Last Updated on July 8, 2021 by Jenny
A Delightful Cat Book: Shop Cats of New York Book Review
I don’t read books too often – I have horrible reading comprehension. But, when fellow cat blogger, Tamar Arslanian of I HAVE CAT, reached out to me to see if I would review her new book, Shop Cats of New York, I agreed. And boy, am I glad I did. I really didn’t think I would like it so much. It is so well done.
When it arrived in my mailbox, I took it out of the packaging and put it on the sink next to my toilet. Yup. That’s about the only place I read. And I found myself sitting on the toilet way longer than I normally do to read about the next shop cat.
You can buy Shop Cats of New York on Amazon.
Tamar, a long resident of New York City, decided to put together a book about cats that occupy commercial spaces in New York City, like Matilda of the Algonquin Hotel – a rescue Ragdoll cat. Each kitty is featured for 2-3 pages with 3-4 photos of each kitty in their environment. And co-author Andrew Marttila took the beautiful photos that capture each kitty and their shop so well.
I was sort of envious reading this book when I thought about Tamar getting to be a journalist for all these special kitties – interviewing their owners and also meeting all the kitties in the process. And then the fun of putting it together – and finding the next shop cat. It’s such a fun and cute idea – honoring the majestic-ness of kitties.
It is a great book overall – I loved reading each kitty’s story and found myself wanting to learn about more shop cats. I’ve certainly seen and met shop cats – and thought about them alone at night when the store is closed, for example. This book offers insight into their lives.
I can see this book being one that occupies a coffee table after you have finished reading it, or one that you pass onto friends or one that you keep in the guest bathroom for people to look at. It is definitely a book I would pick up and read in a doctor’s waiting room, for example. Heck, every vet should have one in their waiting room.
Here’s a teaser video that explains the book as well as gives you a taste of how fun it is.
I asked Tamar to answer some questions for me that I wondered while I was reading this delightful cat book and thought you might have them too, so I have included them below.
1. What was your favorite part of putting this book together?
Finding and meeting all the cats! Finding them was like a treasure hunt! Lots of online searching and social media posts for suggestions. Meeting them was a double edged sword though given I don’t naturally have an indoor voice and tend to practice forced love. I’m not the most patient of people. This wasn’t going to work if Andrew needed to take photographs as my approach tended to result in the cats fleeing for cover after my displays of affection!
2. Do you have a favorite shop cat? Why?
That’s a really hard question! I like so many of them for different reasons but if I have to chose I would have to say Jack and Kitty since they are close to where I live so I know them the best. Jack because I like trying to love/annoy him without getting swatted at – it’s like a game of Russian roulette. I can’t help myself. And Kitty because she’s so sweet and tiny and has incredibly soft fur.
3. Have you learned about more shop cats since publishing this one? If so, will there be a second edition?
Yes! Of course as soon as we finished the book they started coming out of the woodwork! Originally I wanted to have all 5 boroughs represented but ended up with 3. I think there are definitely enough shop cats out there to have a sequel.
4. Will you explore other city’s Shop Cats?
I’d love to! Perhaps if this book does well I’ll have the opportunity! So everyone should buy a copy for themselves and one as a holiday gift! It’s really quite a bargain!
You can also find more pics on Instagram at @shopcatsofnewyork and by searching #shopcatsofnewyork some are outtakes
You can buy Shop Cats of New York on Amazon.
We received the Shop Cats of New York for review from the publisher. Receiving the free product did not influence this post.
What a wonderful book! Thanks so much for bringing that to us here Jenny. Just in time for Christmas lists, etc! Might know of several people who could be getting that, hehehe! Love books like this. Can’t wait to read this and see those pretty photos. Matilda is adorable! Hope they make a sequel too! My vet has two or three resident kitties who are there to greet everyone. There is also a resident kitty at one of the framing stores downtown. AND, my jeweler has two resident dogs who greet everyone at the door! Wonderful how walking into a place where there is a sweet resident kitty or dog adds a special ray of sunshine everyone’s day!
Another good cat story is “A Street Cat Named Bob,” by James Bowen. Just got that one as a birthday present and it is a very sweet, heartwarming story. Think he just did a Christmas addition too for anyone looking for Christmas gift ideas.♥♥♥♥
Yesss!!! It makes a great gift as it’s very high quality! We are thrilled at how beautifully it turned out!!! Do hope you grab a copy and get a few a gifts! Thank you for loving the animals!!
You are so welcome! It’s on our Christmas list!♥♥♥
My copy arrived yesterday. Bought it as
a Christmas gift, but might take a peek before I secret it away. Forget that – I WILL take a peek!
I worked in a movie theater during high school and we had a theater cat. She startled many a movie goer by brushing up against them during the movie or jumping in laps right at the scariest part!
omg, omg – love the movie theatre cat!! awesome.
This was in our small town theater. Don’t think it would go over in the cinemas of today! One of the nightly duties was to cut up her raw beef liver into the precisely right size for her dinner. Too big or too small- there was hell to pay! Some regular customers took great pride in getting her to sit in their laps.
ooh, i just love it – yes, no way would it happen today. oh, the good ole’ days. and god love small towns for those things like that!
Ohhhh Jewish we had a movie theater cat – there wa one bit after she passed away they did not get another. Did you peek? Hope you loved it and will spread the work and maybe get as a Christmas gift for your friends! Thank you for the support and for loving the kitties!!!
OPPS auto correct !! Supposed to say I wish!!
I just bought the Kindle edition to view on my iPad Pro! As a New York cat lover, this is right up my alley!! I love shop cats and always talk to and pet any that I see. Sometimes, I’ll even snap a quick pic. I’m anxious to read the stories about them and I might even know a few people who’d like this a Christmas gift. Thanks, Jenny!!
cool – i really loved it – it was so delightful and just my kind of reading.
Jenny, I can’t believe that I actually know one of the cats!!! I like in Park Slope, Brooklyn and I know Charlie of Park Slope Copy. I stop in there once in awhile to drop off a FedEx return or use their Fax. It’s true he sits on the counters and copiers and interacts with customers!! I remember thinking how cool it was that he just hangs out there. I won’t skip ahead in the book to see if there are any others I might know, but I have to say that I am thinking of going around to see some of these cats in the places that are near me or easy to travel to.
Awwwww you know Charlie sweet thing!!! Thank you for your support and you should check out the other kitties in your neighborhood! Thanks for the support and spread the word would love to see a pic of you with the kindle version – haven’t seen what what looks like! If you can do post to Instagram and hashtag the book or post on our FB page! Thanks again for getting the book and for loving the kitties!!
Tamar
Wonderful post, Jenny! I just lurve businesses that have a cat (or cats/kittens) roaming the store. There used to be a feed store we went to when we lived in a beautiful little place called Tonganoxie (Kansas) before moving to our current location in Lawrence (Kansas) where there was always at least one adult cat and a few kittens roaming the store. What fun! And, there’s a used book store in downtown Lawrence that has the most beautiful blue tabby that hangs out and is eager to interact with customers. I always enjoy going there. I think it’s awesome when business owners bring their pets with them to their work or let employees bring their pets to work, etc…
I’ve seen Matilda featured on a news show a few years back before I even knew what a Ragdoll was….I thought she was The Most Awesome Cat I’d ever seen. 🙂
What a fascinating read that book must be! Going on my Wish List!
Big hugs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
Yay love hearing about everyone’s local shop cats and that they exists in loving homes behind NYC!
We are so happy with how the book turns out and do hope you grab a copy and tell your cat loving friends about it! Mir makes a wonderful gift!
Tamar