Reservoir Cats: True Stories and Cat's Eye Views from Squirt

Reservoir Cats: True Stories and Cat's Eye Views from Squirt by Penel Ashworth is the kind of book that you wish you’d written yourself (note to self: make sure when I complete Ollie’s Diaries that they are at least on par with Squirt’s Scribblings!)

Squirt is an eccentric Somali cat living in rural Aberdeenshire, in Scotland and he writes about his daily life and adventures with great insight. He makes some very profound observations on the people and other animals around him which are hilarious. I laughed out loud at many of his ‘Squirtisms’ – particularly when he got his own back on ‘Box Man’ (the vet who stole his manly bits).

In the foreword, Squirt suggests the reader might want to imagine him ‘speaking’ the words he’s written and in that case, you’ll need to give him a voice. I quote: ‘It’s your choice of course, but since I’m a Scot, and a well bred one at that, how about the voice of Sir Sean Connery? It’s just a suggestion and I daresay he would consider it a great honour.’ So armed with Sir Sean’s deep sexy James Bond voice in my head reading about Squirt’s adventures took on a whole new meaning. And, to be honest, I can’t think of anyone else’s voice I’d rather hear – maybe Ewan Macgregor but definitely not Frankie Boyle!!

Reservoir Cats is Squirt’s own story of his life so far from birth, through growing up and into adulthood; diary extracts, profound philosophies, acute and hilarious observations of the world and some innovative if somewhat strange ideas. I particularly loved his chapter on Feline Feng Shui and hope my own cats don’t read this book and adopt his suggestions or I’ll be in huge trouble!

This book is available on Kindle and can be downloaded for a very small sum from Amazon. Do, please, give yourself an early Christmas treat and you won’t regret it. Every home needs a Squirt; he’s a lovable rogue and you can’t help falling in love with him.

Penel Ashworth has accomplished that rare feat: being able to get inside a cat’s head and understand their thinking. It’s a terrific book and I hope it comes out in paperback very soon because I really want an actual copy to hold in my hands – although, on second thoughts my cats, Sam and Casey could get their paws on it and get some ideas from Squirt’s teachings. At least they haven’t worked out how my Kindle works – not yet, at any rate.

I give this book 5*****

Interview with Squirt

Squirt's Scribblings (his new monthly column in the Mewsers' Mewsings section)

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