A Cat's Tale

A Journey Through Feline History

By: Paul Koudounaris, Baba the Cat

Narrated by: Heather Pasternak

The first comprehensive history of felines—from the laps of pagan gods to present-day status as meme stars—as revealed by a very learned tabby with a knack for hunting down facts

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 listeners 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: A Journey Through Feline History—as revealed to Paul Koudounaris—is a one-of-a-kind chronicle that introduces listeners to the illustrious ancestors of their closest companions and shows, once and for all, that cats know exactly what they’re doing.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

Well done excellent research

I absolutely loved reading this book! It is read in a voice that you could imagine Baba the cat would sound if she could speak. Amusing, accurately detailed, this book will keep your attention throughout. I enjoyed it greatly!

A Cat's Tale

Loved the book. Am a retired cat lover who lives with 13 rescue cats. Audible has given me the chance to expand my knowledge and am currently listening to many books regarding cats both non fiction and fiction. This was a great story, no history told by a cat--loved it!

Wonderful Stories of our Feline Friends

Not an analytical history of how cats have evolved or the science of human cat relations, but many wonderful stories about some of history's most interesting cats. The narration can be a bit distracting at the beginning, but perfectly encapsulates to feline point of view this book is told from. If you are particularly sensitive to sad cat stories, I warn you to be careful where you listen, as the emotion behind many of these tales can conjure tears. A must listen for anyone with a feline companion in their life.

You've been warned

I have hundreds of audiobooks in my library and have only written a couple of reviews. As a duty to others, I felt I had to write this one.
I was somewhat hoping of an account of cat/human relationship through the years. I suffered through the introduction, thinking the weird, pretentious narration would give way when the book really began. Unfortunately, it didn't. I am not sure anyone could actually listen to more than a few minutes of this narration without shutting it down.
There may be some value in the written version, but the cutesy style of writing would make it difficult to wade through. The narration in the audible version makes it impossible.