Book Review/Giveaway: To Catch a Cat by Heather Green

From the publisher: A heartfelt, funny memoir about how a kitten rescue project changed one cynic’s life…

Journalist Heather Green was finally putting down roots: in shiny, buzzing Manhattan. She loved her work and threw herself into sixty-hour weeks—once walking into a subway pole, getting a concussion, and still going to the office. Her new boyfriend Matt lived across the river in a New Jersey town that had none of the glamour of New York. She liked Matt—a lot—yet she wasn’t sure what to make of weekends in gritty, dilapidated Union City.

But things changed the summer morning Heather discovered a beautiful stray cat and her three black-and-white kittens in Matt’s neighbor’s backyard. When she made eye contact with one of the kittens, she felt something she’d never felt before. She and Matt had to save the little animals. Because if they didn’t, who would?

The crazy world of cat rescue soon drew Heather in. As she and Matt worked together to figure out how to trap, tame, and find homes for their foundlings, she began to question the life she had back in Manhattan. This is the story of how three furry beings taught one woman about love, community, and what truly matters in life.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for animal rescuers who work "in the field". Those who put their hearts on the line each and every day for little to no thanks. As Nelson Mandela said, "There can be no greater gift than that of giving one's time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return." That's the definition of a hero in my eyes, and cats forced to survive on the streets need all the heroes they can find.

Journalist Heather Green's life is changed forever when she finds a stray mama cat and her three kittens in the backyard of her boyfriend's New Jersey home. At the time she's a typical Manhattanite, focused solely on her career with any time left over going into her social life. Still, she knows she has to save this precious little family, and with the help of her wonderfully supportive boyfriend Matt she does just that. They don't enter this commitment lightly; Matt even goes so far as to take a class to learn more about working with ferals. They pick just the right time to trap the wild kittens and begin the slow and steady process of socializing them.

The only problem left is when the time comes to let them go, how is anyone ever going to be "good enough" to adopt their little charges? While this isn't a sad book, it's actually very uplifting, tears were flowing when Heather and Matt left the kittens in their forever homes. There's a happy ending for mom Oona too, now a former feral living the good life with Heather's family (see photo below).

As much as this book is about the world of cat rescue, it's also a love story. As Heather and Matt take on their greatest challenge as a couple, they realize that they make a pretty great team and learn much about themselves and relationship building along the way. Subsequently they've married, had a daughter, and gone on to save 65 cats while also creating a strong foundation for change in how their community responds to urban cats.

If you love cats and care about their well-being, you owe it to yourself (and them) to pick up a copy of this book. It will inspire you and make you so grateful that there are people out there making a difference and being a voice for the most innocent among us.

To Catch a Cat is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, July 5th, and can be pre-ordered today.

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About the Author: Heather Green is a freelance writer and former journalist. For twelve years, she covered the Internet and digital media for BusinessWeek, winning awards including the New York Press Club Crystal Gavel and the Front Page Award from the Newswomen’s Club of New York. She wrote numerous cover stories on subjects from social media to e-commerce, pioneered using blogs, podcasts, and Twitter at BusinessWeek, and appeared on national TV stations, including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC. Prior to BusinessWeek, she worked for Bloomberg where she launched their Internet beat and at the International Herald Tribune in Paris. She has a BA from the University of Virginia and a graduate degree from the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris. To Catch a Cat is her first book.

Giveaway: Leave a comment by noon eastern on Friday, July 8th for your chance to win a copy of To Catch a Cat. (Per the publisher's request, US entries only, please.)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.