Seafurrers

Seafurrers

Author: Philippa Sandall

Publisher: The Experiment

Published: 2018-04-03

Total Pages: 215

ISBN-13: 161519438X

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A cat’s-eye view of maritime history: “Priceless historic photographs . . . deep and wide-ranging research . . . a ball of spellbinding and hilarious sea yarns.” —Richard J. King, author of Ahab’s Rolling Sea: A Natural History of “Moby-Dick” We remember the bold seafarers of yore—from Magellan to Shackleton—for their extraordinary exploits: new lands discovered, storms weathered, and battles won. But somehow history has neglected the stalwart, hardworking species who made it all possible . . . yes, the noble cat! In Seafurrers, able sea cat Bart sets the record straight at last. “Fear of water” aside, cats were indispensable at sea—both as pest controllers and as beloved mascots. Thirty–eight tales recount the adventures of Trim (who circumnavigated Australia), Tom (the sole feline survivor of the sinking of the USS Maine), celebrity cat Simon (a veteran of the Yangtze Incident), and other furry heroes. Filled with nautical trivia, rare photographs, and whimsical illustrations, this deft genealogy of human–feline friendship will stir your regard for the incomparable cat—whether on the couch or in the crow’s nest.


Cat Wars

Cat Wars

Author: Peter P. Marra

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2016-09-20

Total Pages: 222

ISBN-13: 0691167419

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Why our cats are a danger to species diversity and human health In 1894, a lighthouse keeper named David Lyall arrived on Stephens Island off New Zealand with a cat named Tibbles. In just over a year, the Stephens Island Wren, a rare bird endemic to the island, was rendered extinct. Mounting scientific evidence confirms what many conservationists have suspected for some time—that in the United States alone, free-ranging cats are killing birds and other animals by the billions. Equally alarming are the little-known but potentially devastating public health consequences of rabies and parasitic Toxoplasma passing from cats to humans at rising rates. Cat Wars tells the story of the threats free-ranging cats pose to biodiversity and public health throughout the world, and sheds new light on the controversies surrounding the management of the explosion of these cat populations. This compelling book traces the historical and cultural ties between humans and cats from early domestication to the current boom in pet ownership, along the way accessibly explaining the science of extinction, population modeling, and feline diseases. It charts the developments that have led to our present impasse—from Stan Temple's breakthrough studies on cat predation in Wisconsin to cat-eradication programs underway in Australia today. It describes how a small but vocal minority of cat advocates has campaigned successfully for no action in much the same way that special interest groups have stymied attempts to curtail smoking and climate change. Cat Wars paints a revealing picture of a complex global problem—and proposes solutions that foresee a time when wildlife and humans are no longer vulnerable to the impacts of free-ranging cats.


Trim, The Cartographer's Cat

Trim, The Cartographer's Cat

Author: Matthew Flinders

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2019-10-17

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 1472967208

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Not many ships' cats have even one memorial statue, let alone six. But Trim does, including one outside Euston Station in London, proudly unveiled by Prince William on the bicentenary of Matthew Flinders's death – 19 July 2014. Trim was the ship's cat who accompanied Matthew Flinders on his voyages to circumnavigate and map the coastline of Australia from 1801 to 1803. He lived quite the adventurous life. As a small kitten he fell overboard while at sea but managed to swim back to the vessel and climb back on board by scaling a rope. This cemented his position as Flinders's beloved companion, and together they survived a Pacific voyage, the circumnavigation of Australia and a shipwreck. When Flinders was imprisoned by the French in Mauritius in 1803 Trim shared his captivity until one day he mysteriously disappeared – which heartbreakingly Flinders attributed to his being stolen and eaten by a hungry slave. Trim, The Cartographer's Cat is an ode to this much-loved ship's cat, which will warm the heart of any cat lover. The first part of the book reproduces Flinders' own whimsical tribute to Trim, written while in captivity in the early 1800s, with added 'friendly footnotes' to provide some background to Flinders's numerous literary allusions and nautical terms. Next the book discusses where Flinders was when he wrote his tribute and why, and what his letters and journals from that time tell us about his 'sporting, affectionate and useful companion'. Finally, we learn what Trim's views on all of this might have been, in a fun and fanciful observation on his premature epitaph. Accompanying all of this are beautiful maps, historical photographs, quirky original illustrations by illustrator Ad Long and excerpts from Flinders' original script, showing his beautiful handwriting. This book will make a unique and treasured gift for Flinders fans, Trim fans and cat lovers around the world.


Sketches of a Black Cat

Sketches of a Black Cat

Author: Ron Miner

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2012-11-02

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781480238893

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"Howard Miner was a student in a small midwestern college when the War broke out. His journey through training and tours of duty as a PBY pilot in the South Pacific are skillfully captured in his art and narratives, framing a wartime drama with a personal coming of age story. The Black Cats flew at night in seaplanes painted entirely black. Their assignments were varied, from patrols and bombing raids to rescues and missions that took them over thousands of miles of water and countless islands. This is a tale of ordinary people navigating through exceptional circumstances -- the friendships made, the cultures discovered, and the constant threat of enemy engagements. Sketches of a Black Cat is a memoir reconstructed by his son, Ron, from a small library of artwork, journal entries, and writing. Through his father's eyes and first hand accounts, we explore the behind the scenes life and idiosyncracies of the military, the antithetical humor, and very real dangers, and the poetic imagery of these tropical places from the air. The descriptive verse and the artist's viewpoint provides us a creatively told and intriguing portrayal of World War II's Pacific Theater"--Page 4 of cover.


A Cat's Tale

A Cat's Tale

Author: Baba the Cat

Publisher: Macmillan + ORM

Published: 2020-11-10

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 1250217717

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A “fun, fanciful, and even informative” history of felines as revealed by a very learned tabby with a knack for hunting down facts (People). Since the dawn of civilization, felines have prowled alongside mankind as they expanded their territory and spread the myth of human greatness. And today, cats are peddled on social media as silly creatures here to amuse humans with their antics. But this is an absurd, self-centered fantasy. The true history of felines is one of heroism, love, tragedy, sacrifice, and gravitas. Not entirely convinced? Well, get ready, because Baba the Cat is here to set the record straight. Spanning almost every continent and thousands—yes, thousands—of years, Baba’s complex story of feline survival presents readers with a diverse cast of cats long forgotten: from her prehistoric feline ancestors and the ancient Egyptian cat goddess Bastet to the daring mariners at the height of oceanic discovery, key intellectuals in the Enlightenment period, revered heroes from World Wars I and II, and the infamous American tabbies. Baba, a talented model in addition to a scholar, goes beyond surface-level scratches, pairing her freshly unearthed research with a series of stunning costume portraits to bring history to life. A paws-on journey through the feline hall of fame, with in-depth research and four-legged testaments that will make you rethink who defines history, A Cat’s Tale is a one-of-a-kind chronicle that introduces readers to the illustrious ancestors of their closest companions and shows, once and for all, that cats know exactly what they’re doing. “Almost certainly the most unique cat history book ever published.” —Smithsonian Magazine


Night Cats and Corsairs

Night Cats and Corsairs

Author: Alan C. Carey

Publisher: Schiffer Publishing

Published: 2014-02-01

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 9780764343735

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The threat of enemy aircraft striking American naval forces at night with impunity during World War II led the Navy to seek fighter aircraft capable of stopping this threat. Trace the history of radar-equipped night fighter aircraft produced for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps by the American aircraft companies Grumman and Vought before the arrival of jets with nocturnal capabilities. World War II squadrons operated night variants of the Vought F4U-2 Corsair and Grumman F6F-3/5N Hellcat while post-war night fighter units were equipped with the Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat and/or Vought F4U-5N/NL. Night Cats and Corsairs contains never before published color and black and white photographs covering the night variants of the F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, F4U-2 and F4U-5N/NL Corsairs.


Captain Cat

Captain Cat

Author: Syd Hoff

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 1994-04-22

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 0064441768

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A patriotic feline, Captain Cat springs out of bed whenever the bugle sounds and he has more stripes than any of the soldiers. But most of all, this young recruit and his best friend Pete know what it really takes to make the army a home—friendship. ‘Hoff continues his string of hits.’ —BL. ‘Hoff has maintained his deft touch with a title that’s sure to appeal to youngsters.’ —SLJ.


The Cat Men of Gotham

The Cat Men of Gotham

Author: Peggy Gavan

Publisher: Rutgers University Press

Published: 2019-05-03

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1978800223

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This book tells the stories of the tender-hearted men who adopted stray cats from the cruel streets of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century New York. Its forty-two profiles introduce us to an array of remarkable men and extraordinary cats, including sports team mascots, artists' muses, and presidential pets.