The best books about cats for adults capture the whimsy and wisdom of these whiskered, furry feline friends. And I can’t get enough. It’s no shock to anyone who knows anything about me is I’m totally obsessed with my kitty babies, Jonny and Minnie. I’ve even written a book about them (forthcoming). In the 30 best books about cats for adults highlighted here includes nonfiction books about cats and fiction books about cats. I hope you’ll find the right cat book for you, whether it’s funny cat books or engaging stories about cats for adults.
And now for an epic list of the 30 best books about cats for adults!
Part 1: The Best Nonfiction Books about Cats for Adults
The Cat Encyclopedia: The Definitive Visual Guide by HK
DK is known for their visually striking books, and The Cat Encyclopedia is definitely a treat for your ears. With stunning photographs as illustrations, The Cat Encyclopedia is the comprehensive book on all things cats, from cat biology to cat breeds to cats in culture and history.
How to read it: Purchase The Cat Encyclopedia on Amazon
Catakism: Bow to the Meow by Jeff Lazarus
Who doesn’t love funny cat books? If you’re a fan of them, you’ll want to pick up Catakism: Bow to the Meow. This satirical book describes a philosophical way of life called “Catakism,” in which cats are worshipped by humans who grovel at the paws of feisty felines. What, that doesn’t sound like a satire?
How to read it: Purchase Catakism: Bow to the Meow on Amazon
Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet by John Bradshaw
Sometimes cat behavior is mysterious. Just what is your cat trying to tell you? If that sounds like your relationship with your cat (and, really, it’s most of our experiences with our feline buddies), you need to pick up John Bradshaw’s Cat Sense. This compelling book demystifies cat behavior from a scientific point of view, helping us understand how we can be better friends to the felines in our lives.
How to read it: Purchase Cat Sense on Amazon
A Cat’s Tail: A Journey Through Feline History by Baba the Cat (as dictated to Paul Koudounaris)
Funny cat books can also be great nonfiction books about cats, as evidenced by A Cat’s Tail: A Journey Through Feline History. While this book takes a humorous angle—a book by a cat dictated to a human author—it’s actually a pretty comprehensive history of cats across time, continents, and cultures. Handsomely illustrated with full-color photography, A Cat’s Tail is that rare thing: a humor book that’s also substantive.
How to read it: Purchase A Cat’s Tail on Amazon
Dewey: The Library Cat by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
If you know of one famous cat, it might be Dewey Readmore Books, a library cat who counted the Spencer Public Library in Iowa as his home. Thanks to this book by Vicki Myron, the former Director of the Spencer Pubic Library during Dewey’s lifetime, we get to experience the loving power of having a library cat without the drama (for some who don’t know, library cats can be a kind of controversial topic). By the time you get to the end, have some tissues handy.
How to read it: Purchase Dewey: The Library Cat on Amazon
The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions by Thomas McNamee
As any cat fan knows, these creatures are extremely complex. In this book, author Thomas McNamee uses his own cat, Augusta, as his case study in cat behavior to supplement the considerable science he includes. If you’re wondering about your cat’s mind and soul, you need to pick up this book that dispels the secrets to what your cat is experiencing. It’s definitely one of the best books about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Inner Life of Cats on Amazon
Life in the Valley of Death: The Fight to Save Tigers in a Land of Guns, Gold, and Greed by Alan Rabinowitz
One of the best cat books for adults, Alan Rabinowitz’s book sets its sights on the survival and conservation efforts to save tigers in the wild in the largest tiger preserve in Myanmar. This engaging book will move you and educate you on what we can do to rescue tigers from the multitude of threats they face.
How to read it: Purchase Life in the Valley of Death on Amazon
The Little Book of Lore for Cat Lovers by Deborah Robertson
If you’re looking for a nice cat-themed book to dip into and out of, The Little Book of Lore for Cat Lovers should be on your coffee table. This collection incudes tons of interesting cat facts, feline-themed myths, and history about our companions with whiskers. Among the tasty tidbits in this book, you’ll discover the cats who belonged to famous people (or, rather, famous people who belonged to cats), notable fictional cats, and cat mythology, folklore, and legends.
How to read it: Purchase The Little Book of Lore for Cat Lovers on Amazon
On Cats by Doris Lessing
Famous author Doris Lessing (The Golden Notebook) was not only a great writer, she was a big fan of cats. And it’s precisely her favorite species that she writes about in On Cats. This touching memoir is told through the many cats that populated Lessing’s life. It’s impossible to not read this book and become even more of a cat lover. Just take a taste of Lessing’s memoir and you’ll get why it’s one of the best cat books for adults.
How to read it: Purchase On Cats on Amazon
Pawverbs for a Cat Lover’s Heart: Inspiring Stories of Feistiness, Friendship, and Fun by Jennifer Marshall Bleakle
Definitely one of the best books about cats for adults, Jennifer Marshall Bleakle’s Pawverbs for a Cat Lover’s Heart is chock full of whiskers wisdom, with takeaways for humans based on the live of our cute critters.
How to read it: Purchase Pawverbs for a Cat Lover’s Heart on Amazon
The Puma Years by Laura Coleman
In her early twenties and adrift, backpacker Laura Coleman found herself staying on a wildlife sanctuary on the border of the rain forest. Coleman was assigned to care for a puma named Wayra and quickly developed a deep relationship with the mystical and majestic big cat. You’ll fall for Wayra, too, in this fascinating and moving memoir that’s one of the best books about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Puma Years on Amazon
A Purrfect Collection of Cat Quotes by Sarah S. Davis
OK, confession: this book is actually one I wrote… so of course I’m going to recommend it as one of the best books about cats for adults. In one volume, this book contains 200+ “Wise, Witty, and Wonderful Quotes about Cats.” Divided into different themed chapters, this book also incudes profiles of famous cat fans, including Edward Gorey, Freddie Mercury, and Elizabeth Taylor. I’m maybe biased, but I think this would be a great gift for anyone who likes books for cat lovers. / OK end of self promotion!
How to write it: Purchase A Purrfect Collection of Cat Quotes on Amazon
Total Cat Mojo by Jackson Galaxy
I have so many fond memories of watching Jackson Galaxy’s show My Cat from Hell. I learned so much about cat behavior through that TV program. So I totally trust Galaxy to write a helpful guide to living with your cat. And that’s exactly what he’s done with Total Cat Mojo. According to Galaxy, “cat mojo” means your cat is confident because they are living in the right kind of supportive environment and they still get to indulge their wild urges to play, hunt, kill, eat, and groom. You’ll learn all about how to cultivate your cat’s “mojo” by following Jackson’s advice in what is definitely one of the best books about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase Total Cat Mojo on Amazon
The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
In The Tribe of Tiger, definitely one of the top nonfiction books about cats, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas has penned a must-read book about the culture of cats, from your common house cat (though, of course there is no such thing as a “common” house cat) to big cats like tigers and lions. Thomas includes observations from her own cat’s taste for the wild that seems at odds with its domesticated status. As seen through Thomas’ lens, this book draws connections with your cat’s naturally wild instincts, such as a love for mousing, that is comparatively a miniture iteration of the hunt of the untamed panther. No one is better at showing how cat behavior is common no matter how large or small your kitty is. Read it and see why I’m counting it as one of the best books about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Tribe of Tiger on Amazon
What Cats Want by Yuki Hattori
I really loved reading What Cats Want, the must-read guide to giving your cat what she truly desires. A famous cat expert back in Japan, Dr. Yuki Hattori has here accomplished something great: a helpful manual for co-existing with house cats that is fun to read and packed with insights you won’t find anywhere else. If you really want to understand your cat, pick up What Cats Want, surely one of the best books for cat lovers.
How to read it: Purchase What Cats Want on Amazon
Part 2: The Best Fiction Books about Cats for Adults
Alfie the Doorstep Cat by Rachel Wells
Alfie the Doorstep Cat is a charming novel about Alfie, a newly stray cat after his owner passes away. While initially the residents of Alfie’s new home, Edgar Road, are anti-Alfie, believing him to be just another homeless cat, soon they fall in love with this cat with a heart of gold.
How to read it: Purchase Alfie the Doorstep Cat on Amazon
The Astonishing Thing by Sandi Ward
This tender tale stars Boo, a house cat struggling to understand her family’s dynamics when her owner, Carrie, leaves home. Heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once, The Astonishing Thing is one of the best books with cats as main characters. Stories about cats for adults don’t get much better than this.
How to read it: Purchase The Astonishing Thing on Amazon
The Cat and the City by Nick Bradley
This clever read is definitely one of the best books about cats for adults that you’ll find in any bookstore. In Nick Bradley’s The Cat and the City, the setting is the diverse streets of Tokyo circa 2020. We get a tour of the city through interlocking stories from the perspective of a calico cat that traverses the city, introducing us to a whole host of residents and neighborhood. It’s a clever concept that’s tricky to pull off, but Bradley manages to have crafted a whimsical, engaging love story to a city you’ll come to know through the eyes of our feline tour guide.
How to read it: Purchase The Cat and the City on Amazon
Cats in the Belfry by Doreen Tovey
For readers who want feel-good books with cats as main characters, be sure to check out Doreen Tovey’s Cats in the Belfry. This series starter comprises Tovey’s fictionalized memoirs of living with a spunky Siamese cat with plenty of personality. Set in the British countryside, Cats in the Belfry will soothe your dark days with a cozy cat story you won’t soon forget.
How to read it: Purchase Cats in the Belfry on Amazon
The Cat of Yule Cottage by Lili Hayward
If it’s a festive feline read you’re craving, you’ll want to add The Cat of Yule Cottage to your To-Be-Read (TBR) list. In the holiday season, our heroine Jess moves into a centuries-old Cornwall cottage to reset and refresh. An inquisitive and persistent tom cat with a high self regard comes with the new digs. Will Jess bond with this cat during the Christmas season? You’ll race through this uplifting book to find out. See why it’s one of the best cat books for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Cat of Yule Cottage on Amazon
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
The prolific mystery writer Lilian Jackson Braun’s “The Cat Who…” series currently stretches to 29 installments, but you’ll want to start with the book that launched it all: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Our hero is reporter Jim Qwilleran and his cat, Koko, an intelligent Siamese cat. Together, the two amateur sleuths sift through suspects and crack crimes. Kick off your read through this beloved, long-standing cozy mystery series with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. You’ll understand why this is one of the best books about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Cat Who Could Read Backwards on Amazon
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa
The Cat Who Saved Books was one of my favorite books of 2022. In this warm story, Rintaro is a reclusive teen who has just lost his grandfather-guardian, the owner of a book shop. Rintaro stalks the stacks of the store trying to find comfort when a talking cat shows up and asks for Rintaro’s help in rescuing books from sinister fates. Together with the help of one of Rintaro’s classmates, these three bookish crusaders make it their mission to save books. This magical realist story is one of the best stories about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Cat Who Saved Books on Amazon
The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie
This sweet tale focuses on a lonely cat from the New Delhi slums who befriends Buddhist monks and even the Dalai Lama himself as she comes to live at a Buddhist monastery. Readers enjoy this positive story for its spiritual message as well as its unique perspective as the story is told by the cat. Read it and you’ll see why it’s one of the best cat books for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Dalai Lama’s Cat on Amazon
Finding My Voice by Minerva Snow
This enjoyable book is one of the best books about cats for adults who like a comfort-food kind of read. Blink never cries—ever—but when her human suffers from a crippling depression and her best friend and his cat, Boom, move in, Blink’s carefully arranged life begins to unravel. This story about friendship and overcoming past trauma will have you feeling good.
How to read it: Purchase Finding My Voice on Amazon
From A Cat’s View: An Anthology of Stories Told by Cats edited by Robin Praytor
This anthology collects short fictions that are each from the point-of-view of cats. In all, the collection contains 18 short stories featuring feline narrators and hits on a variety of genres, from humor to mystery. You’ll doubtless find a quick cat tale that fits your mood in one of the best books with cats as main characters.
How to read it: Purchase From A Cat’s View on Amazon
The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide (translated by Eric Selland)
Set in Tokyo, The Guest Cat is about a marriage in crisis and the cat who saves it. A couple who both work from home have grown apart, but when a little cat shows up in their kitchen, they bond over their experience cherishing, loving, and caring for the cat. The equivalent of a mug of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s day, The Guest Cat was a bestseller in Japan and is here translated into English for the first time. It’s easy to see why it’s one of the best books about cats for adults.
How to read it: Purchase The Guest Cat on Amazon
Mort(e) by Robert Repino
This thrilling sci-fi story, for sure one of the top books for cat lovers, is one of the most original entries in this list of the best books about cats for adults. After a band of intelligent ants called the Colony wage war on humanity, it’s up to a fearless feline named Mort(e) to save the human race. When Mort(e), once a house cat now a warrior, learns his friend, a dog named Sheba, might still be alive, he embarks on an epic mission to reunite with his buddy. It’s hard to put this book down!
How to read it: Purchase Mort(e) on Amazon
Seven Lives and One Great Love: The Memoirs of a Cat by Lena Divani
You know the saying that a cat has nine lives? Well Zach, the cat narrator of this novel, one of the best cat books for adults, is on his seventh life, and we are welcomed into Zach’s latest life. Along the way, he shares some poignant, sassy, and funny tidbits of truth talk with readers. Zach has seen a lot in his many lives and has more than a few interesting, intriguing observations that make this book more than just a laugh. Instead it hits you in the feels.
How to read it: Purchase Seven Lives and One Great Love on Amazon
Talk to the Paw by Melinda Metz
Funny cat books don’t get much better than Melinda Metz’s hilarious Talk to the Paw, the first in a trilogy starring a cat named MacGyver (or “Mac for short). Jamie has had nothing but bad luck with love, but when her cat Mac steals things from a neighbor, the similarly alone David, soon Mac’s matchmaking quest starts to work. This book is one of the best stories about cats for adults and especially cat lady spinsters (like me).
How to read it: Purchase Talk to the Paw on Amazon
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa (translated by Philip Gabriel)
The last entry in this list of the best books about cats for adults is poignant and emotionally gripping. In this touching story, Nana is a cat with a crooked tail (which supposedly gives him extra good luck) who is accompanying his human, Satoru, on a cross-country road trip to visit old friends. This novel is one of the best books about cats for adults who like their feline fiction to be memorable and moving.
