THE CAT WHO COVERED THE WORLD: The Adventures of Henrietta and Her Foreign Correspondent

My inherent love for animals, especially cats and dogs was responsible for nodding my head to this enjoyable work by foreign correspondent, Christopher S.Wren. His intelligent manipulation of Henrietta, the grey Siamese cat and her adventurous lifestyle, in his trying but interesting travels, justifies Wren's seventeen year career as a foriegn correspondent and bureau chief for The New York Times in Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, Ottawa and Johannesberg. He has done justice both to his work as well as his long time constant companion, the lovable Henrietta. It is heart warming to know that the author’s exposure to the more disturbing side of life has not affected his sanity.

Given Wren’s initial reluctance for adopting cats, it is not surprising that the narration flows with an air of detachment. I suppose one can attribute it to his immediate instinct to report news rather than emotionally involve himself as an ordinary person, who loves to share his favourite pet-stories. Nevertheless, Wren’s affection for Henrietta is quite evident.

“The cat arrived with a bottle of Scotch…” the opening sentence made me sit-up and want to read about Henrietta’s life which, was far more colorful than my own. Well, she had the advantage of living with a nomadic family. And she used it well. Most often, even with the best opportunities, most of us fail to make the optimum use of a situation.

The author succumbs to an advertisement where a bottle of Scotch came with a kitten, and the timing was perfect. It is Christmas and a kitten seemed like the best gift for his children Celia and Chris, and a bottle of Scotch for his wife, a non-Scotch drinker, Jacqueline. That was the beginning of a beautiful but reluctant relationship between man and beast. In the course of his travels the author decides to send stories about Henrietta’s adventures to the Times that becomes a big hit with the Times readers and the bureau is inundated with calls and requests about the adventurous Siamese cat. In the end, even in her last moments, Henrietta leaves a message for the Wrens as well as for the human race. To quote Desmond Harris, former curator of animals at the London Zoo and author of Catlore, a study of feline behaviour: “If we feel sorry for the dying cat that cannot understand what is happening, we should remember that it has one enormous advantage over us. It has no fear of death, something that we humans must all carry with us throughout our long lives”.

The best advice that the author gets from one of Henrietta’s admirer’s who tells Wren, “Forget Russia, forget China. Write about your cat”. I thought that was a great thought. Sections of the book brought back good old memories that I shared with my Burmese cat, Tiger. He has been adopted and doing well, so I heard from my friend.

The book is thoroughly enjoyable; it is the kind of book that you would like to read on a lazy sunny Saturday. For those of you who are first time pet-adopters, you will be amazed at the lessons that your feline or K9 will teach you about life. An experience that none of you should miss.

Milaya Koshka, I miss you.

(Dear little cat, I miss you)