Editorial Reviews
Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Section
Takeaway: Enchanting tale of a feral cat and love, redemption, and wisdom.
Comparable Titles: Gwen Cooper’s Homer’s Odyssey, Vicki Myron’s Dewey’s Nine Lives.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Part memoir, part spiritual self-help guide, life coach Wilson’s debut offers a profoundly emotional and sometimes heartbreaking foray into the healing power of one feral cat. After a gloomy divorce, Wilson moves to an adobe house in the idyllic heart of the Rio Grande Basin in New Mexico, living quietly and alone with her cats Deirdre, a protective ginger tabby, and gray Cochon, speechless and timid. She becomes friends with her neighbors, elderly Gus and Emma, who after 40 years still mourn the death of their teenage son; Diné (Navajo) teacher Jake; and generous physician turned veterinarian Doc Parsons. To give back to the community, Wilson invites the homeless and fractured to share Thanksgiving dinner. One Thanksgiving night in 1989, a large black feral cat shows up on her deck, scarred with a torn ear and enormous head. When she decides to feed it, her world of wonder, love, and optimism blossoms.
Wilson’s elegant words flow effortlessly, smooth and silky, whether she’s describing the vibrant colors of the New Mexico landscape or the ways the cat becomes a messenger of love and a catalyst for redemption. Named Michael Sabio (that’s Spanish for “wise”) Jordan, or MJ, for the basketball star’s feline gracefulness, the cat changes the lives of not only the small community, but of Deirdre and Cochon, coaxing shy Cochon out of his shell. Wilson weaves into the uplifting story nuggets of MJ-inspired wisdom: “All relationships take nurturin’ if they’re gonna survive” and “All living things change when they’re loved.”
Drawing on her personal experiences and observations from MJ’s positive influence, Wilson opens the minds of animal lovers, worriers, mourners, and dreamers. “In a world where proof is required to believe, I experienced the unbelievable,” she says. Gifts from a Feral Cat is a poignant and insightful healing journey that inspires.
Assessment of BookLife Prize Submission
Non-Fiction Category: Memoir / Autobiography
Gifts From a Feral Cat was submitted for the 2023 Non-Fiction BookLife Prize. Following is an extract from the reviewer’s evaluation. Winners to be announced in May 2024.
Plot/Idea [9.0]: Wilson presents an engaging and surprisingly true story of the bond between humans and animals, centered on her self-described “miraculous” experiences with a feral cat. The narrative will engross readers and capture hearts and minds alike.
Prose [10]: Gifts from a Feral Cat is refined and polished, reinforced by Wilson’s expressive, metaphoric prose. The writing carries readers into a magical world of hushed splendor and bucolic dreams, where animals and humans come together to spark miracles.
Originality [9]: This is a rare, heartwarming story that readers will drink in; its premise is distinct, and the feline protagonist makes this work truly stand out.
Character/Execution [10]: Wilson’s skill with characterization is all the more impressive given the narrative’s central lead is a cat. She does a beautiful job of merging reality with the unexpected, rendering an unforgettable narrative arc.
Overall: 9.50
Book review: ‘Gifts From a Feral Cat’
Best Friend’s Magazine | February 29, 2024 | By Sally Rosenthal
In this gentle and wise tale, a woman and her neighbors find their lives transformed by a senior cat in their small New Mexico community.
Books come my way. Many, many books come my way. That’s one of the joys of being a book reviewer; I am never at a loss for something to read. Each week, I receive new animal-themed novels; memoirs of lives lived well with a cherished cat, dog, and even occasionally donkey; or guides to coping with pet loss, separation anxiety, or multi-species households.
Although I don’t have to go looking for books to review, I do find myself — like other book lovers — sometimes searching the internet for yet one more book in the wee hours of the morning. That is how I came across Gifts From a Feral Cat: Lessons in Love, Loss, and Miracles by Tian Wilson. Not only did I find a deeply moving memoir to share with readers when I happened upon Tian’s book, but I also discovered — hands down — the best community cat story I have ever read.
Following a divorce, Tian, along with her two feline family members, relocated to a small, semi-rural community in New Mexico. Drawn by the landscape and underlying mysticism of the Southwest, the author settled into her new home unaware that a new feline would soon become one of her greatest teachers.
When an elderly, scraggly black cat appeared, Tian began feeding him, eventually bringing him as much as possible into the family fold. As she did so, she noticed a transformation in her house cats’ behavior, one of whom grew in stature and confidence through his association with MJ, as the new cat was named.
MJ’s positive effect, however, was not limited to his own species. Over the year chronicled in the book, Tian and her close-knit circle of neighbors and friends all came to realize profound changes in their lives brought about by their acquaintance with MJ.
To offer more details and to delve into the meaning of the memoir’s ending would spoil readers’ experience of this examination of how miracles can come from unlikely sources. I dare anyone to walk away after reading Gifts From a Feral Cat without being awestruck by the power of love and connection.
Copyright ©2022 by Tian Wilson.
Designed by C. Gundry.