Book Review:
The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions
by Thomas McNamee
As Applicable to Humans as to Cats
I had already bonded with my cat, but after The Inner Life of Cats I have an even deeper human/animal relationship with this fellow sentient being. This book is an artful blend of hard science about cats together with their interaction with human behavior and emotions. In its description of academic research mixed with first and third person anecdotal accounts, it touches deep into the human psyche; don’t be surprised or distressed if parts of it have you weeping over what cats experience. It effectively debunks the common assumption that cats are emotionally cold and selfish. Instead, it reveals them as sensitive creatures who need your emotional investment, something far too few domestic cats are fortunate enough to enjoy from their humans. If nothing more, this book will open for you a deeper experience with your cat (or appreciation of cats if you don’t have one).
In my opinion, this book also could help in bettering relationships just between humans. There are numerous analogs to be drawn between humans and cats in this book, that would show how to make all human interactions more productive and fulfilling.
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