DK Eyewitness Books Cat: Explore the Fascinating Lives of Cats—from Domesticated Breeds to Fearsome Felin Paperback – June 16, 2014

There is no better resource for children for many many topics than Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books. New York Times describes each book as a museum between two covers. "Eyewitness Cat" is no exception.One of the most astonishing facts about each book is the wealth and quality of photographs. On just the double title page of "Cat," there are thirteen individual photos of ten kinds of cats, wild and domestic, and and two separate pieces of art featuring cats. The verso (copyright) page has six photos and the Table of Content has one more. That is astounding! Considering the photos, the quality of paper, and the tight binding, what is more amazing is the very affordable price.Once the reader enters the main text, a feast of photos awaits her. "Cat" is laid out like other Eyewitness books: define the topic--"What is a cat?," continue with the First Cats, then go to Cat clans, cat bones, fur, claws, supersenses, time-lapse photos of their leaps and falls, cleaning activities, their stalking abilities, young cats, and cat characteristics.The next section starts with the lion, then goes through each category of wild cats, then spotlights the transitional cats that are wild but closely akin to domestic cats. How were cats tamed, what are the myths and legends surrounding them?The next section focuses on champion cats, then other types: shorthairs, longhairs, street and feral cats. Caring for you cat is another section, amazing facts, and then all those domestic breeds are identified by photos and captions. Every single section is filled with photographs, both large and small, side notes, illustrations, charts, and so on.Examples of the types of information throughout the volume: "In southern France there was once a wide belief in 'matagots,' or magician cats. One of the most famous was Puss in Books,...a cat so crafty that it won for its master a fortune and a princess for a wife" (49) "The Maine Coon is the oldest American breed of cat and one of the largest" (57). "When a pride of lions or a pair of domestic cats want to show they belong together, they make sure they smell the same" by grooming each other and spreading scent from their glands (21).Eyewitness Books are the kinds of books every child should have, one for each area of interest. These are not books that can be read in one sitting. These are books to pour over again and again, and the child will still find new things. As a children's librarian, I cannot give a higher recommendation than I do to Eyewitness Books. "Eyewitness: Cat" is definitely and positively a keeper!

I work in an elementary school library. Although the reading level of the Eyewitness books is too high for my students, the pictures are so great and all ages are very excited by them.

For my granddaughter for Christmas. She used this & The Cats book for her major project at school. She got an A!

Daughter loves these series. She gets bored reading and these have lots photos and then a short paragraph describing the photo. So it helps to stimulate her to read and reread the books and information. These series have something for everyone.

Bought for my grand daughter. She loves it.

Interesting cat book for our young person who loves cats. Lots of nice info! Thanks!

These books are So well written and Have gorgeous photos and content -any child -or-adult for that matter sharing these will def. enjoy them time and again

My kids absolutely love the DK Eyewitness books. The pictures are amazing! The information is great! This goes over everything from domestic cats to big wild cats.