The Secret Lives of Dogs and Cats

I was recently reading a book by Bruce Cameron, called A Dog's Way Home.  It was written in the first person; a dog is narrating the story, from her fugitive puppyhood, through a painful, incomprehensible separation, to her joyful reunion with her 'person', or rather people. Cameron does a wonderful job of writing in such a way that the humans talk among themselves with all the complex language, of which the dog picks up only a very few elements, and showing why the dog does understand some parts of the conversation--- principally single words, or short phrases--- and why she is confused by the rest.  Dog lovers should read this book, especially teens and tweens, because dogs understand both more, and less, than we believe.  At least, according to Cameron; I think he's right, just based on the consistency of his text. 

Among the cute and fascinating aspects of the story (Spoiler alert!!!) are the dog's relationship to cats!   When she was a newborn pup, she was nursed by a sweet mother cat, in the crawlspace under a trailer home, along with her numerous kittens, and various humans try to feed them, and others try to get them out of there, and so on.  The kittens were her playfellows, and they would indulge in play wrestling together.  Eventually, the dog is sort of adopted by a human. 

But dogs are not allowed in this human's apartment building, and out of desperation, the dog is left with a couple some 400 miles away.  But the dog pines after her person, and knows roughly where her human is, so she sets out to get back, through towns, and wilderness.  When she is about halfway back, she witnesses the (illegal) shooting of a cougar female.  She fearfully stays hidden and escapes, but soon realizes that she's being followed by another cougar.  But this is a juvenile, and also a female. 

Now, she is already familiar with kittens, having grown up with them.  But when she is finally approached by the cougar kit, she sees that it's a huge baby, so she calls it the Big Kitten.  For me, this is the central piece of excitement in the whole book!  The dog (Bella) and Big Kitten hang out together for weeks, or months.  Bella wants to head for home, but Big Kitten is a good hunter (rabbits and such) and they share their food, so they stick together, though sometimes Big Kitten wants to go in the exact wrong direction, and does not want to go near humans at all. 

Bella is a large dog, often mistaken for a large Pittie, and initially Bella finds herself protecting the kitten, and foraging for her.  But they're temporarily separated, and when they're reunited, Big Kitten has grown huge, and she chases off a pack of coyotes that had trapped Bella.  She's also more in charge.  Soon Bella thinks it's time to part. 

All in all, I think it's a fine book.  I got it from a library, and I wish authors got some royalties from when their books are borrowed.  Two thumbs up. 

Kay Hemlock Brown