Lost Cat: A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology

The self-deprecating author’s note sets the stage for this hilarious, and moving, account of Paul’s relationship with her two cats. In the note, the 40-ish Paul (East Wind, Rain) qualifies the accuracy of her story by noting that she was on painkillers for some of the time (while recovering from a plane crash) and asking the reader to also take into account “normal confusion for people our age.” The author’s note is followed by a New Yorker–like map of San Francisco, as seen by a cat, divided into areas of Fear, Large Threat, Total Death, Other Cat, Food? and Home. Her experiences with Fibby and Tibby (full names Fibula and Tibia) range from farce, as she attempts to track Tibia’s travels out of the home by means of a GPS device, to tragedy. The humor of the opening continues throughout, augmented by diagrams such as one of an animal shelter volunteer, with an arrow pointing to the woman’s “kind, crazy eyes.” Even non–cat lovers will find this an engaging read, charmingly illustrated by Paul’s partner, MacNaughton, as Paul easily makes her strong emotions for her pets accessible and universal. Illus. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. (Apr.)