Good cat coffee table books are just a pure joy. One can spend hours reading or just blissfully browsing through them whenever you have idle time. They also enrich the ambiance at home, as part of your interior decor and even function as conversation pieces. That is why they make perfect gifts. Here are the Top 10 must-have cat coffee table books (hardcover) that all cat lovers and owners will be thrilled to receive. This selection really shows off felines in all their glory and majesty, and #2 and #3 are really great for younger kids.
Some in my personal collection didn’t make the cut, such as ‘Maru’, since they’re more fan specific (they’re covered in the link below). But here are my picks that will have a broad appeal to all cat lovers. Here we go then, in no particular order.
10. Cats Galore: A Compendium of Cultured Cats
This charming book by Susan Herbert makes an incredibly good gift, since everyone will find something to really love about it. Basically, it features cats instead of people in iconic paintings and movie scenes from Western culture. You have Cat Mona Lisa, Cat Gladiator and Shakespeare Cats just to name a few; they are selected from her various other works.
At around 8×9 inches in size, its not as big as most coffee table books, but that makes it more kid friendly, and it’s a definite must-have.
$24.95
Buy it here at Amazon.
9. Cats On Catnip
Andrew Marttila is a professional pet photographer and here he has created a humorous collection funny and adorable cats as they play with, roll in, and chow down in catnip.
It’s like getting your best friends and family completely drunk and then watching a different side of their personalities emerge, from afar. Okay, that was a really bad analogy. But still, the book rocks.
$13.79
But it here on Amazon.
8. Cat Life: Celebrating the History, Culture & Love of the Cat
Amy Shojai has written a beautiful book celebrating cats from an evolutionary, biology and cultural perspective. This is a high quality and timeless book to be treasured. I learnt a tonne from it, and now feel even more love for our furry friends than ever before.
$34.95
Buy it here on Amazon.
7. Walter Chandoha. Cats. Photographs 1942–2018 (Multilingual Edition)
Chandoha may have passed away in 2019, but this book spans his life’s work from a whopping 7 decades and is a memorable and fitting tribute to our feline friends as well as the photographer’s legacy.
New York Times called this book ‘The purr-fect gift for cat fans’. Cliched as always but so true.
$34.11
Buy it here on Amazon.
6. I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats
Funny poetry from a cat’s point of view? Count me in. This is one book that everyone finds hilarious, funny and goofy. It still remains a bestseller until today, and even spawned a sequel, which unfortunately, is miles away from the original.
$ 6.23
But it here on Amazon.
5. Shop Cats Of New York
These true New Yorkers inhabit the city’s most legendary and coziest spots—the Algonquin Hotel, a whiskey distillery, Bleecker Street Records, and a host of yoga studios, bookstores, and bike shops in between.
$16.59
Buy it here on Amazon.
4. Meow: A Book of Happiness for Cat Lovers
What do you get when you combine uplifting and philosophical quotes with heartwarming cat photography? This compendium includes delightful quotes by Mark Twain and Hemingway. Enough said, you will be charmed.
$16.82
But it here on Amazon.
3. The Cat Encyclopedia: The Definitive Visual Guide
A comprehensive cat compendium that has all the facts about cats and kittens, it’s packed with beautifully photographed profiles of different breeds from the Maine Coon to the Khao Manee and includes information on caring for your own cat. A must have in every cat owner’s library.
This book is also the best book to buy for kids who are interested in cats. They will spend hours reading it and enjoying the photographs. Don’t take my word for it, the comments speak for themselves.
$29.16
Buy it here on Amazon.
2. Cats Are the Worst
This is another hysterical book that kids will love as well as adults. Like #6 on this list, this book is about how cats look at us and show us maybe it’s us humans who are the worst 😂 Beautifully water-colored by Megan Lyn Kott, it’s so funny and true, and that’s why it really resonates with all cat lovers.
$12.99
Buy it here on Amazon.
1. The Life and Love of Cats
This modern classic by the much respected Lewis Blackwell features 216 pages of stunning images wrapped in hardcover. It definitely deserves a place on your shelf if you have not gotten it yet. Fans describe it as a head turner, the best gift for any cat lover and an endorphin overload every time they pick it up. You know something? They’re not wrong.
$48.95
Buy it here on Amazon.
For the best paperback and non-fiction cat themed books, check out our favorite picks here!
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