A humorous, endearing, and heartwarming memoir about a man at the mercy of his four unpredictable, demanding and endlessly lovable cats. "While you may come for The Bear, you'll stay for the author; framed around the centerpiece of his personable cats, the story's true protagonist is Cox. His acute understanding of cats is entertaining and poignant, but those cute pet stories stand on the foundation of a talented and deeply thoughtful writer." — The A.V. Club Meet The Bear—a cat who carries the weight of the world on his furry shoulders, and whose wise, owl-like eyes seem to ask, Can you tell me why I am a cat please? Like many intellectuals, The Bear would prefer a life of quiet solitude with plenty of time to gaze forlornly into space and contemplate society's ills. Unfortunately, he is destined to spend his days surrounded by felines of a significantly lower IQ. There is Janet, a large man cat who often accidentally sets fire to his tail by walking too close to lighted candles; Ralph, a preening tabby who enjoys meowing his own name at 5AM; and Shipley, Ralph's brother, who steals soup but is generally relaxed once you pick him up and turn him upside down. And then there's Tom Cox, writing with wit and charm about the unexpected adventures that go hand-in-hand with a life at the beck and call of four cats. "Certain to have you in stitches." — The Daily Mail (UK) "Tom Cox loves cats and he's not afraid to show it." —Vicky Halls, author of Cat Confidential "Tom Cox is a very funny cat addict. I laughed out loud." —Celia Haddon, author of Cats Behaving Badly