Rate that pussy (Sorry I could not help myself)
How to Rate a Cat: Rate Any Feline Friend from Their Boopable Nose to Their Sweet Toe Beans (2025): 7 out of 10: In this illustrated collection veterinarian and social media personality Matthew McGlasson invites readers into the whimsical world of feline appraisal. Drawing from his viral videos, McGlasson introduces the Cat Rating System (CRS), a playful framework that scores cats on various physical and behavioral traits. Importantly, in this affectionate system, no cat receives a score below 10, ensuring every feline is celebrated for its unique charm.
The book features 60 real-life cats, each evaluated on attributes like “peets” (paws), “chonkiness,” “floofiness,” “catitude,” and “purrsonality.” McGlasson’s commentary accompanies each profile, offering insights into the quirks and endearing behaviors that make each cat special. The evaluations are complemented by nice, if simple, illustrations.
Structured into sections covering kittens, adults, seniors, and fighters (Which are cats who have overcome significant challenges) the book offers a comprehensive look at the feline lifecycle. The “fighters” section, in particular, highlights the resilience and spirit of cats with special needs or those who have faced adversity.
Overall, How to Rate a Cat is a heartfelt and humorous tribute to cats in all their forms. McGlasson’s blend of veterinary expertise and playful narration makes this book an enjoyable read in little chunks.
The Good
The Good: I am a cat person. Thanks to two hurricanes last year and some subsequently rescued kittens, I am more of a cat dad than I ever intended to be.
I really appreciate that the book includes cats that have had challenges, including a tripod. I have a tripod girl that was rescued last year from a sewer and she is both a fighter and a sweetheart. I often roll my eyes at cries for representation in media but I confess I found it emotional to see representation here. Maybe this book will go a little way to make me a better person.
The Bad
The Bad: I was surprised that How to Rate a Cat was not a larger book. Physically, I mean. It is only 5.8 by 7.8 inches. This kind of book would be better suited for a larger picture book/ coffee-table book size. Particularly considering it really is suited as a gift item.
The stories are sweet, but it really is just what it says on the tin. A brief paragraph about a cat, a nice illustration of the same and the ratings. Repeat about 60 times. This kind of thing works better in one of those once a day cat calenders.
The Ugly
The Ugly: My poor kitty Lara was not happy with her chonkiness rating (I rated her Big Buddy not even the highest rating which is Oh Lawd They Comin’)
In Conclusion
In Conclusion: I got this as an Easter gift for a very specific person. A person who every Christmas gets a cat a day calender from me. If you have a person like that in your life, it is a pretty solid gift.