Description

The past, present and future of the world’s most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover.

‘Engaging and wide-ranging … The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy’ Washington Post

Why don’t lions meow? Why does my cat leave a dead mouse at my feet? And why is a pet ocelot a bad idea?

Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you’ll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat’s domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat’s-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats.

Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and artificial, over the millennia has shaped the contemporary cat.

Yet the cat, ever a predator, still seems to have only one paw out of the wild, and readily reverts to its feral ways as it occupies new habitats around the world. Looking ahead, this charming and intelligent book suggests what the future may hold for the special bond between Felis catus and Homo sapiens.

Publisher Review

'What does the future hold for humankind's other best friend? Reaching back into the evolutionary history of the cat family, brought right up to date with the emergence of new breeds and hybrids, this fascinating book deserves to be on every cat-lover's nightstand.' John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet 'If you have ever lived with a feline long enough to reach an accommodation, you've probably asked yourself: Am I training the cat, or is the cat training me? That question is a gateway to the labyrinth of fascinating riddles explored by Jonathan Losos - himself a lifelong ailurophile as well as an eminent evolutionary biologist - In this engaging and very smart book.' David Quammen, author of Spillover, Breathless and The Song of the Dodo 'An impressive and enlightening deep dive into how our beloved feline companions found their way into our hearts and homes.' Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant and author of Catwise, Cat vs. Cat and Think Like a Cat 'A fascinating, evidence-based look at how we have lived with cats for thousands of years - with an eye on where our relationship with cats might go in the future. The Age of Cats is an engaging journey through cat evolution and domestication.' Mikel Delgado, Ph.D, Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist 'Not just another cat book, this enthusiastic study traces the evolution of the domesticated house cat from the African wildcat and explores the scientific questions it raises ... A vivid, well-rounded treat for anyone interested in cats.' Kirkus Reviews