The book “Adventure Cats” is serious about helping felines live nine lives to the fullest.
OK, at first I thought “Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest,” by Laura J. Moss, was some kind of parody.
A photo inside of “Millie the Crag Kitty” doing a Jim Whittaker pose atop a rocky peak in Utah was a crackup. Or there’s harness-wearing Floyd, the fluffy Persian, buffeted by mountain winds, with his fur streaming outward like a mountaineering Muppet.
But this is a serious guide to getting your cat outside. “Yes, your cat can hike, camp, sail and more!” says a cover note.
Before dashing off emails about my snide tone, cat people, know that I am one of you. I live on a boat with two felines and I’ve been taking them sailing for years. (They do, in fact, wear harnesses.)
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I still have a little trouble with the concept of a cat going bouldering, but this guidebook tells the story of a Colorado cat who loves it. And there are many more such profiles, with pictures.
Brace yourself for cuteness in the writing (“Be purrpared” to ensure you have a “happy campurr,” e.g.). But there’s a bunch of useful tips on safety, leash training and even how to read a cat’s body language (ears sideways means anxious). True cat nuts will prance to the bookstores. (Workman Publishing, May 2017, $14.95)