10 Favorite Cat Books of 2015

The end of the year brings with it a round-up of "best of" posts, so in the spirit of the season we've put together a list of our 10 favorite cat books of the year.

This list easily could have been twice it's length and paring it down to 10 was very difficult. For clarification, we only chose books that were released in 2015. When you click on each book's link you will be taken to our Tortie Shorties review, and in many cases a Mudpie or Truffles interview with a fantastic feline!

10) A Gift from Bob: How a Street Cat Helped One Man Learn the Meaning of Christmas by James Bowen. So I'm breaking my own rule right out of the starting gate. This book was actually published in the UK last year, but not until this fall here in the US. I read it last Christmas after ordering it from Book Depository. Bob's story is even going to be hitting the big screen soon!

9) Oliver the Cat Who Saved Christmas: The Tale of a Little Cat with a Big Heart by Sheila Norton. Another UK import from Book Depository, this was my favorite book of the Christmas season.

8) The Cat, the Sneak and the Secret by Leann Sweeney. The entire best-selling Cats in Trouble series is a must-read for cat cozy lovers, but this seventh book starring a kleptomaniac tortie named Magpie holds an extra special place in my heart.

7) Inspector Dewey by Kristen Heimerl. This children's book starring a crime-fighting cat completely captured my imagination. The illustrations were just incredible, and Dewey's cute and catchy phrases will be a delight for children and also a wonderful introduction to the delightful world of mystery and suspense. In promoting Mudpie's interview he called her the "relentless reporter, pioneering pussycat and forever fabulous, Mudpie."

6) Avalon by Vanessa Morgan. This love story between a woman and a cat rivals anything you will read between humans and I found myself completely engrossed in the intensity of their bond.

5) The Black Cats: Cattarina Mystery #2 by Monica Shaughnessy. I was delighted the day I learned that Edgar Allan Poe was owned by a tortoiseshell cat, Cattarina. As the star of her very own mystery series she is the epitome of "tortitude" and uses it to solve local crimes against both humans and animals, while in the process continuing to be her beloved master's muse. Our review of the first Cattarina mystery, The Tell-Tail Heart, and Truffles interview with Cattarina can be found here.

4) Homer: The Ninth Life of a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. This long-awaited sequel to the monster best-seller, which takes readers through the final four years of his life, is even more unforgettable...if that's possible. Heroic Homer will live forever in the hearts of those who knew and loved him...both in person and through the pages of a book.

3) Rescued: The Stories of 12 Cats, Through Their Eyes. This anthology of rescue cat stories compiled by Janiss Garza, who writes the Sparkle Cat blog, has been a part of our life for most of the year as we've been interviewing each of the featured cats. We look forward to continuing this in 2016 and beyond as the second collection is already in the works!

2) Raphael's Story by Deborah L. Courville. This book was truly a gift from heaven that left me feeling like I had received a message from Truffles. It's a must read for everyone who has a passion for cats and their welfare.

1) Purr Prints of the Heart by Deb Barnes. Every time we bring a new pet into our homes and our hearts, we do so knowing that the day will come when we will have to say goodbye to them. This magnificent book is the best I have ever read on coping with that loss. It's told from the viewpoint of Mr.Jazz, whose great wisdom takes readers through his life, death and beyond. Reading about his lengthy illness I relived Tara's long good-bye. Then following his passing Deb suffered another devastating loss with her beloved Harley's sudden death. As I read this in the spring, little did I know that I was only months away from experiencing the same thing with Truffles. This book is poignant, therapeutic, and exquisitely beautiful.

What was YOUR favorite cat book of 2015?