Catpedia

A captivating treasury of feline fact and fancy—from A to Z

Catpedia is a delightful and wide-ranging collection of lore, science, and mischief about an animal that has captivated humans for thousands of years. Featuring dozens of entries on everything from ancient Egyptian cat worship to feline internet celebrities, this irresistible compendium takes you deep into the strange, endearing, and often hilarious world of the domestic cat.

Jonathan Losos dispels common myths about cats, explains the evolutionary quirks that make them such singular companions, and unpacks the science behind behaviors every cat owner has puzzled over. Why do cats knead blankets? What triggers the zoomies? Why does a cat’s belly pouch swing when it runs? Losos answers these and other questions, drawing on veterinary science, evolutionary biology, and feline genetics to explain the anatomy and instincts behind everyday cat behavior. Along the way, he traces the cat’s journey from wild predator to pampered housemate, exploring how millennia of loose domestication shaped both their bodies and their famously independent personalities.

With charming drawings by Kelly Chudler that bring the entries to life, Catpedia is a celebration of the world’s most beloved—and most misunderstood—companion animal.

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