Claude

Enhanced by more than thirty black-and-white photographs, this endearing study of Claude, an irascible black-and-white cat who shares a studio apartment with the author, sheds new light on the mysterious world of felines.

When author Randy Moravec brought home Claude the stray cat, he found more than just a pet; he found a research project. After close scrutiny of his new companion, Moravec produced this high-spirited romp through a day in the life of Claude. In this witty and informative book, Moravec examines Claude's lifestyle and physical traits to produce a book that informs and amuses. In approximately 50 pages, the author relates cat-specific statistics such as "total time a cat spends airborne during his life," the "average non-food-related attention span of a cat," and "total amount of hair a cat sheds during its lifetime." For instance, did you know that "a cat consumes the equivalent of a good-sized cow in its lifetime"? Or that "most cats consider the idea of getting wet an unpleasant experience that is akin to being on a medieval torture rack"? Equally entertaining are the accompanying pictures, featuring the impish Claude in various positions and predicaments that the reader will find irresistible.