Listen to a sample
The Age of Cats
- Author
- Jonathan B. Losos
- Narrator
- Jonathan B. Losos
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 2 May 2023
- Run Time
- 11 hours 22 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Cats as pets, Evolution / Evolutionary biology, Popular science, Wildlife: mammals: general interest, Ancient history, Zoology: mammals (mammalogy), Ethology and animal behaviour, Cats as pets, Evolution / Evolutionary biology, Popular science, Wildlife: mammals: general interest, Zoology: mammals (mammalogy), Ethology and animal behaviour, Animal breeding, Dog obedience and training
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
The past, present and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover.
‘Engaging and wide-ranging … The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy’ Washington Post
Why don’t lions meow? Why does my cat leave a dead mouse at my feet? And why is a pet ocelot a bad idea?
Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you’ll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat’s domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat's-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats.
Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and artificial, over the millennia has shaped the contemporary cat.
Yet the cat, ever a predator, still seems to have only one paw out of the wild, and readily reverts to its feral ways as it occupies new habitats around the world. Looking ahead, this charming and intelligent book suggests what the future may hold for the special bond between Felis catus and Homo sapiens.
Critics Review
-
‘Excellent. Losos is an engaging and often funny guide who explains the science clearly and with nuance’ New Scientist
-
‘Losos is entertaining and anecdotal, learned and chatty … The book, surveying cats’ evolutionary history, behavioural habits and potential future, has a lovely cast list of felines wild and domestic, large and small’ Spectator
-
‘Cats are amazing. They fascinate and bewilder us … [The] cat stories detailed here will only heighten the reader's amazement. And Losos has done cats at least as proud as we imagine they pride themselves’ Science
-
‘A must-read’ Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
‘Reaching back into the evolutionary history of the cat family, brought right up to date with the emergence of new breeds and hybrids, this fascinating book deserves to be on every cat-lover's nightstand’ John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet
-
‘If you have ever lived with a feline long enough to reach an accommodation, you’ve probably asked yourself: Am I training the cat, or is the cat training me? That question is a gateway to the labyrinth of fascinating riddles explored by Jonathan Losos – himself a lifelong ailurophile as well as an eminent evolutionary biologist – In this engaging and very smart book.’ David Quammen, author of Spillover and The Song of the Dodo
-
‘Fascinating, fun and full of facts, this thorough investigation will appeal to general readers and cat lovers alike’ Booklist
-
‘Not just another cat book, this enthusiastic study traces the evolution of the domesticated house cat from the African wildcat and explores the scientific questions it raises … A vivid, well-rounded treat for anyone interested in cats.’ Kirkus Reviews
-
‘Splendid … The surprising trivia … and stimulating scientific background shed light on what goes on in the minds of humans’ second-best friend’ Publisher’s Weekly
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Jonathan B. Losos
- Narrator
- Jonathan B. Losos
- Duration
- 11 hours 22 minutes
- Release Date
- 2 May 2023
- ISBN
- 9780008339494
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Cats as pets, Evolution / Evolutionary biology, Popular science, Wildlife: mammals: general interest, Ancient history, Zoology: mammals (mammalogy), Ethology and animal behaviour, Cats as pets, Evolution / Evolutionary biology, Popular science, Wildlife: mammals: general interest, Zoology: mammals (mammalogy), Ethology and animal behaviour, Animal breeding, Dog obedience and training
Synopsis
The past, present and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover. ‘Engaging and wide-ranging … The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy’ Washington Post Why don’t lions meow? Why does my cat leave a dead mouse at my feet? And why is a pet ocelot a bad idea? Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you’ll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat’s domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat's-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats. Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and artificial, over the millennia has shaped the contemporary cat. Yet the cat, ever a predator, still seems to have only one paw out of the wild, and readily reverts to its feral ways as it occupies new habitats around the world. Looking ahead, this charming and intelligent book suggests what the future may hold for the special bond between Felis catus and Homo sapiens.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.