The Lion in the Living Room
By Abigail Tucker
How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World. Simon and Schuster, 2016.
Summary of The Lion in the Living Room book by Abigail Tucker
Examining the puzzling bond between humans and cats and uncovering surprising theories about how they became domesticated, why they have such influence over us, and the effects of their invasion on both pop culture and the planet.
Chapters in The Lion in the Living Room book summary
What do you get from this book? A startling inquiry into the profound impact of house cats on humans
The link between cats and humans is stronger than other domesticated animals, yet the reasons are mystifying
Ancient cats feasted on humans but also provided us with meat—allowing us to rival their brawn with our brains
Surpassing the odds, small wild cats took advantage of life near people at the beginning of civilization
Cats kind of resemble us, which may draw us to them—they don’t have much of a purpose for humans otherwise
Cats can carry diseases but it’s their predatory nature that threatens native animals in multiple places
Dominance quickly followed once house cats landed in a new area, yet there’s a movement to let them roam freely
A brain-burrowing parasite transmitted by cats could be responsible for brain alterations and mental health issues
House cats seem to be unhealthy for their owners, and our homes are not ideal living places for them
We need to make better environments for our pet cats, which are gradually being bred into unique variations
Computers offer the next wave of cat popularity, evidenced by the scores of images and memes that feature felines
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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The Lion in the Living Room — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Lion in the Living Room book
- evolutionists
- those interested in helping the environment
- anyone who is curious about the history and present status of cats
About the author of The Lion in the Living Room
Abigail Tucker
Abigail Tucker is a Smithsonian magazine correspondent as well as a New York Times bestselling author. Her writing can be found in the series of the Best American Science and Nature Writing. Besides The Lion in the Living Room, named by Forbes and the Library Journal as the Best Science Book of 2016, she has written Mom Genes, which explores the science behind maternal instinct.
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