How to Teach Your Cat a Trick in Five Easy Lessons

How to Teach Your Cat a Trick is a lovely instructional tale written by Nicola Winstanley and illustrated by Zoe Si. If you are hoping to teach your feline some tricks on command, look no further – this book is a step-by-step guide to get you there (or not), featuring Einstein the cat and his owner. First, readers are admonished to figure out what their cat can already do – “Can your cat sit?” (p. 6). Unfortunately, cats may not listen. “That’s not sitting,” Einstein’s owner tells him after giving him the command (p. 8). Secondly, readers are advised to “decide on a trick and get some treats ready” (p. 15) and, finally, to “hold the treat in your hand and ask your cat to lie down” (p. 19). This may need to be repeated in step four (p. 21), or perhaps a completely different approach must be taken – cats, after all, tend not to listen very well.

Zoe Si’s illustrations are reminiscent of a simple graphic novel or comic, and they tell a story within the story; audiences will love seeing how Noodles the dog reacts to his owner trying to train Einstein. The images are sharp, detailed, and full of emotion. One can really sense the frustration and chaos that goes on while attempting to train a cat.

Nicola Winstanley’s How to Teach Your Cat a Trick is a funny, sweet story that highlights what all cat owners know: cats will do what they want, when they want. Winstanley also authored How To Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps.