The Unadulterated Cat (1989)

A very insightful essay on the nature of cats and why we love them. The illustrations are fun, and the book gave me much pleasure to read, knowing that I have only ever owned Real Cats. ( )

The Unadulterated Cat is Pratchett's take on the domesticated (for lack of a better word) feline. In this book, he comprehensively covers what it is to be a Real Cat, and how that impacts the so-called 'pink blobs' (humans) around them. In many ways, he hits the nail directly on the head, capturing a "it's funny 'cause it's true" sort of aspect. While some of the across-the-pond-isms are lost, Pratchett manages to deliver a solid humorous book on one of nature's greatest fuzzballs. ( )

Somewhere in the limitless possibilities of reality and consciousness there is a young man named Schrodinger in a box with a vial of radioactive material and a device which may - or may not - break the vial and immediately end the consciousness of the young man. He is both alive and dead, and is doubtless bleeding from the back of his heels, because somewhere in his future he had (purposeful shift in tense) proposed a thought experiment that begins with the extremely hazardous suggestion that an individual place a cat in a box.

And cats hold grudges, even if you haven't angered them yet.

In The Unadulterated Cat, Pratchett endeavors to define a Real cat (as opposed to those fluffy, squished-faced monstrosities that can apparently eat their food out of crystal dishes without tipping them over). Punctuated with telling cartoons by Gray Jolliffe, Pratchett provides a 150+ page description of those horrible beasts, and even provides some analysis as to why we (cats and their roommates) tolerate each other. I have long been under the impression that my own cats are just horribly uncatlike beasts, especially when forced to consider such adorable and friendly examples in literature and the Facebook photo albums of (childless) friends, but Pratchett has shown me otherwise. My cats are undeniably Real cats.

While I certainly enjoy Pratchett's writing style, I believe my partner enjoyed The Unadulterated Cat far more than I. But that's really to be expected, because my partner is the true cat lover in our household. After reading what my Real cats are truly capable of I think I'll stay loyal to my ridiculous cat-sized dog. ( )

This is a quirky and irreverent look at our feline friends. Short, humorous and appropriately illustrated by Gray Joliffe it made me laugh. But then I'm British, owned by cats and love Terry Pratchett's work as he observes things so well ... so I am the ideal reader:) ( )

Miaow! ( )