Taming Me: Memoir of a Clever Island Cat
By Cathy Unruh
This book is the mostly-true story about Lucy Miracle, a feral kitten who was born on Cat Cay Island in the Bahamas. Lucy began life as one of a hundred or so cats running wild on the islands, the last kitten to remain by her mother’s side after her siblings had gone their own way. Although they do their best to avoid human contact, one day the both of them fall into a trap set by a small but passionate TNR (trap-neuter-release) group. Lucy’s mother is spayed, ear-tipped and released, but Lucy, malnourished and not in the best of health, does not handle the operation well, so she is taken in and nursed back to health by one of the TNR volunteers, Darcie. Through her life with Darcie, Lucy learns to be a housecat, and through Lucy’s eyes, we see the rough and often tragic life of feral island cats — and some of the battles fought by those humans who promote TNR.
Lucy is a real cat, adopted by author, animal advocate and Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist Cathy Unruh, who lives part time on Cat Cay. Released last year on National Feral Cat Day (October 16), Taming Me promotes awareness of the plight of feral cats, and some of the difficulties TNR volunteers have in overcoming prejudice and misguided assumptions about ferals. At $9.99 for a Kindle or Nook copy — more than your average eBook — it is almost as expensive as the paper version, but either way it is a worthy read and a great look at TNR from ground zero, for both feral cats and their supporters.
Note: links to Amazon and Barnes and Noble are Associate links — a kitty’s gotta eat!
* wanders back in thinking aloud * Maybe we expect ebooks to be too cheap Miss Sparkle? Is there a lot of work involved in them – with the technology and stuffs? I know there is no paper and manufacturing but the author works, they have to get the book online (that must be tough…) …. just wondering?
We have this book and really enjoyed it!
: )
A wonderful story Sparkle!
Its sounds like it might make our mom cry. She’s funny that way when she reads about how hard some kitties have it.
My Human never reads the books *I* want to read! She’s always reading Pride and Prejudice or The Great Gatsby or something for her school. This does sound awful good though!
OK will get that for Mum – thanks for the head’s up Miss Sparkle.
Looks like a good book. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened to me had I been released back onto the mean streets and it isn’t pretty.
That sounds like a really great book for sure, good post Sparkle.
What a wonderful review! We’ll insist our Mom and Dad check this one out for sure! Purrs…
It sounds like a worthy tail, erm tale.
Thanks for the review Sparkle. Sounds really good.
Sounds like a great book. I’ll suggest it to my mum as she loves cat books.
I reviewed this on Cat Chat some months ago (maybe last summer?) and it remains one of my most FAVORITE books. I found it to be completely captivating!
Definitely plan to have Mom go to Amazon and get this and read it to us. Thanks for the review. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Josette
Sparkle what a wonderful review Lucy and her human are lucky
to have one another
Hugs Madi your bFFF
Thanks for being an advocate of TNR and reviewing this book Sparkle. My human has done quite a bit of TNR and is a big adovate as well. ~~ Pippy
This sounds like a great book, Sparkle…we like to read about other island cats. 🙂
My whiskers are already twitching, sounds great!
we think that would be a great bok to read.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
That is a wonderful book. We have read it and loved it. It is well written from the eyes of Lucy. Take care.
Your review made Mom remember the feral cat colony they saw on the Big Island of Hawaii last August. Faithful volunteers feed those kitties every day, but I guess that is not the case for most feral colonies.
Thanks Sparkle. It sounds like a great read!
It sounds like a brilliant book.