Never has a book confounded my expectations more than this one. Far from being a heartwarming read of life spent in feline companionship, Levit chooses to focus almost entirely on her cats' ill-health and deaths, frequently caused by her own neglect, willful ignoring of veterinary advice, and lack of attention to clear signs of their distress.

Anthropomorphising pets is a natural human inclination, which can, I think, enrich the lives of both pet and owner, but Levit appears to project herself so fully onto her cats that they serve as proxies to her own needs, and at times of crisis in their lives she seems unable to distinguish her self-interest from their care needs.

I feel rather upset after reading this book, and undoubtedly my review reflects this. ( )