Cats of the World - Hannah Shaw - ★★★★★

AUTHOR: Hannah Shaw

PHOTOGRAPHS: Andrew Marttila

GENRE: Travel, Cats

PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2024

RATING: 5 cattilicious stars! 😻😻😻😻😻

In a Nutshell: A meowellous collection of cats from around the world. Excellent photographs and even more outstanding anecdotes of cats and their people. Loved everything about this book. Pawsitively purrfect for ailurophiles!

I had not heard of this book until I read ‘Cat Got Your Tongue?’ by this author and saw ‘Cats of the World’ mentioned in her bio. The title immediately caught my eye, and as my library had this in stock, I sprang to get it just as quickly as a cat might jump at a dangling feather toy. What a delight it has been!

Hannah Shaw, popularly known as ‘Kitten Lady’, is a kitten rescuer and feline educator. Her husband Andrew Marttila is a professional animal photographer specialising in cats. They write cat-themed books and also run a kitten welfare non-profit. The two of them travelled to thirty countries across the continents of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. On their journey, their key focus was to see cats and interact with local cat lovers and charities. One of the outcomes of their trips is this amazing book.

The introductory note by the author sets the right tone for this kitty compilation. She highlights their (her husband’s and her) professional background and their intent over the journeys. I appreciate how the author clarifies that the pics are by no means representative of the entire country.

Then we move to the main content, which is divided in country-wise sections. The start of each section specifies the official language(s) of the country and what cats are called in that language. There is a further subdivision based on places that the couple visited in that country. Each section/subsection contains cat photographs, local beliefs and attitudes towards felines, cat rescue efforts (whether individual or institutional), and even some sites worth visiting.

With such a talented photographer as one of the contributors, it goes without saying that the photos are a joy to behold. It is such a treat to see so many breeds of cats from multiple countries, mostly glaring at the camera. 😹 Every single photo was stunning, doing justice to the location as well as the kitty. Of course, a few of the photos were visual challenges; I had to really peek in to locate the cat! 🐈

You might think that the kitty photos would be the main reason to get this book, and you would be right in that assumption. But to my surprise and delight, the photos proved to be just a part of the bonanza. The textual notes for each location and photograph were even better. It was amazing to read detailed notes for each place instead of just one-liner photo captions. Primarily being a compilation of photographs, the book gives images the pride of place on each page, and the text content never overpowers the visuals.

The author’s passion for cats is demonstrated in ample quantity. I love how honestly she represents both the positive and negative attitudes towards cats in each country, and yet she somehow manages to end each write-up in a feel-good way with the right amount of joy or hope. The human-feline interconnection comes across strongly in all the places the author chose to highlight. I also appreciate how she referred to the exact cat breed such as dilute calico or tuxedo in her notes. Quite helpful for the likes of me who love cats but have only limited knowledge about the breeds!

With thirty countries being focussed on, the variety of their couple’s experiences and the information provided is quite stunning. It is tough to pick favourites as every place has so many amazing stories. A few places broke my heart as well with their residents’ and governments’ cavalier attitude towards pets. My favourites among the countries covered in this book were Chile, Netherlands, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, England, Tanzania, and Nepal. While these were not the only countries to have a positive (official or unofficial) system in place for stray cat care, these are the few places where the approach is more structured and organised, and of course, the people and the photos helped elevate the ranking. (Just in case my compatriots are curious: yes, India is also one of the included countries. I loved what the author said about Mumbai-meri-jaan. Unfortunately, the notes clearly prove that we have some way to go when it comes to treating cats the same way as we treat dogs. 😿)

I am more of a dog person, but cats come a close second on my list of favourite pets. I also love visiting new places. Our family vacations never involve idle R&R such as cruise travel or resort stays. (Nothing against those who enjoy these; just that we aren’t built that way.) We always try to take in as much of the natural beauty and local cuisine as possible in every place we visit and are constantly on the move. As such, this book was soul-satisfying to me in every way, being the perfect combination of cats and immersive travel focussed on getting the most of the local experience.

All in all, it should be quite clear that I relished this read. It offered me everything I wanted from that adorable cover and title, and went much beyond.

Much recommended to cat enthusiasts as well as travel enthusiasts! The hardcover edition would also make a pawsome gift to feline aficionados.

I love my library for having this gem!

I wish someone would write such a book about dogs! If someone already has, please let me know its title!