He writes funny books so it comes as no surprise that The Unadulterated Cat is funny. I've enjoyed his Discworld books and "Good Omens" but my brother, who has 3 cats (all real), says he can't get into TP's books. He doesn't know what he's missing and this book seemed the answer, so I bought it for him. Then I couldn't resist reading it myself. Well, it's not his birthday or anything - I just wanted to force him to enjoy TP's books. He must recognise the cats in the book because he's actually described most of the behaviour of Terry's real cats in anecdotes about his own cats. I very much doubt that he'll share the author's fear about the extinction of the real cat however. He lives in an area that seems to have 5 feral or farm cats to every wild bird, but they don't run out of food because the area is also full of deranged cat lovers who are willing to adopt or at least feed half a dozen or more that wander in from the woods and fields. I just wonder whether the mad cat folk started off unhinged or all those cats unhinged them. Sadly, the book doesn't answer that question. But it is funny and cat owners/slaves/staff will recognise the ikkle pickles as well as themselves, probably.


Hilarious insight into cat behavior   March 18, 2003
 61 out of 66 found this review helpful

Terry Pratchett is, as far as I’m concerned, the funniest writer to ever live, and while The Unadulterated Cat flies far afield of the mythical Discworld universe, it is simply hilarious. You don’t have to be a cat lover to enjoy it, but only the cat lover can appreciate the strong current of truth that runs throughout this wildly comical look at the world of our feline friends. The Campaign For Real Cats, Pratchett tells us, wants to celebrate the dwindling number of Real Cats in the world by helping people identify Real Cats among their modern, Unreal Cat compatriots. To this end, Pratchett goes about describing how to spot a Real Cat in any of its several variations, defines eleven types of cats such as your classic farm cat, boot-faced cat (as Real as they come), arch-villain’s cat (always Unreal), and cartoon cats. He offers useful tips on naming cats, describes common illnesses such as impatient feet, gives tips on feeding and disciplining cats, describes common cat games, indulges in the theory of the Schrodinger, time-traveling cat, looks at the cat in history, and offers other insightful, highly comical ideas and theories on cat-ness in general. All of these subjects are examined, of course, from the point of the view of the cat. By far the funniest and most insightful section is devoted to the games cats play; the book’s worth acquiring for this one section alone.

I should point out the fact that this is in no way a useful guide for current or potential cat-owners; this is rollicking comedy from first page to last. Given this point, there are still a number of astute observations that will make cat lovers smile and perhaps even guffaw, for the behaviors Pratchett expounds upon are quite familiar to those sharing their lives with feline friends. Pratchett really captures the cat personality remarkably well at times; for example, he expounds upon the common shifty look cats wear by describing one particular cat as breathing in a manner that suggests it is stealing air with every breath it takes. This book is so insightful and screamingly funny that all Pratchett fans will surely get a big kick out of it. The numerous cartoons of Gray Jolliffe that fill this little book are also excellent, simple yet evocative. The Unadulterated Cat is a short read, mind you, requiring much less than an hour’s effort, but it is so good that upon finishing it, you are quite likely to turn all the way back to the beginning and start again or, at the very least, go back to the sections you enjoyed the most and read them once more.


The Cat Owner's Ultimate Manual   December 6, 2002
 38 out of 39 found this review helpful

Forget all the other so-called experts! This is the only book that delivers the absolute truth about cats. I laughed out loud from start to finish and have recommeded it to all my cat owning pals. Heck I even chose one of my cat's names from it (Zut!).

All joking aside this is a very funny book, well observed and honestly delivered. Pratchett fans will enjoy it and cat owners will be able to indentify with at least 90% of the anecdotes within. Buy this book for the cat owner you know and put their mind at rest that the peculiar behaviour they witness on a daily basis is perfectly normal for a 'real cat'. The illustrations too are a treat.

I loved this book, it is well thumbed and I am proud to say that my 3 are 'reals cats'!