I smiled, I chuckled, I laughed out loud at this feel good book.
British humor writer, Tom Cox, is a “real” cat guy; though, he admits to having an aversion to items featuring cats, having only two shirts with cats and no other feline paraphernalia.
The first sentence in the first chapter is like the famous line from the movie, Jerry Maguire: “You had me at hello.” Tom Cox had me at ” My cat Janet had been sick outside my back door.” Anybody with a cat having the same name as I do, deserves my attention. And I was rewarded with a story that delights and amuses.
The Good, the Bad and the Furry is Tom Cox’s third memoir about his cats. In this case that would be Cox’s cats, The Bear (an intellectual and introspective cat who questions why he is a cat), Ralph (who takes delight in meowing his own name), his brother, Shipley (who finds it calming to be held upside down), Roscoe (the female tuxie kitten adopted near the end of the book) and the stray Andrew/Sven/Graham. The male cat, Janet, who passes away early in the book, is a bit player as are several other cats.
Cox tells the story of his failed nine-year relationship with Dee, his subsequent life with his cats and a new relationship with Gemma. He provides lots of info about his previous life and those of the cats as he moves forward. Within the context he throws in some odd and amusing chapters.
Advice For New Kitten Owners provides tongue-in-cheek recommendations, such as: “Try to get your kitten from a furry tree if you possibly can, as it will be fresher and less likely to be bruised.”
Then there’s the chapter, Ten Reasons Why My Oldest Cat (The Bear) is Sad. The eighth reason was one of my favorites: “My cat is sad because he does not want to make a psychedelic folk rock album with me or be part of the photoshoot for its cover.”
My favorite of these various chapters was Keeping Our Cats Out of the Bedroom: Instructions for Housesitters. No spoilers here. You’re going to have to read the book yourself.
If you have come to the conclusion that Cox is an eccentric, you are spot on target. He even comes to this same conclusion himself while pondering actions of his father (one of the most humorous characters in the book) and grandfather.
As I read, it was obvious to me that Cox not only loves cats but also “gets” cats and understands they each have their unique personalities and foibles. He says, “The way I view my cats is not that they’re a hobby, or child substitutes, but a bunch of friends who just happen to be smaller and furrier and more self-obsessed than most of my other friends.”
To say I liked this book would be an understatement. Cox’s memoir is a magical trip into the entwined lives and personalities of his cats, friends and family, with delightfully amusing side-trips (such as the one featuring hedgehogs) along the way.
Cox has written two other books about his cats, Under the Paw and Talk to the Tail. I am definitely going to be adding these to my reading list. I am now officially a Tom Cox fan and will be following his blogs, Under the Paw and Tom Cox Blog. The Bear and Ralph are on Twitter at @MYSADCAT and @MYSMUGCAT. Cox can also be found on Facebook and Pinterest.
The Good, the Bad, and the Furry is being released here in the U.S. on April 14 and will be available from all the usual on-line booksellers. And two of you have the opportunity to win your very own copy by simply leaving a comment on this post before midnight EDT on Thursday, April 16. As this is the U.S. release of this book, the giveaway will be restricted to U.S. residents. The winners will be selected using random.org.
Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this review. I received an advance reading copy of the book as well as a final hardcover copy. The opinions in this review are completely my own.
Please add my mom’s name to the drawing…she needs a new bool to read to me.
Thank you,
Little Bitt
My cats Mouse and Hermione are happy this book is out. They enjoyed the first two and look forward to reading this one.
I adore Tom Cox and his furry ones! Please submit my name in the drawing – Please!!!!
This book sounds great and hilarious! I have two cats and I love my furry babies. Thank you for the opportunity to win this book!
I look forward to reading the book.
I would love to get that book 😉
Who won? 🙂
My cat says she will be sad unless we win a copy. Please, one sad cat is enough! Thank you, me & my erstwhile still happy cat.
I highly recommend the My Sad Cat calendar by Mr. Cox as well.
OH my goodness, I would adore having that book.
OH my goodness, I would adore having that book.
Would love to get a copy of this book! Cant wait to read it!
Oh, how I would love something to make me smile or laugh about now. I am fostering an underweight, obsessive grooming Siamese/Manx furchild- small 9 year old cat who is only a little over 6 pounds. She is very feisty and it is necessary that she get along with my 9 year old DLH Siamese if she is to be adopted by me. She is in and out of her large dog crate and they take turns having the run of the house, and at times now, together, but it is sssooooo stressful to hear all the hissing and growling from both of them that I need a good book like Tom’s to de-stress. (She is on a hypoallergenic food to see if the hair loss is due to food allergens and 1/4 of an amatrip. to settle down her skin as well.
Batman says he would love a copy of your book for me to read to him for bedtime story time!
must add this book to my collection
I’m so glad the book is coming to the U.S. 😀 I can’t wait to read it.
I live vicariously through Tom and his cats, mostly The Bear (@MySadCat), as my flat/apartment doesn’t allow cats (or any pets), so I am a Sad Girl.
I work in public health dentistry. The dentist I work for is the biggest cat lover I know. Im the midst ofnour CRAZY work day, we manage to forward eachother screenshots of your posts all throughout the day. You, your Dad, the bear and Ralph have enriched our lives with a type of humor not everyone understands. You guys make our day better all the time. I bought her a copy of The Good the Bad and the Furry for her bday on Feb. 27. She got it, loves it and has three pages left. She doesn’t want to finish it because she loves it so much that she doesn’t want it to be over. We adore and what you do so very much.
Forgive the typos…
Sounds like a super cute and funny book. We would love to read it!!! We will add it to our wish-list in case we don’t win the giveaway. Great review, guys!
Sampy sends 2340592304985 kisses to Astrid, and we all send lots of love!
Love these guys! Tom really gets cats.
I understand this cat so much my heart breaks.
Would love to win, so I don’t have sad cats.
You know…there’s a way to fix that! 🙂
I have a very large black house “panther” named Vader. He even looks like Vader, with a long patrician nose and an imposing presence… However, he’s the biggest wuss in the group!! When the mowers are outside, he slinks thru the house, belly low to the ground and usually hides under the kitchen cabinet till they are gone.
I dont have a cat, but if I did, he would be sad because I dont have this book & I want to win it so badly.. please..
This Tom Cox guy sownds like sumwun I’d wunt to liv with. Espeshully if it ment I woodn’t have to liv with that Fat Lard Tripper.
Please make all of the books available on Kindle.
I have a sad black cat who is afraid to go outside with his orange brother. They are both so lovey, but he always seems sad when brother goes out. He just can’t handle being out for more than a few minutes when he tries…
My cat is sad because I will be spending time reading this book instead of paying attention to him =^_^=
My cat is sad because she’s not sure that she can compete with Bear’s charm and panache.
I want to read this book!
purrrrrrrrrr – i loved all three books, and am reading them again! i wish i could give an extra set of lives to all your kitties – they burrowed into my heart along with my own fur-babies.
Love it ! Love it! Love every whishertastic thing about it x
That definitely sounds like a book that I would love to read 🙂
I think TW needs a laugh after Rescued. MOL!
My Maxine would have loved to see me reading this book.She passed away in Feb.
She would have been 16 on St. Patty day.She had 6 toes on each foot.
We are looking forward to this book, and so are our 3 cats
I love your Facebook posts and share them with my friends who also enjoy them! Can’t wait to read your book and would love a free copy as I am the breadwinner and money is tight!
I love them! Cannot get enough of the Bear, who looks exactly like my kitty.
Shouldn’t it say “meowoe is me” ?..
Sad Cat is so adorable!!
My cat Emmberr is madly in love with Bear. She is devastated that he will not give her the time of day. I keep telling her it’s because she is so bossy, and a sad cat needs cheering up, not bossing about.
Preparing to fall in love with the Kitties (and perhaps Tom)
I’m very happy that your books are available here in the US.
Love Bear and Ralph and the whole gang. I have three cats myself, including one male with a more feminine name (Gracie… although it is short for Grayson.) He was originally simply named Grace as we did think he was a girl for the first 4 – 5 months of his life, as did the vet. He took that long to.. um.. show. Rainbow and Banjo are my oldest, both shelter rescues. Grayson was a tiny stray kitten. Enter me in the giveaway, please. This is a must read for me and my kitties.
I love Tom Cox on Twitter, thanks for reviewing one of his books! So happy they’re coming to the US.
I want to be Tom Cox’s next door neighbor but would settle for winning his new book.
Love the sad cat posts. Would love to read the whole book.
Poor sad cat
Loved the other books can hardly wait for this one
Yaaaas, I’d love to win this!
I can’t wait to read this book! It would be even more brilliant if I could win a copy! Thanks for the chance.
I’ve been following @mysadcat for a while and would love to read and learn about him further.
This sure does sound like a wonderful read. The fact that Tom “gets” cats is reason enough to want to read this book, but his eccentric brand of humor sounds like something we’d very much enjoy. Thank you for the chance to win! 🙂
Hugs!
My favorite author of tweets, Tom Cox, and your remarkable cat friends, The Bear, Ralph, Shipley, and Roscoe; I am grateful that your published work is now coming to America.
Welcome! Cheers! Meows, purrs, hugs and MOLS 🙂
I want it so much!! May the stars align to favor me at random draw time. 😉
I have Tom’s other two cat books and look forward to reading the third. I love The Bear and company!
I love following @mysadcat on Twitter. I will now follow @mysmugcat! So funny! Would love to read the books now!
Really looking forward to this book. His Twitter posts crack me up.
Omg I love why my cat is sad’s Twitter, hope I win!
I love The Bear and I really wanna read this book, I also can’t wait till all the books are available in America!
I came across MYSADCAT on Twitter just recently via an RT by someone. It was so sweet, funny, sad, & genious that I had to follow… well other than the fact I’m a total cat person. The Bear is such a darling boy! I identify w/him more than my friends! He’s such a sensitive soul, no wonder he loves Morrissey ! Melancholy & all, he’s a perfectly wonderful individual!! xxx
Can’t wait to read his book.
My 4 are a crew! Marvin, 23 lb part Maine Coon; C-pie, a white & tabby mix w/a slightly crooked jaw from a mystery accident that could’ve killed him; Bix My Calico, who’s a special soul, a beauty w/ long hair & gorgeous coloring; & Dottie, the youngest- white w/black dots- she’s a growler- so funny. They’re my friends, they’re family, & they’re see deeply loved & catered to!
I’m so excited for this book! Tom’s tweets on all of his cat’s accounts are so cute and wonderful, they really brighten my day. I can’t wait for the new book!
I follow My Sad Cat and Tom Cox on Twitter, and I’m dying to read a lengthier version of “their” wit and wisdom. Thanks for the great review and the chance to win.
I love the My Sad Cat tweets. My 19 year old cat, Eleanor, thinks Bear is the cat’s meow. She’s also very introspective, poetic and observant. If we won the book I would read it to her because she has no thumbs.
I would LOVE to win a copy!! It would be great fun, and then I could pass it on to a fellow cat lover!!
Sounds great! May Mom and I please be entered in the drawing?
Thanks
Marty
I just ordered my copy of ‘Under the Paw’ last week and am impatiently waiting for it to arrive. Bear is my HERO !!! I share all his lonely adventures on my Facebook page — he is just so incredibly loveable 🙂 I often think about him during the day and wonder what he is up to 🙂
I would so love a chance to win this book. I love cats and am owned by to plus my sister’s cat claims me as well (only cuz I feed her Fancy Feast). Each of our cats have a personality all of their own. The review told me more of what it was about and made me even more curious. Thanks
We would love to read that book ! Good luck to our US friends ! Purrs
We would love to read this book ! Good luck to our US friends ! Purrs
The book sounds great and I look forward to reading it. My cats, Ghost and Weasley and my sons cats, Lysander, Princess, Portia, and Sebastian would love to read it, too.
Haii I would love to read this book, I loved the review for it as well.
I would LOVE to read this book! Really enjoyed your review of it and have definitely added it to my reading list. : )
Sounds like a great book- I love any books with cats- especially non fiction 🙂
My cats and I love your blog! Can’t wait to read your book together
My cat is Sad because he has to wait until the book comes to the U.S. Bear is his favorite internet cat.
Love. So. Much. Love. My cats are sad they’re not starts. Because their mom (me) apparently has the dumb. That’s their opinion.
Love the Bear and can’t wait to read this book!
Sounds like a fun read. 🙂
I am so in love with Bear and I can’t wait till the book comes to the U.S. and I can read all about Bear and all the other kitties too. WELCOME to tphe U.S. !! I so look forward to reading The Good The Bad and the Furry !!!! Thank you !
Love the Bear! My cat is sad post are do witty and make me smile 🙂
This sounds like a great read! The author seems like he is very knowledgeable and very witty. I love that he wants to make a psychedelic rock album with his cat MOL
I can’t wait for these books to become available in the United States!
What a great book! We would love to win it for the mom.
This book sounds like it would fit in our lives nicely. The review you did for this book makes us want to read it. Great review Miss Janet.
(((Shoko)))
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for coming by and leaving the comment for us!
That sounds like a great book.
I’ve wanted this book since it came out! I’ve got ‘good, bad and flurries’ living in my house!
Awesome! I’ve read it but would love to win a copy to give to my friend so she can experience the love of The Bear!!
That sounds like a great book and one that our mommy can actually handle reading without being leaky the whole time!
This book sounds so wonderfully entertaining! I’ll keep my fingers crossed! 😀
Luv Bear and all his fellow catriots! Can’t wait for the release of his book here in the US although it will be some time before I can afford to purchase it. Living on no income and being disabled isn’t always easy so I would luv to win copy of this book 🙂
I hope you will hurry, oh Good, Bad, and Furry; and make your way fer-me to read while on jury duty and eating my curry while trying to stir-ry my coffee with Bill Murray.
Glad you enjoyed da book. Sounds like yous weally connected there. And dat wuz a gweat weview.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
(no need to enter us, as we don’t want to take away fwum sumone hoo weally luvs to wead books like this.)
Love the sound of this book, he has me in hysterics on Twitter – love the humour!
My sad cat needs this. She needs to know she’s not the only sad cat in the world.
Love the Bear…tells it the way it is…from his perspective. I also have cats. They are both sad…mourning the death of rocky…cockatiel i adopted 4yrs ago. Rip…rocky.
-^..^-
I have been following “My cat is sad. . .” for a few months and find the posts witty and delightful. I would love the chance to have a copy of the book. I am also happy to discover your writing! We are prepping for kitten season at the shelter where I volunteer, as well.
That is sooooo cute and I just love the title!
Oooo!!! Pick me! Pick me!!!
I would love to receive a copy of this book and so would my cat……miss no-nos.
Looking forward to reading all of your books. Love the mysadcat posts 🙂
So looking forward to reading all Tom Cox’s books.
What a great book this sounds like!! Thank you for the meowveolous review!
I’ve recently starting following Under the Paw on Facebook, so I really wan to read these books. Which, of course, are not readily available in the US!
I’ve been following all the posts on this book wishing I could have it to read. I am owned by 2 cats, a torti named leafpool turtle and a graystripe tabby named knothead fussbucket. Please consider them for choosing..we never win anything except hugs/purrs
i can’t wait for this book to be available in the US, I love The Bear!
I saw one Sad Cat post shared on Facebook and spent the weekend reading everything Tom Cox has posted online. I love those cats.
This would be fun to read.
I love the Bear! And Ralph is too handsome for mere mortal words.
Your cat shouldn’t be sad because he is The Coolest!!
Definitely excited for a chance to read this, definitely excited! Proud cat mom of currently 3 cats!
My cat is sad, because your cat is sad.
Reading this book would be purrfect.
I adore The Bear so much. <3 I would love a copy of the book.
O, a great one for cat book collection!
This sounds like a great book! We would love to win it so Mommy can read it to us. And this is a great review!
Love,
Lola and Lexy
p.s. Our Mommy signed up for some of the same breakout sessions at Blogpaws as your mom! Exciting!
This book sounds excellent!
I’ve always love reading My Cat Is Sad on Facebook but did not know the author’s name.
This sounds like a book I would love to read.
Hilarious ..sounds perfect to me….live me a cat man and love me some good borderline nuts humour 🙂 good luck everyone a great prize for someone 🙂 loves Fozziemumxxx
Sounds like a great read. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
That sounds like a book with lots of giggles whist reading it…purrfect!
We would love to be able to read it.
We loved this book too and will be reviewing it next week!
It sounds like my kind of book. Great review. Please enter me into the Giveaway!
Oh, I’d love my own copy of this book. Thanks for the chance!
Love your blog. Thanks for the review; this sounds like a great book! I’d be happy to win a copy.
That sounds like a book that would be difficult to put down once you started reading it.