The Cat-Approved Summer Reading List
Summer is made for slow afternoons — a cool drink, a sunny window, and a good book with a cat draped across your lap (or across the book itself, if they're feeling territorial). So we pulled together a summer reading list for cat lovers. And because we take our standards seriously around here, every title was reviewed by our in-house feline staff, who personally napped on each one before granting approval.
Four of these will make you a better cat parent. One will simply confirm what you've long suspected: that cats have been running the whole operation all along. Here's the list.
1. Play With Your Cat! by Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado
If you only read one cat book this summer, make it this one. Delgado, a certified cat behavior consultant and animal behavior scientist, makes the case that play isn't a frivolous extra — it's essential to your cat's health and happiness. Drawing on the latest research, she explains why cats need to hunt, stalk, and pounce, and gives you practical, doable techniques to bring that out, even in the most aloof or uninterested cat. There's also great guidance on using play to ease behavior problems, and the whole thing is delightfully illustrated by Lili Chin. Bonus for our crowd: the play techniques adapt beautifully for senior and special-needs cats, too.
2. Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy by Zazie Todd, PhD
Todd's central idea is a good one: making your cat happy isn't about buying them a mountain of stuff — it's about understanding what actually matters to them. She walks through every stage of a cat's life, from kittenhood all the way through the special considerations of caring for senior cats, and closes each chapter with practical tips you can put into action right away. It's warm, readable, science-backed, and genuinely useful no matter how long you've lived with cats.
3. Decoding Your Cat by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
This one answers the question every cat person has asked at least once: why on earth is my cat doing that? Written by a team of board-certified veterinary behaviorists (with an introduction by animal expert Steve Dale), it digs into the real reasons behind common feline behaviors — and, just as importantly, how to gently address the frustrating ones. Here's why we especially love it: unwanted behavior is one of the leading reasons cats get surrendered to shelters. Understanding the why, and knowing that most of these issues can be worked through, is often what keeps a cat in his or her home for good. That's a mission we can wholeheartedly get behind.
4. The Trainable Cat by John Bradshaw & Dr. Sarah Ellis
Yes, you really can train a cat — and no, it doesn't involve a spray bottle. This one, from two respected feline scientists, uses gentle, force-free methods to teach cats the kinds of skills that make stressful moments so much easier: getting into a carrier willingly, tolerating vet handling, taking medication, traveling. It's a wonderful read for any cat household, but especially valuable for those of us caring for senior or special-needs cats, who often need more handling, more vet visits, and a little extra help feeling safe.
5. Starter Villain by John Scalzi
A fast, funny, big-hearted novel featuring cats — and that's all we'll say, because the fun is in the surprises.
However you spend your summer — deep in cat science or just enjoying fun, feline fantasy — we hope you find a little shade, a good story, and a warm cat nearby. And if all this reading about happier, healthier cats leaves you wanting to help one, our senior and special-needs cats are always hoping for a happy ending of their own.
Happy reading! 📚🐾🧡