Pet That Cat!: A Handbook for Making Feline Friends

by Nigel Kidd, Rachel Braunigan, Susann Hoffmann (Illustrator)

Overview

A fun and informative handbook for young readers on understanding and caring for our feline friends from the kid behind the popular Twitter account I’ve Pet That Cat!

Pet That Cat! A Handbook for Making Feline Friends is an illustrated guide to understanding, befriending, and caring for cats by Nigel Kidd and his mom, Rachel Braunigan. 
 
This fact-filled and fun guide features:
   • A guide to cat body language—what does it mean when your cat’s tail looks like a question mark or is puffed up?
   • Helpful tips on how to safely interact with new feline friends. Hint: Let them approach first!
   • Advice for adopting and caring for your own cat. Choose the perfect cat for you!
   • Stories of cats throughout history and myth-busting facts—did you know every cat has a unique noseprint?
   • A cat personality quiz and your very own Cat Tracker to record all the feline friends you meet!

This kid-friendly handbook pairs charming illustrations with an interactive format. With step-by-step guides, fascinating stories, and tips from cat experts and Nigel, Pet That Cat! is a must-have handbook for feline fans of all ages.

And for dog-lovers and kids curious about dogs, check out Pet That Dog! A Handbook for Making Four-Legged Friends.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683693147
Publisher:	Quirk Publishing
Publication date:	07/12/2022
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	960L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 11 Years

About the Author

Nigel Kidd is a twelve-year-old boy from Iowa. He loves cats and makes as many feline friends as he can. Nigel shares stories about feline friends he meets online and in real life on the Twitter and Instagram accounts I’ve Pet That Cat, the companion to the viral Twitter account I’ve Pet That Dog by his older brother Gideon. 

Rachel Braunigan is Nigel's mom. A social worker turned stay-at-home mom, she has four sons. Rachel assists Nigel with his project by taking pictures, and helping in the never-ending quest to pet more cats. She is the coauthor of Pet That Dog!, a guide to communicating with and caring for dogs. 

Susann Hoffmann is a freelance illustrator and author of children’s books. With her colorful drawings she wants to brighten up the world and put a smile on old and young faces alike. Susann lives in Hamburg, Germany, and likes to spend her free time on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book.

Read an Excerpt

My name is Nigel, and I love cats! I also love reading. The first book I ever learned to read was a picture book called Cat Traps, by Molly Coxe. My brother taught me to read it because he knew I loved cats. When I got older, I often read to my cats, Kenny and Fred. They’d snuggle on my bed, and we would go on adventures together. Writing this book brings together two of my favorite things!
     What I love about cats is that they are all so different: Cats can be cuddly, aloof, feisty, or playful. They can have long hair or short hair, or stripes or swirls in their fur. Some have no fur at all! And every cat has their own unique personality. Learning about cats can help you become a better friend to them.
     Getting to know a new cat is like reading a new book. Each has a different story. I hope this book helps you learn more about cats and encourages you to get to know them. Most of all, I hope you make some new feline friends!

Table of Contents

Introduction: I've Pet That Cat! 7

How to Pet That Cat 9

Cats Throughout History 37

How to Care for a Cat 61

Name That Cat! 95

What Is Your Cat Personality? 101

Cat Tracker 111

Conclusion: Every Cat Is Purrfect! 124

Acknowledgments 125

More about Cats! 126

Editorial Reviews

A Connie's Book Club Pick for Modern Cat

“A wonderful interactive guide...a great resource for young readers wanting to learn all about cats.”—Modern Cat

“A solid primer on fostering human-feline relations.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This adorable manual for prospective cat owners combines sound advice, a bit of history and trivia, and very fetching illustrations.”—Youth Services Book Review

Kids love Pet That Cat!
“An easy and fun way to learn about cats…There’s so much more to cats than you ever thought there was!”—Dominick, Age 10

“[The pictures] are super detailed and super nice. I also like that the book was written by a kid.”—Jameson, Age 10

“You should get this book if you want to learn about felines and how to care for them. It is a cute book that people should love.”—Vivian, Age 9

“I loved all the cute cat illustrations.”—Olivia, Age 10

“The part of the book I liked best was all the cat facts I didn’t know yet.”—Bella, Age 11

“Even if [my friends] like cats and think they know them really, really, really well, there are facts that will teach them something new.”—Amelia, Age 9

Praise for Pet That Dog!
“A positive, practical guide for young people who want to make canine friends.”—Virginian-Pilot

“Cheerful, humorous, full-color illustrations and background art add visual interest and feature ethnically diverse humans. Gideon's infectious enthusiasm for his subject shines out from the engaging and chatty text...Fact-filled fun for any child drawn to canines.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A fun book for dog lovers or those hoping to love a dog soon.”—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2022-04-13
A young Twitter and Instagram sensation imparts whiskery wisdom.

Kidd and his mother, Braunigan, who created the social media accounts “I’ve Pet That Cat” on the heels of Kidd’s older brother’s “I’ve Pet That Dog,” offer advice and information aimed at helping youngsters cozy up to kitties. With ample colorful and inviting line drawings by Hoffmann, the book begins with a chapter on how to go about petting a strange cat, then covers how to approach, where to pet (stay away from the belly), and even how to pick up the cat if things are going well. Kidd and Braunigan provide sound guidance on interpreting cat sounds and body language and explain some feline behaviors. There is a brief history of cat-human relations and several short biographies of famous or heroic cats. Instructions for choosing and caring for a cat and an interview with a cat expert follow. A quiz helps the reader discover their cat personality, and there’s a log to keep track of the cats encountered. The book is dotted with “Tips From Nigel” and “Feline Facts,” and myth busters disprove common misconceptions (no, cats don’t actually enjoy milk). The artwork depicts a diverse group of people interacting with cats.

A solid primer on fostering human-feline relations. (sources) (Nonfiction. 6-12)

Kirkus Reviews