Why Does the Cat Do That?

A house cat's behavior comes under scrutiny in this hybrid of storybook and nonfiction. Bob, apparently a teenager, arrives to house-sit for the Fosters and take care of their pet, Molly. On a typical spread, the left page is devoted to Bob's observations of Molly's seemingly odd behavior, while the facing page explains it (e.g., Bob offers an obviously interested Molly a piece of his chicken, but she ignores it--until he throws it toward her bowl; the author explains that cats' vision is attuned more to motion than to color). Among the topics Bonners (Hunter in the Snow: The Lynx) addresses are a cat's sleep patterns, sense of smell and demonstrations of contentment. The information is relayed efficiently but not compellingly. Although Bonners's watercolor renderings of Molly and other types of cats appear in washed-out spots, they are for the most part lifelike and relay a great deal of information. Unfortunately the jerky transitions of the fictional narrative, as well as its lack of real story, make this book primarily for cat watchers. Ages 5-9. (Oct.)