can read my full review of Rescued in this blog post.

Purr Prints of the Heart: A Cat's Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond: Purr Prints of the Heart by Deborah Barnes of Zee & Zoey's Cat Chronicles brought me a lot of much needed closure regarding Jewel's passing.  While I still miss Jewel tremendously and think about her every single day, Deb's book brought me the closure I needed to be able to move through the grieving process.

In Purr Prints of the Heart, Deb's beloved kitty, Mr. Jazz, chronicles his journey through life, death, and beyond.  I loved reading Mr. Jazz's account of his life, what he experienced while dying, and his experience of the afterlife.  Deb also includes a guide to grieving in the back of this book, which is incredibly validating and helpful.  You can read my full review of Purr Prints of the Heart here.

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Purr Therapy: What Timmy & Marina Taught Me about Life, Love, and Loss: In Purr Therapy, Kathy McCoy PhD shows us how two incredible therapy cats - Timmy and Marina - changed the lives of her clients.  I absolutely loved reading about how Timmy and Marina showed compassion to McCoy's sad or anxious clients and the antics they used to distract angry or distressed ones.  McCoy also relays the lessons she learned from her two special kitties in this book.  A few tips on coping with grief are also offered.  You can read my full review of Purr Therapy in this post.

Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat: I know this book was published a long time ago, but I hadn't read it until recently.  In Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa, we see how one special cat can affect so many people's lives.  Oscar, who is known for being independent, spends time with dying patients on the dementia floor Dosa works on.  Oscar provides comfort and companionship to dying patients and their families - the people who need it the most.  How wonderful for the patients in the nursing home to have such a sweet companion to see them off to the next part of their journey.

A Street Cat Named Bob: And How he Saved my Life: I love, love, LOVE Bob!  In A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen, James is struggling to make enough money to feed himself.  So when he finds Bob, a stray injured orange tabby curled up in his apartment building, he knows the last thing he needs is a cat.  But he can't abandon the poor sick cat, so he takes Bob in to nurse him back to health.  When Bob is well, James tries to send him on his way, but Bob has already decided that James is his human.  Eventually James gives in and accepts his fate - he is Bob's human.  The deep bond, friendship, and love James shares with Bob inspires the author to turn his life around.  It's incredible how much a cat's unconditional love can change a life.

The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret: A Cats in Trouble Mystery: The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret by Leann Sweeney is the first book I've read in the Cats in Trouble Mystery series, and I absolutely loved it!  In this book, Jillian Hart is getting ready for her wedding; she is marrying Tom, a former police officer.  While visiting from college, Finn, Tom's stepson, falls in love with Magpie, a tortoiseshell cat at Mercy Animal Shelter.  Even though she is known to be a kleptomaniac, Jillian and Tom agree to make room in their home for Magpie.

When Magpie turns up with a locket, Jillian wants to return it to its rightful owner.  However, the discovery of a dead body sidetracks her mission.  The police chief also turns up dead, and Tom is appointed Mercy's interim police chief.  The investigation takes many unexpected and interesting twists and turns.  You can read my full review of The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret here.

 What are the best books you've read this year?  Please share in the comments section.  I am always looking for great book suggestions!

FTC Disclosure: I received complimentary copies of "Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat - Not a Sour Puss," "Rescued: The Stories of 12 Cats, Through Their Eyes," "Purr Prints of the Heart: A Cat's Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond," "Purr Therapy: What Timmy & Marina Taught Me About Life, Love, and Loss," and "The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret" for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the free books did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.