Everything Cats Expect You to Know by Elizabeth Martyn, another birthday present, was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. Many, many dog-eared pages. Some designate information that was new to me, others words I didn't know (the author being British), and a third category–a big one, which will not be part of the review—information I want to check out on the computer, mostly artwork and stories.
Information first:
1) In the battle of Pelusium, 525 BC, Cambyses of Persia attacked Africa. Knowing that the Egyptians revered cats, "he ordered his men to strap live cats to their shields, then advance." (page 13) His strategy worked; the Egyptians "had no choice but to lay down their bows and arrows because, for them, to injure a sacred animal was a serious serious offense." (page 13) Historical rumor says that no one was killed, but a study of skulls found differences in each group of warriors. Whatever. I still find it an interesting strategy for war.
2) "Neither of them (cats and chickens) can taste sweetness." (page 51) Betcha didn't know that.
3) Occasionally maxims/adages appear. Among the best was, "A cat who wants breakfast/has no snooze button." (page 66)
Words:
1) Bollard. "Sympathize with the neighbor who crashed into a bollard while swerving to avoid cat." (page 32) Dictionary.com: "British . one of a series of short posts for excluding or diverting motor vehicles from a road, lawn, or the like." Ah, got it. (Like I'll remember?)
2) Mog. "Every domestic mog in the world today…" (page 48) Again it's part of the odd way British people speak English. Moggy is "noun, plural -gies. British Informal . a cat." I guess mog is an even more informal form of moggy. (How informal can you get? "These Brits," she says, shaking her head. "Why can't they speak English correctly?")
3) Astrakhan. "It looks as if it's wearing its very own astrakhan coat,…" (page 92) I think it's a loopy type of weave, and I may have looked it up before, but here goes (again?) From dictionary.com: "as tra·khan –noun 1. a fur of young lambs, with lustrous, closely curled wool, from Astrakhan. 2. Also called astrakhan cloth . a fabric with curled pile resembling astrakhan fur." I was right. Next time I run into it I might even have confidence that I actually know what it means.
4) Panto. "You know the story; you've seen the panto." (page 118) Short for pantomime? Yep. Maybe I'm starting to grasp this weird use of English.
5) Kerfuffle. "Chris Mulloy nearly got away with it in the kerfuffle caused by his traveling companion…" (page 142) Hassle? Dictionary.com: "commotion; disorder; agitation" Close enough.
6) Solipsism: "Where sopilsiism is concerned, cats knock celebs into a cocked hat." (page 203) I should know this one, but don't think I do. Dictionary.com: "–noun-1. Philosophy . the theory that only the self exists, or can be proved to exist. 2. extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption." Nope. I didn't know it. But cats sure have it--in spades.
I do, however, have a major disagreement with the title of this book. I think all cats expect you to know is how to fill and clean the litter box, how and where to put down water, and how and where to put down food, the latter being on demand and wherever the cat is at the moment.
Recommend? Only for serious catofiles.
Last edited by humphreysmar; 04/23/11 09:35 PM.
