When the subject of feral or outdoor community cats comes up, the opinions are as varied as a discussion on politics or religion and they range from complete ignorance, meaning some people may not even be aware that cat populations are living outdoors within their communities, to people who believe them to be mangy, disease ridden creatures that are nothing but bird killing machines to be frightened of,  to debate from people whether they can be tamed or not, to people who downright hate them and would prefer they all be exterminated, to people who feel they should be treated with respect and dignity and are actively finding ways for them to peacefully coexist in the community via managed methods such as TNRM (Trap, Neuter, Return, Manage).

What we typically don’t hear about, is the opinion of the outdoor cat itself, and that is why I was instantly drawn to the story, Taming Me: Memoir of a Clever Island Cat, by Cathy Unruh that is written in the feline voice of Lucy Miracle, a formerly feral cat that was adopted by this first time author after a very long window of trust building between the two of them.

A very quick, easy, and compelling read, the book is set to make its official debut on October 16th, National Feral Cat Day, and it is the author’s intention to use the story as a way to not only entertain and enlighten through Lucy’s feline eyes, ears, nose, paws, whiskers, and  mouth about what a feral/community cat is, but as a subtle undertone of the story, to dispel the myths and stereotypes about them, raise awareness about the effectiveness of TNRM programs, and to raise funding through advocacy for organizations such as The Humane Society of the United States, Alley Cat Allies, Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Farm Sanctuary, and Delaware Votes for Animals to name a few.

The lovely Miss Lucy Miracle - you will note that her left ear is clipped - a sign that she was successfully spayed as part of a TNRM program.

Because feral advocacy is very near and dear to my heart, I applaud Unruh for her personable approach. We still have a long road ahead of us in making a dent in educating people about the plight of outdoor cats and I feel that greater change for the better can occur when we teach with compassion, heart, honesty and humor. It doesn’t get much more real than telling a story through the perspective of an actual outdoor cat about how it perceives its life and surroundings and I think people will be drawn to this style in a positive and likable way.

From the moment we meet little Lucy as a kitten looking for food and shelter with her mother, we root for this petite feline heroine to survive the myriad of daily dangers and obstacles that an outdoor cat must contend with, such as uncaring and angry humans (sometimes with the ultimate intent to kill), inclement weather, predators, automobiles, and lack of proper food and nutrition. Unruh has an uncanny knack of breathing life into the nuances of a cat through Lucy – sometimes with brutal honesty as an unsuspecting lizard becomes her dinner, to the whimsical charm of her spotting a ray of sunshine to relish a nap in, to her methodical indoor litter habits on the living room couch, to the insightful perception of the internal confusion Lucy felt when she began to purr when she let herself be pet for the first time.

Lucy Miracle spent much of her time under this deck until she became more bold with her socialization skills and would venture out in view.

While the book itself is fictional, it is based on factual intent about how Lucy Miracle became tame and is now living a life of safety, love, and pampered comfort with  Unruh and her husband. We are taken through that process in very aptly titled chapters called Feral Cat, Captured Cat, Under the Deck Cat, House Cat, and finally, Family Cat as we go from one day to the next in what reads like an adventure story filled with a cast of feline and human characters and even a villain that gets his comeuppance at the end. You will laugh, cry, smile, and cheer as Lucy Miracle makes her way into your heart as she did the author’s. But not only that, the story itself, it is an invaluable tool in the world of cat advocacy to teach about outdoor cats with honesty, respect, compassion, and dignity.

It touches on basic human nature – we love a survival story and some people are genuinely misinformed about feral cats and with the right guidance and education can see that these cats actually can co-exist in a community without causing undue complications caused by cat overpopulation. She also makes a point of letting people know that not all outdoor cats will become a Lucy Miracle. Because Lucy had interaction with the author at a very young age, her inherent lack of trust towards humans was less ingrained than some outdoor cats who would react very adversely to living a life in captivity. All of these underlying messages are spoken through Lucy’s voice with appropriate authority, honesty, and feline charm.

I LOVE this photo of Lucy Miracle that portrays that pivotal moment of trust when a feral cat allows itself to be pet for the first time. This photo was taken on the deck where Lucy spent much of her time until she became comfortable with the author.

I give this book my full support  and am thrilled to announce that Lucy herself  wants to give a “pawtographed” copy away to one lucky reader!! All you need to do is leave a comment between now and  Sunday, October 14th, midnight PST.  The winner will be announced appropriately on Tuesday, October 16th, National Feral Cat Day.

Since this book is for such a great cause, we recommend everyone get a copy regardless of the giveaway! To reserve yours, please go to Barnes and Noble online at this link.