Last year, I got to read a few books on cats and their people. Four of them are by the late TV Guide critic, Cleveland Amory. He, a Harvard graduate and self-proclaimed curmudgeon, had certainly ruffled many feathers as a relentless advocate for animal rights. He was not kind to his prestigious alma mater either. A few practices at this Ivy League school had appalled him.
This former newspaper editor is best known for his book about an irresistible white kitten he rescued from a New York City alley on Christmas Eve. The Cat Who Came for Christmas* made Polar Bear, the curmudgeon’s cat, an instant celebrity.
Mr. Amory’s uncle and aunt taught him be kind to animals. Black Beauty was his favorite book when he was a lad. Years later, he founded "Funds for Animals" for which he was the unpaid president until his death in 1998. He also co-founded the Humane Society of the United States, one of the most powerful animal welfare lobbies in the States. Through these establishments, they airlifted more than three hundreds burros from the Nevada desert. They exposed the corrupted and cruel practices at a government agency that rounded up wild horses. Among many other animal rescue missions, they also financed the effort of Sea Shepard, an anti-whaling ship, to disrupt a seal hunt in Canada.
In The Cat Who Came for Christmas, this best seller author chronicled what was like living with a stubborn cat. To satisfy a stray cat’s appetite, he had to keep Tender Vittles in his night stand so Polar Bear could have a quick snack in the wee hours of the day. To prevent his Christmas kitty from falling off from the balcony when birdwatching, he cordoned off half of his Park Avenue apartment balcony. He even resorted to animal psychics so he could understand sometime very disagreeable Polar Bear better. Obviously, he, like many other pet owners, would do anything to please his furry friend.
It is also noted in this best seller book that cats can jump as high as seven times of their body length. This explains why the normal six-foot fence can never keep a cat in the yard for long. In addition, according to the professions the author conferred, left-pawed cats are more perceptive than their right-winged peers.
In any case, I am sure Polar Bear would agree with his extremely accommodating human friend that all animals, great and small, deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. To do what he preached, Mr. Amory built an animal sanctuary in Texas. The Black Beauty Ranch is now home to many retired, displaced and injury animals.
Once I wrote to a newspaper reporter on the benefits of pet ownership. One of the many we agreed upon was the enjoyment we got out from reading the books on pets and animals. - Ayee
Mr. Amory’s uncle and aunt taught him be kind to animals. Black Beauty was his favorite book when he was a lad. Years later, he founded "Funds for Animals" for which he was the unpaid president until his death in 1998. He also co-founded the Humane Society of the United States, one of the most powerful animal welfare lobbies in the States. Through these establishments, they airlifted more than three hundreds burros from the Nevada desert. They exposed the corrupted and cruel practices at a government agency that rounded up wild horses. Among many other animal rescue missions, they also financed the effort of Sea Shepard, an anti-whaling ship, to disrupt a seal hunt in Canada.
In The Cat Who Came for Christmas, this best seller author chronicled what was like living with a stubborn cat. To satisfy a stray cat’s appetite, he had to keep Tender Vittles in his night stand so Polar Bear could have a quick snack in the wee hours of the day. To prevent his Christmas kitty from falling off from the balcony when birdwatching, he cordoned off half of his Park Avenue apartment balcony. He even resorted to animal psychics so he could understand sometime very disagreeable Polar Bear better. Obviously, he, like many other pet owners, would do anything to please his furry friend.
It is also noted in this best seller book that cats can jump as high as seven times of their body length. This explains why the normal six-foot fence can never keep a cat in the yard for long. In addition, according to the professions the author conferred, left-pawed cats are more perceptive than their right-winged peers.
In any case, I am sure Polar Bear would agree with his extremely accommodating human friend that all animals, great and small, deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. To do what he preached, Mr. Amory built an animal sanctuary in Texas. The Black Beauty Ranch is now home to many retired, displaced and injury animals.
Once I wrote to a newspaper reporter on the benefits of pet ownership. One of the many we agreed upon was the enjoyment we got out from reading the books on pets and animals. - Ayee
* The other three Cleveland Amory’s books are:
- Cat and The Curmudgeon
- The Best Cat Ever
- Ranch of Dreams
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