Whiskers, Words & Weekend Reads

We put the litter in litterature. Get to know your cat better with a few of our favorite reads—you’ll want to add these to your cart ASAP.

As a publicist and book marketer, I’m surrounded by books all day—and I wouldn’t have it any other way. While I haven’t worked on a cat book yet, I’ve been diving into plenty of feline reads on my own time—exploring how cats see the world and the special relationships they share with humans and their surroundings. I’m excited to share a few of my favorites with you:

🍜 Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Cat by Amy Newark

❓ What’s My Cat Thinking?: Understanding Your Cat To Give Them A Happy Life by Dr. Jo Lewis

🧠 Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life by John Gray

🐈 Think Like a Cat: How to raise a well-adjusted cat — not a sour puss by Pam Johnson-Bennett

🍜 Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Cat by Amy Newark

Yes, it’s nostalgic. Yes, you might cry. Yes, you’ll probably laugh too.

This was likely the very first cat book I ever bought—before I even adopted a cat. I still remember scooping up a few Chicken Soup for the Soul titles from Ocean State Job Lot for under $10. Life Lessons from the Cat came out in 2019, and it’s comforting to know they’re still making books like this.

If you’re interested in the wisdom our feline friends have to offer—from the hilarious to the heroic—this one’s for you. With 101 heartwarming (and often laugh-out-loud) stories, it’s the purrfect blend of emotion and insight.

❓ What’s My Cat Thinking?: Understanding Your Cat To Give Them A Happy Life by Dr. Jo Lewis

I can’t say enough good things about this book. It’s a nice addition to the coffee table—informative, fun, and a great conversation starter for guests.

If you’ve ever wanted to know how cats communicate, why they headbutt you, how to introduce them to a new pet, or how to help them adjust to a new home, this book has answers. It also covers grooming habits, quirky behaviors, and almost anything else that comes to mind as a cat owner or admirer.

With a great mix of text, diagrams, and illustrations, it’s both practical and enjoyable to flip through. One to definitely keep around the house!

🧠 Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life by John Gray

For the philosophy nerds out there, this is for you.

In Feline Philosophy, John Gray explores what cats can teach us about navigating a world full of uncertainty, loss, and change. Through stories of famous feline companions and reflections on their graceful detachment, the book challenges human exceptionalism (woah—big, deep stuff!) and invites us to approach life with more curiosity, adaptability, and calm. Can’t say no to that. Thoughtful and surprisingly witty, this one’s a must-read for cat lovers and seekers of unconventional wisdom alike. Hope you’ll consider it!

Artwork by Armando Veve

🐈 Think Like a Cat: How to raise a well-adjusted cat — not a sour puss by Pam Johnson-Bennett

This book caught my attention right away, mostly because of the adorable yawning kitten on the cover. Pam Johnson-Bennett, a certified animal behavior consultant (think Jackson Galaxy), award-winning author, and host of Animal Planet UK’s Psycho Kitty, shares her expertise in this must-read. I can’t explain how helpful this book was when I was a new cat parent.

You’ll learn everything from how much to feed your cat and how to create a safe holiday environment (yes, you may find yourself asking, “Should I get a Christmas tree this year?”) to handling emergencies and understanding their vocal cues. Packed with practical advice and essential knowledge, this book is like having a veterinarian right in your back pocket!

Next on Mao Mao’s reading list:

🟦 Poet’s Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats by Courtney Gustafson

You may have already heard about this one on TikTok. Courtney’s TikTok account, ‘@Poet’s Square Cats,’ has over 1 million followers!

🐾 The Ghost Cat by Alex Howard

A national bestseller that’s just been sitting on my bookshelf waiting for my attention. A summary of the book: “A charming novel for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and How to Stop Time, following a cat through his nine lives in Edinburgh, moving through the ever-changing city and meeting its inhabitants over centuries

Early morning, 1902. At 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, Eilidh the charlady tips coal into a fire grate and sets it alight. Overhearing, Grimalkin the cat ambles over to curl up against the welcome heat and lick his favorite human’s hand. But this is to be his last day on earth…before he becomes the Ghost Cat.”

💊 We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

I’m fascinated by how deeply ingrained a love for cats is in Japanese culture. This book is incredibly popular right now, and you’ll likely spot it in every bookstore you visit. Cats do seem to have special powers (but that’s a topic for another blog post!).

A short summary: “…The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription…”

Guess what the second book in this series is called? We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat.

If you’re interested in learning more about Japanese cat literature and other related writings, I suggest visiting Alison Fincher’s blog post here.

Meow for now!

- Mao Mao