The Cat Who Came in from the Cold

My mum bought me this book, oh so long ago now, and I can safely say that it was one of the best gifts she could possibly have chosen.

This charming little tome drags the reader on a lovely journey of enlightenment and discovery, as writer Deric Longden comes to the wonderful realisation that he is, in fact, a Cat's Best Friend. It all begins when he spots his next door neighbour's new kitten sitting on an upturned bucket in the yard. When the day turns rainy and the little mite is still out in the cold, his heart melts and he brings it in to dry out and meet his wife, novelist Aileen Armitage, who is instantly smitten.

This new love affair culminates in the sneaky adopting of the kitten, and the story runs from there. Fears of sheepskin show more rugs, drunken misbehavior with spilt wine, climbing trees, a pet sultana called Ralph, and all sorts of other scrumptious quirks and mishaps ensue as Deric and his kitten bond, culminating in Aileen - who is almost blind - shutting him in the fridge with a pack of Danish bacon. The wonderful image of Deric thawing him out in a shrunken thermal vest in front of the fire earns him his name - Thermal.

Throughout the book, conversations with Aileen and conversations with his kitten entwine into a hilariously laugh-out-loud (yes, honestly - I'm not exaggerating) reading experience, only enhanced when yet more cats enter the equation - Tigger (the ladylike tortoiseshell), Arthur (the scruffy old man), Chico (a neighbour's cat) and Denton (the local bully) - and things really start to liven up.

This is an absolutely delightful book for all ages, and the author's unique way of bringing his furry charges to life in the most human sense will be recognised by cat lovers everywhere. More cat books follow this one - 'Enough to make a Cat Laugh' and the latest, 'Paws in the Proceedings', amongst others. A timeless collection to savour, cherish and pass on to your children. show less

Oh so much better than Dewey and really the example of HOW to write a book about your cat(s) that is not cloyingly sweet or meandering wildly off topic or ALL ABOUT YOU. Full of that dry Brittish humour that I really enjoy and the personality of the cats comes through; we don't get told how great they are, we see it.

This book is a completely silly, twee, chocolate-boxy bit of fluff, but it doesn't take long to read and is peppered with unexpected laugh-out-loud-funny observations. Definitely a feel-good experience.

A Tale of Four Cats.

I took this book on holiday and it made a good holiday read, but even though I'm a cat lover - with 7 cats of my own - I wasn't creased up laughing. It was entertaining in a lighthearted way but I wasn't desperate to turn the page.
Deric Longden comes over as a generous hearted animal lover, the sort of person who'd keep everyone entertained at a dinner party, but for me, that doesn't transfer into a book.

Meanwhile, I was wondering why my cats lead such a boring life compared to the Longden cats, but then I remembered the cat who disappeared over the road into a shrubbery for 10 days after a car hit him, but he lived to tell the tale - with a slightly bent tail.
The long haired white called Princess who presides over show more her subjects from the top of the scratching post that only she is allowed to use.
The ginger twins, one of whom was accidentally flushed down the toilet as a tiny kitten and given up for lost until the other, who hadn't given up calling for him, finally got a reply after 12 hrs. All the sewers were scoured and he reappeared as a hungry bedraggled mess but otherwise unscathed.
The black and white who hates everyone else and has taken charge of his own bedroom........ show less

This is the perfect book to curl up with on a cosy Sunday afternoon. The author tells the true story of how he and his wife came to be the owners/parents of a little white cat called Thermal (his name is explained)! It's such a sweet book, very moving, and yet absolutely hilarious at times. Cat owners will surely identify with many of the situations which the author finds himself in! A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Cute memoir of a cat who adopts a family. I was promised hilarity by the recommender, though, so my expectations were set too high. It was warm and amusing in bits, but if you are looking for laugh-till-you-cry cat stories, check out Doreen Tovey's books instead.

I love this book! You will laugh from beginning to end as you learn how the author (accidentally) stole his neighbor's kitten, how Thermal earned his name (you just can't trust refridgerators these days!) and just how much trouble kittens can find!