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Book Review of Catnip for the Soul: Woody and Friends

Catnip for the Soul:  Woody and Friends
reviewed on + 254 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


A spoof on Chicken Soup for the Soul, this book shares soul-baring stories from a cat's point of view. Woody is well represented, but voices mew in from all over.

It strikes a decent balance between being a spoof and taking its chosen subject seriously enough to have some substance. Some of the selections are stretching a bit too much with no soul-touching, and the editor needed a heavier claw.

Unfortunately, that said, I also couldn't finish the book. I am a very firm believer that cats are indoor pets. If a cat is outside, I believe it should stay in its owner's yard. If I had a cat it would not be in my yard, and the fact other owner's think it reasonable to send their cat to run through my driveway, hunt birds & other wildlife I work to attract, and use my yard as a litterbox I find very rude & irresponsible.

Thus, the frequent musings on patrolling outside, chasing chipmunks, and bringing home fresh kills (to help teach humans how to hunt)...just got on my nerves. I made it about halfway before stopping because it was simply way too common of a theme and just made the book irritating rather than sweet.

Someone more in love with cats (I have grown to appreciate them after marrying a cat lover & fostering a bunch for the humane society) would probably enjoy this. I hope, however, they would also agree cats are pets and not wildlife.