Malcolm and Me: Life in the Litterbox

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Cats come in three basic personality types: Princess Di, Madonna, and
Hulk Hogan. Malcolm is clearly a Hulk Hogan type, a battered tom with a
sailor’s gait and an attitude problem when it comes to litterbox
protocol. A trip to the vet years ago ended his active interest in the
neighborhood Madonnas.

Malcolm’s achievements include eating everything he can scrounge,
stealing chicken bones from the garbage, fighting to protect his
territory, sleeping, responding to the sound of an electric can opener,
showing the local Lady Di who’s boss, and keeping vigil at a chipmunk
hole. These are sufficient to provide considerable entertainment and
amusement for his owner, who is bemused at the role he has been assigned
by Malcolm and amazed at how fond he is of this four-legged dictator.

The book’s humor comes from both the activities described and
Thomas’s writing style. In general, the humor works well and the book
will generate quite a few smiles. However, there isn’t quite enough
choice material here, and the sidetracks slipped in as padding can be
tedious and weaken the work.

The greatest source of appeal for the book is that Malcolm has so much
in common with all cats. Anyone who has ever lived with a cat will
recognize at least some of Malcolm’s attitudes and behaviors. And
while the reader’s cat is certain to have something in common with
Malcolm, the reader, like the author, is probably deeply (maybe
secretly) fond of the furry critter.

A light, appealing gift book.