An Unlikely Cat Lady: Feral Adventures in the Backyard Jungle

In a tone that's delightfully sassy, Malkin, a resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., describes her escapades with feral cats beginning when Flaca wanders into her backyard. After Flaca leaves for parts unknown, a hungry mother cat with four kittens arrives. Malkin, already an owner of two cats, and her not-so-cat-friendly husband, Jason, do not attempt to domesticate the strays, but find themselves naming, feeding and bonding with them. This leads to several unavailing attempts to find new owners for the kittens. She and Jason then employ the TNR (trap, neuter, return) strategy, which aims to control the feral population in the immediate area. The strategy not only aids the cat population, but protects Malkin's reputation as the "crazy cat lady." Malkin's background as a magazine journalist serves her well as she relates humorous anecdotes: building the cat shelter in their basement, watching the kittens' antics during a snowstorm and surviving a raccoon invader. Malkin interjects useful information on cat care and cat behavior along with her story, and only occasionally does she show her "crazy cat lady" side with overly feline-infatuated prose. This sprightly tale will please cat lovers everywhere, and maybe even convert a few dog lovers along the way. (Jan.)