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Notice of Public Meeting: Kalamazoo Public Library Board of Trustees | July 27 | 5:30 pm | Central Library/Van Deusen Room. The packet of information for the meeting can be found on the library’s website. 

Book

Cat tales : a history : how we learned to live with them-- and they learned to live with us

Call Number

  • 636.8 M8225 (OSH, POW, WSQ)

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Publication Information

New York, New York : Thames and Hudson, 2025.

Physical Description

272 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm

Summary

Feared, revered, respected, and beloved, cats have left an indelible paw print on the histories and civilizations of humankind. Over the last two million years, cats and people have interacted in diverse and unexpected ways, but the predecessors of today's furry friends were predators, not pets. Leading anthropologist Jerry Moore charts the cat's path from deadly enemy to improbable roommate, making use of the latest archaeological evidence to produce an original and revealing narrative. Starting with the terrifying prehistorical scimitar--tooth cat of the Pliocene age and the lion drawings of the Paleolithic Chauvet caverns, Moore journeys through our complicated history with these charismatic creatures. He travels along the Nile and across the Mediterranean, sailing on to South America, exploring pet cemeteries, cat mummies, and exquisite statuary across continents and centuries.

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Human ancestors and ancient cats
  • Cave cats
  • Charismatic cats
  • From predators to pets
  • Seafaring cats
  • Cemeteries, catacombs and cats on the Nile
  • Captive cats in the ancient Americas
  • Cats on the edge of town
  • Conclusion.

Subjects