Sammy's Shelf July 2012: Wow, What a Cool Book for Cats and Their People! If you read this column on a regular basis (and of course you should!), you realize that I can be rather critical when it comes to books. I mean, who wants to read nothing but those Pollyanna reviews that say everything book is Wonderful!? That's not my style! I calls 'em as I reads 'em and tells the truth. We'll let the catnip fall where it may! So believe me when I tell you that Fun and Games for Cats! (Hubble & Hattie. ISBN 9781845843878) by Denise Seidl is TERRIFIC! I mean, I LOVE this book. There are fifty games or activities described here that will provide hours (well, maybe I should say minutes; we do have short attention spans) of fun for your feline house companion. There are games for cats who are home alone, games for more than one kitty to play, games that people can play with their cats, and games that will really appeal to the hunting instincts of any ferocious feline. As the author explains in the first chapter, playing is serious business. She lists a dozen reasons why play is important but the one I liked the best was 'relieves boredom'! Trust me, that's a biggie! It is when I get bored that I usually do something that results in my person bellowing, "SAMMY, STOP THAT!" This book is loaded with really adorable color photos of kittens and mature cats. Since we are extremely photogenic, these pictures alone are worth the price of admission. Some of them are so cute you'll be tempted to tear them out and frame them! Look for the Kit bits boxes found throughout the book that contain all sorts of fascinating information about moi! For example, you'll learn that we have 60-65 million olfactory cells (humans are in the 5-20 range) so that means we are VERY SENSITIVE to odors. Keep that in mind when you decide to have that third helping of beans with dinner. Any unusual smells in the room we'll detect in a split second and then we're off to our special hidey-hole upstairs! You'll learn how to make some simple cat toys (amazing what you can do with toilet paper rolls) so there's no need to spend big bucks on fancy stuff at the store. There's also another list of dangerous toys (laser pointers are a definite NO-NO!) and what to look for when buying a cat tree. My favorite part, though, was the intelligent game section which is designed for the more cerebral feline who likes to show off his brainpower. There's even a questionnaire that will help you determine how clever (read intelligent) your kitty is. Needless to say, I scored at the top, which means I am a super cat with an exceptional brain who knows what he wants and how to get it. There's also a chapter on training cats. What nonsense! I skipped that part, but I think my person was reading it. If he thinks at this late date I'm going to sit, roll over, shake paws or beg for treats, he's meowing up the wrong tree! But whatever ... So trust me. I would never give you a bum steer, soggy fur ball, or a disgusting clump of cat litter. THIS IS ONE COOL BOOK and it is worth even placing a special order with your local book store to get a copy! Sammy shares living quarters with Bob Walch. Not only does Bob provide the basic essentials for this loquacious feline but he occasionally offers editorial assistance. Find more of the Maine Coon's musings at CoastTraveler.com. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.