Put this one on your "must-read" list ...

Although I breed and show pedigreed cats (Russian Blues), I seldom read memoirs involving animals. They tend to be poorly written and rather predictable. And most authors of such memoirs take a decidedly politically correct stance: rescue, don't buy a pedigreed cat. Yes, there are many delightful random-bred cats and kittens in need of a home. But there are some solid reasons to seek out a pedigreed cat as well.

But when I saw the photo of the blue cat on the cover, I knew that I had to at least read the blurb. And when I discovered that this memoir centered on a pedigreed cat (a Korat, a rather uncommon breed), I knew that I would check this book out.

I was not disappointed. I finished Ms. Warren's book a few days ago, and find myself still thinking of it.

Ms. Warren is a very capable, often self-deprecating, writer. Her love for cats comes through quite strongly, but so does her humanity and compassion for people.

Initially, Ms. Warren writes about her family's decision to acquire a Korat as a remedy to her father's post-retirement boredom. While she did not consider a random-bred rescue, she persuasively presents her reasons for wanting certain specific attributes in a feline (i.e., small size, specific type of temperament). After doing her research, Ms. Warren chooses the Korat, then finds a breeder. (I was more than a little disappointed that the breeder from whom Ms. Warren acquired her kitten did not spay Ting before placement, nor did she require spaying her contract, although Ms. Warren states that there was "a careful vetting process." Rather, the breeder had Ms. Warren promise "not to breed her with anything other than another Korat of traceable ancestry." This isn't the way reputable breeders place pet kittens. However, this is a quibble with Ting's breeders, not with Ms. Warren and certainly not with her book.)

Ms. Warren deftly weaves the story of her parents' courtship and marriage into her memoir. As an only child, Ms. Warren is close to her parents, and she chooses to move in with them as an adult ("out of choice, not necessity - I actually liked my parents"). Her parents love cats, too, and there is a poignant section on a stray that the Warrens came to unofficially adopt during Ms. Warren's childhood.

Ms. Warren's father had health problems, and died of a heart attack when Ting was an adult cat - a loss that was deeply grieved by Ms. Warren and her mother. Ms. Warren's descriptions of her grief and depression following her father's death are heartfelt and very moving, and form perhaps the major part of this memoir.

Then Ting falls ill; her diagnosis is AV block, and her treatment is a pacemaker. Despite the steep cost (approximately $10,000), Ms. Warren and her mother choose this option, and Ting recovers. At the time of this book's publication, Ting is 19 years old and still enjoying life.

Ms. Warren also writes of her own illness; she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis not long after Ting's surgery. She is accepting of her illness and remains optimistic throughout. If anything, she is exceedingly compassionate and kind-hearted; during a wait of two hours in an ER, Ms. Warren "reasoned that there were people much sicker than [she was] in the ER that night." Having lived with a chronic illness (and multiple surgeries) since childhood, I can attest that my thoughts were not always so generous and accepting.

After reading my library's copy, I bought a copy for my Kindle, for I know that I will be rereading this book. I hope that Ms. Warren will be writing more in the future.





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