We’re proud to present our annual Cat Wisdom 101 Top Ten Cat Books & Golden Purr™Awards.

2016 proved to be another stellar year for cat books. We receive more review copies than we can possibly review but try to read about 100 cat books annually. A noted distinction for Golden Purr winners this year were books by bestselling, traditionally published writers who chose to self-publish this year.

There are links to a few of our reviews in no particular order. The Amazon affiliate links include deep end of year savings. We only review book we’ve received a review copy and have actually read.

1) Homer: The Ninth Life of a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper (non-fiction, memoir).

Cat Reviews Homer: The Ninth Life of a Blind Wonder Cat

2) All Black Cats Are Not Alike by Amy Goldwasser (Author), Peter Arkle (Illustrator) non-fiction/illustration category.

The author/illustrator and fellow black cat advocates, offer a charming, visual love letter to the joys of black cats.

3) Close Encounters of the Furred Kind: New Adventures with My Sad Cat & Other Feline Friends by Tom Cox.

This is a poignant entry given the recent death the Tom’s Cox’s cat The Bear who graces the cover. We’ve loved reading about his life over the course of four memoirs and My Sad Cat will be sorely missed. If you haven’t read any his cat memoirs, you’re in for laugh out loud treat.

Close Encounters of The Furred Kind

4) The Trainable Cat: A Practical Guide to Making Life Happier for You and Your Cat by John Bradshaw (Author), Sarah Ellis (Author).

One of our top picks last year was John Bradshaw’s Cat Sense. His equally fascinating and practical book The Trainable Cat is a must read for every cat owner.

5) I Could Pee on This, Too: And More Poems by More Cats by Francesco Marciuliano. The purrfectly funny follow-up to the huge bestseller: I Could Pee on This.

Up Close and Purrsonal With I Could Pee On This Too Author Francesco Marciuliano

6) Being Awesome Is Exhausting: A Collection of Cat Cartoons by Scott Metzger.

Our favorite cat cartoonist’s first book surpassed our expectations. What a joy to see the hysterical cartoons in a large 8″ X 8″ format.

7) The Felines of New York by Jim Tewes.

Featuring more than 100 photos and quotes from real New York cats, Felines of New York exposes the funny, furry underbelly of New York City’s most glamorous, self-important residents that only a comedian like Tewes could hatch. This book has been sitting on my bedside for a year and we’re remiss not including sooner.

8) Catlantis by Anna Starobinets (Author), Andrzej Klimowski (Illustrator), Jane Bugaeva (Translator)

To enter the wildly entertaining fictional world of Catlantis is to enjoy a rip-roaring adventure for kids of all ages. Translated from Russian and charmingly illustrated.

Summer & Fall Cat Book Favorites

9) Pets on the Couch: Neurotic Dogs, Compulsive Cats, Anxious Birds, and the New Science of Animal Psychiatry by Nicholas Dodman.

An intriguing collection a case studies by the renowned veterinarian. Insightful and entertaining.

10) The Queen’s Corgi: On Purpose by David Michie.

Yes, this is a dog book but David Michie has made our annual list every year since his brilliant first in the Dalai Lama’s Cat series. I had the pleasure of reading an early draft and supplied a book jacket blurb. The Queen’s Corgi is written in the same witty and insightful style as Michie’s cat books and deserves a spot on this year’s list.

FTC Disclosure: Cat Wisdom 101 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. This means that if you make a purchase through any the above links, we get a small commission. We are passionate about sharing our love of books with cat lovers and only promote products we truly love.