Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man, and Their Journey Across America Hardcover – July 18, 2017

As the founder of the Missing Animal Response Network (an online pet detective training academy), I look for books that my students can read to learn more about lost pet behaviors. Specifically, the three interrelated behaviors that make up the Lost Pet Triad: (1) the behavior of the lost pet, (2) the behavior of the owner/guardian, and (3) the behavior of the rescuer or person who finds the pet. Each of these behaviors (which are present in every missing pet investigation) influence the chances of whether or not that lost pet will be recovered.The book "STRAYS" did an amazing job of highlighting two of these behaviors. First, the behavior of the rescuer (homeless Michael) who initially had thoughts that the cat (Tabor) he found might have an owner searching for it. Michael ended up posting a FOUND CAT ad on Craigslist, which was surprising to me since so many people who find a pet never even think to do that. More often than not, rescuers who find a dog or cat with an injury (like Tabor had) assume it was "abused" or they assume since it was found in a rural area that it was "dumped." Also, in many cases (especially with found dogs) rescuers will "fall in love" with the animal and when they finally see the REWARD LOST DOG/CAT posters, they fail to reunite the animal because they themselves believe they can "give it a better life." It was fascinating, yet profoundly SAD, to see Michael DO THE RIGHT THING by giving Tabor back to his owner/guardian.Second, the author did an amazing job of showing readers how the owner/guardian (Ron) grieved and was so utterly undone and destroyed emotionally because his cat was missing. The deep level of grief that many pet owners suffer when they lose their primary source of unconditional love (whether that be from a beloved horse, dog, cat, or iguana) is exactly what lost pet recovery specialists see every day. It is one of the saddest part of lost pet recovery work because in so many cases, pet owners give up their search too soon (sometimes just weeks or even days after their pet vanishes).This book has been added to my "must read" list for my students and should be read by every animal welfare professional!

I'm sure we've all avoided homeless people in our respective cities, & with good reason. From the smell, to the real danger of being physically harmed or robbed, we tend to stay clear of them. This story reminds us that mixed in with the dangerous ones are actually some good humans. Michael is one of them. I found myself rooting for him, cheering for him, & even crying at times for him & Tabor kitty. This is a love story. A true love story. And as often happens, this one doesn't end as expected. Both of their lives change, but both are led to productive & happy circumstances...but the love they shared I can feel in my heart. The only thing missing in the book were pictures of Michael & Tabor...but they can be found online, where they brought a smile to me once more. Read it in 2 days--totally couldn't put this book down!

Excellent easy to read book. Love the story.

I would give this book 10+ stars ⭐️Such good reading!!

This book reports a highly unusual story of a cat rescued by a homeless man and carried with him as he travels through Western states for nearly a year. The author has gone to great lengths to tell the tale from the perspective of the humans involved, and there is character development in the tracing of their stories. A great attachment develops between the cat and her human, and he is severely challenged emotionally to return the cat to her original owner when he discovers that she is microchipped. The qualities of the owner are shown with less sympathy, and it is hard to feel glad for the cat at first when she returns home. But she finally turns back into a typical housecat and couch potato, so she seems to belong there at last.What I hoped to get from the book was the story from the cat's point of view. We catch glimpses of her playing at the edge of the surf, sleeping in a tree for the night to escape predators in a national park, snuggling inside her man's sleeping bag to stay safe and warm on many nights. But this does not suffice to get into the mind of this cat, and I continued to wonder if the cat were actually enjoying living on the lam like this. Much of the book was actually boring, as I waited for some insight into the feelings of the cat, aside from her clinging to the immediate safety she felt being with her trusted person. Overall I found the book saddening. Was this whole episode in her life worthwhile in her experience? I would not read the book again, and I write this as a warning to readers who expect more about a cat and less about the life struggles of the people living a hard life like this.

I enjoyed this book so much that I was hoping for a sequel, an update on the cat and its owners, present and past.

This book got me through a couple of dark days. The story sucks you in.I've lived in Portland for decades, and I'm impressed that this writer from London is so good at describing Portland, Oregon, its streets, trees, houses, its general vibe, its characters both human and animal. Forget "Portlandia." This is the real deal. A homeless guy, depressed, drinking, takes in a lost, needy cat, and they panhandle, hitchhike, and camp out together, covering thousands of miles. It's a love story really. Meanwhile, the cat's original owner is missing her terribly and wondering if she's still alive somewhere, consulting psychics, having nightmares, worried sick. This all really happened, these are real characters.This is a heartfelt, heart-wrenching, soulful book, and the humor and wry observations are part of the soulfulness.(No wonder Pogues songwriter Shane McGowan wrote a blurb for the back jacket.) It's also a great story, down-to-earth, well-paced, drawn with bold strokes, and with clear-eyed respect for the people and animals involved.

Mum loves books about stray cats; think "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" and "A Street Cat Named Bob" so I figured she'd like this as well and she did. Read it in a day so can't say fairer than that!

SPOILER ALERT.......Just had to say what a wonderful book Strays is.... a true rollercoaster of emotions! Cats certainly appear in people’s lives for a reason and teach us so much. I was hooked from page one and that was the foreword!I wondered if Ron would have let Michael keep Mata but Michael did the right thing.... the chapter when he returned her made me 😢. This story would make a great film :) x

I’m not one for animal stories, generally, but this book is written with real understanding. The author seems to care about the cat, the man who cares for her & her original carer in equal amounts. It’s a story about personalities & the fact that some are human & some are not is not what matters - they are all beings who are treated with equal care, love & understanding.

Extraordinary story, loved it. Funny, sad too. Will appeal to cat lovers everywhere.

I really enjoyed this true story. To say more could be a spoiler.