The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa

This splendid survey by evolutionary biologist Losos (Improbable Destinies) dives into the history and behavior of cats. He covers scientific studies on felines of all sizes and chronicles the history of cat domestication, telling how Egyptians believed some cats to be the manifestation of the god Bastet and how cats were brought from Egypt to the rest of the Mediterranean by sailors who used them to hunt pests on their ships. Illuminating the purpose of house cat habits, Losos explains that a raised tail signals friendliness and that “kneading” (“pushing down with one forepaw, then the other” on an owner’s belly) is a vestigial practice from kittenhood aimed at promoting milk production in a mother cat. Elsewhere, the author examines big cats and writes that though house cats are known for being asocial, lions form prides to protect their prey from other predators and male cheetahs form coalitions to hunt and patrol territory. The surprising trivia (domestic cats differ from their wild counterparts in only a “handful” of genes) and stimulating scientific background shed light on what goes on in the minds of humans’ second-best friend. This will be catnip for the feline inclined. Illus. (May)