Bob Tarte had his first encounter with a cat when he was two and a half years old. He should have learned his lesson then, from Fluffy. But as he says, “I listened to my heart instead, and that always leads to trouble.” In this tell-all of how the Tarte household grew from one recalcitrant cat to six—including a hard-to-manage stray named Frannie—Tarte confesses to allowing these interlopers to shape his and his wife’s life, from their dining habits to their sleeping arrangements to the placement and furriness of their furniture. But more than that, Bob begins seeing Frannie and the other cats as unlikely instructors in the art of achieving contentment, even in the face of illness and injury. Bewitched by the unknowable nature of domesticated cats, he realizes that sometimes wildness and mystery are exactly what he needs. With the winning humor and uncanny ability to capture the soul of the animal world that made Enslaved by Ducks a success, Tarte shows us that life with animals gives us a way out of our narrow human perspective to glimpse something larger, more enduring, and more grounded in the simplicities of love—and catnip.

Offers stories and observations of the writer's experiences with six idiosyncratic cats as they gradually begin to take over his home.

"If you have to fight...fight like a cornered cat." --Cover.

From the bestselling author of THE PUPPY PLACE.Mia and Michael Battelli want a pet more than anything. And a cuddly cat or kitten would be perfect for their small brownstone apartment. But their parents aren't sure Mia and Michael are ready for the responsibility. Then Mia spots a tiny calico foraging for food. Callie doesn't seem to belong to anyone--and she's hurt. Mia can't just leave her to fend for herself! But what if she can't convince her parents to keep the sweet little kitten? Will Callie ever find a home?

When Mia finds a tiny, hurt calico kitten foraging for food, she must convince her parents that she is ready for the responsibility of having a cat.

When Salem wakes to find himself tied down and staring at a couple of mice in superhero costumes, he hopes he's just dreaming, but Mort and Mikey are absolutely real. They're angry about the way mice are treated everywhere and someone's got to pay!

Watch out, mice! This cat is a sumo champion! A stray kitty gets a job in a sumo stable, chasing mice in exchange for food. But when eating like a sumo wrestler slows our feline hero down, he realizes he must train like a wrestler, too. Through hard work and perseverance--and with a little help from a big buddy--SumoKitty is born! A funny and heartwarming story inspired by the Japanese saying "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."