The Naming of Things

One of my favourite books in Oxford, which often took my mind off of the stress of schoolwork, was 'Dancing with Cats':

In this book, David Parsons and Burton Silver present a look into one aspect of the world of non-primate art. There is a spiritual, emotional, and artistic element to dancing with one's cat. For many cats, they can only express themselves through dance; when the music turns on, they just can't keep their paws from moving. Think of it as a tome in which fine art meets dance criticism meets spirituality meets love for animals meets tongue meets cheek. Or at least I hope tongue meets cheek somewhere in there. Here are some fine gems as a sample of the kind of art chronicled in this beautiful book:

As you can see, everyone gets something different out of dancing with cats, but everyone gets the satisfaction of expressing their emotions along with their feline companions.

I went to Borders today, and had a jolting, joyous memory of this book, and went to the animal section to try to find it. Alas, it was not in stock, but I did find its companion volume:

Of course, I purchased 'Why Cats Paint: A theory of feline aesthetics' in order to satisfy my curiosity as to the eponymous query. I have not yet cracked the spine, but rest assured that as soon as I finish it, you will find it summarily reviewed at this blog. I know that you are suspended in anticipation. Check back soon for an update.

And, while you await, you can check out the online Museum of Non Primate Art.