The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture

by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Paper Book, 1994

Status

Available

Call number

599.74428

Publication

Simon & Schuster (1994), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 240 pages

Description

From the majestic Bengal tiger to the domesticated Siamese comes a meditation on cats from the bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Dogs and The Social Lives of Dogs  From as far back in time as the disappearance of the dinosaurs, cats have occupied an important place in our evolutionary, social, and cultural history. The family of the cat is as diverse as it is widespread, ranging from the lions, tigers, and pumas of the African and Asian wilds to the domesticated cats of our homes, zoos, and circuses.   When she witnesses her housecat, Rajah, effortlessly scare off two fully-grown deer, acclaimed anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas starts studying the links that bind the feline family together. Immersing herself in the subtle differences of their social orders, feeding behaviors, and means of communication, Thomas explores the nature of the cat, both wild and domestic, and the resilient streak that has ensured its survival over thousands of years.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member sjstuart
Insightful. Very anecdotal, so needs to be read through a filter at times. But the author has a wealth of fascinating anecdotes, and is a remarkable observer.
LibraryThing member TheDancingGoats
Do you live with the Feline tribe? Ever wonder why they do nutty stuff that seems to be without meaning?
After reading EMT's wonderful overview of the big cats, the little cats will make a lot more sense...I saw
Roy Horn's big Siberian lunge at a mother and child at the secret garden...Good thing the
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little cats know their place...
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
3.75 stars

This book looks at cat behavior, including big and small cats. There is also an extensive section on lions and their culture. There are a lot of anecdotes included in the book.

I quite liked this. Found it interesting, and there were some very nice illustrations. One thing that bothered me
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was her referring to mates as “husbands” and “wives”, though.
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Language

Original publication date

1994

Physical description

240 p.; 8.5 inches

ISBN

0671799657 / 9780671799656
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