10 Favorite Cat Books of 2017

'Tis the season for a wide variety 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 2017 except for 2 honorable mentions at the very end that we couldn't go without including.

10. Rescued Volume 2: The Healing Stories of 12 Cats, Through Their Eyes. Whenever you pick up an anthology there's bound to be a few duds mixed in with the gems, but that's just not the case with Rescued Volume 2, a collection of true stories written from a cat's point of view. With each story I read I found myself thinking "this one is my favorite" but then I'd go on to the next one and end up thinking the same thing! Anyone who knows the power of an adopted cat's love needs to add this book to their library. Every story will leave you wanting to hug your own rescue cat just a little bit tighter.

9. Bookstore Cats by Brandon Schultz. Cats and books...they just go together! So when you add a feline mascot to a cozy bookshop it's like heaven on earth for literary aurilophiles. This curated collection featuring stories and photos of cats living their little lives in a bookstore made me purr with delight while itching to plan a road trip to visit each and every one of these adorable cats!

8. The Persian Always Meows Twice by Eileen Watkins. This is the debut of a new series that cat lovers will be unable to resist, introducing a cast of characters that already feel like old friends. When a professional cat groomer and cattery owner stumbles upon a client's dead body while out on a house call, she has no idea that his beloved Persian Harpo holds the answer to the crime.

7. Escape Claws by Linda Reilly. You have to love it when the character list in the beginning of a book is all the feline characters, not the human ones! So many of the cats involved in the story have unique purrsonalities of their own, and there's even a ghost cat! This mystery is the epitome of cozy and the premise of the series is pure purrfection.

6. The Astonishing Thing by Sandi Ward. I don't read a lot of women's fiction, but when a story is told from the unique perspective of the family cat, count me in. The Astonishing Thing takes readers inside the mind of Boo, a young cat whose perfect, peaceful existence crumbles when her human mother leaves home and doesn't come back. Boo is pure innocence yet wise beyond her years, and as the story progressed I only grew to love her more.

5. The Doll Cat by Shanthi Thiruppathi. This children's book and it's sequel, The Doll Cat Goes to Paris, are so beautiful they actually brought tears to my eyes. The story contains an important message for kids about your heart's desire sometimes coming to you in completely unexpected ways, and the exquisite illustrations are breathtaking. Oh, and did I mention that the real Doll Cat is a tortie?!?!?!

4. Sammie Ray! by Frank Romaunt. When I started reading this book I expected a sweet story told from a cat's point of view about his rescue from a harsh life on the streets. And that is the gist of the story, but it's told in such an incredibly creative way that I found myself completely entranced by Sammie Ray. Written in interview format we learn Sammie Ray's life story as the reporter does, and it's unforgettable.

3. The Mysteries of Max by Nic Saint. 5 books and 3 short stories have been released in this series throughout the year, and I've lapped each one up like a bowl of cream! Max, Harriet and Dooley, a feline version of the Three Musketeers, have pretty sweet lives communicating with their humans (a grandmother, mother and daughter who can all communicate with them). No one understands how local reporter Odelia Poole gets the scoop on local happenings long before anyone else, not knowing that her sources have fur and four legs. Each book is like a mini kitty soap opera as these cats go about their daily lives!

2. Miss Cuddlywumps Investigates by Roby Sweet. The fifth book in this series was released last month, but I'm including the series as a whole in my top 10 list because I love it so very much. From the bond she forms with her "Rory person" to memories of her beloved first owner, Professor Eleanor, to her feud with neighbor Mrs. Crabtree who she likens to Medusa, Miss C steals the show between her keen insight and adorable observations about the world around her. She's a treasure in feline fiction and I just can't get enough of her.

1. Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man, and Their Journey Across America by Britt Collins. Imagine the pain of a beloved cat going missing, and for months you have no idea what’s happened to her. Imagine finding what you think is a stray cat, completely losing your heart to her as she changes your life, then discovering she has an owner desperate to be reunited with her. Both are nightmare scenarios for any cat lover, yet it’s the unthinkable situation that two very different men and one amazing cat find themselves facing in one of the best cat books you’ll ever read. This is a book that is destined to be a movie. It’s an amazing story celebrating the power of love and the impact that one little cat can have on so many lives.

Honorable mentions...

The Comeback Cat: Cleo's incredible journey through feline diabetes to remission by Heather Peden. This was released late in 2016 and I didn't read it in time to be included in last year's top 10 list. It chronicles the story of Cleo, a 9 year old cat recently diagnosed with feline diabetes, and her owner who throws herself into research and learns all she can about the disease but no matter what she does Cleo's condition worsens. Anyone with a diabetic cat should have this book on their bookshelf to show them that they're not alone when overwhelming feelings of hopelessness arise. Even if you aren't caring for a sugar kitty, The Comeback Cat is a powerful testament to the bond that cats and their humans share, which grows even stronger when faced with adversity.

Queen Paisley the Magnificent by Sarah Andrews. This was released 3 years ago but I read it over the summer and simply must include it. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that has left me grinning from ear to ear the entire time I was reading it like this one did. It is without a doubt one of the most adorable and entertaining cat stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. What happens to a fur family when they believe their beloved human is never coming home? One clever little tortie named Paisley believes she has everything under control…or does she?

What was YOUR favorite cat book of 2017?

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