The Secrets of Lost Cats by Nancy Davidson ****

The Secrets of Lost Cats by Nancy Davidson, appropriately written by a psychologist, is a bit schizophrenic. Mostly it's about lost cats and their owners, but for a little bit is is a memoir of the author's inner struggle with loss and commitment. As a reader, I loved the first part (cats, cats and more cats) and mostly ignored the rest. Fortunately for me, the cats dominated, as is only right.

The book tells twenty stories of lost cats around the world, each illustrated with a lost-cat poster. As a cat person, I enjoyed the length people go to to find their lost pets, such as breaking into a neighbor's house, putting up billboards, and going on television. Is is also interesting to see how people adjust to the eventuality that their pet isn't going to return. Some imagine the pet taken in to a loving home, while others fear the worst dinner for wildlife to experimentation in secret labs.

The psychologist author plays a fun game: Guess the owner's personality and gender from the lost-cat flyers. Who expresses emotion (We are heart broken) and who gives lots of details (11 month, 3 weeks old). Also, do rewards help? And an extra bonus, what does "I am not a cat person," even mean?

In summary, if you like cats, (you know who you are), this is the book for you.

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway on July 12, 2013. I received the book on July 20, 2013.