The Cat Guru is a beautifully-written nonfiction account of the
author's adventures raising a family of ferral cats on an ashram in
India. Guru means teacher, and the book describes what the author
learned about the meaning of life from observing the cats and her neighbors. In the chapter "A Pile of Feathers", the mother cat brings a bird into Naina's living room to teach the kittens. Naina first watches in disgust as the kittens play with the bird and devour it on her living room floor; then she realizes the cats are simply doing what is good and natural for them. It is not a children's book. Naina reveals the ashram to be a microcosm of the world with some of the same insensitive bureaucrats as anywhere else. The book includes color photos of the cat family, starting with the birth of the kittens.

The Cat Guru is a wonderful parallel story of development. The book is not only about cats but also about human growth. I found the story to be deep, intimate, touching, and sometimes funny. I really could not put the book down. I became very involved with the cat family. Throughout the book you get a glance into the East Indian culture. If you didn't like cats before you read this book, you might start thinking about them after you are finished. I will never forget Maya. I really loved the book!