Featured Animal of the Week

 In an attempt to be a better balker and because of the fact that I really like this platform so much more than kinja, I am introducing an occasional (maybe weekly) feature called featured animal of the week where I will outline one great animal and their accomplishments.  Today's featured animal is Baba the Cat who is featured on Smithsonian magazines website. Baba is the narrator of Paul Kondounaris's book "A Cat's Tale: A Journey through Feline History" which can be found as an ebook here and probably a nice gift for your local balker.  Baba narrates this walk through history and demonstrates his sartorial flourish through his historical costuming. Baba shows us all the historians and travelers can come from humble beginnings (a local shelter) and achieve great heights.  This sweeping view of history starts in prehistory and ancient Egypt, continuing through Asia cat migration, the Roman Empire, the Age of Navigation and ends in our present day. Baba should truly be considered among the greats.  Like he's the Mary Beard of cats. Or maybe Mary Beard is the Baba of Humans. 

An excerpt:

Those of you who see us as meek little creatures shall find that notion dispelled in no uncertain terms within these pages. I will introduce you to cats who have not just traveled the globe, but traveled all the way into space (so much for not letting the cat out, eh?); others who have stood fast during the world’s great conflicts, choosing sides among the armies of man, and earning for themselves medals of valor; and still other cats whose exploits garnered great adulation. Why, in honor of Trim, who sailed the Seven Seas in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and is remembered as the world’s most famous maritime cat, there have beenerected four statues. How many of even the most heroic humans can match that?

Koudounaris, Dr. Paul; Cat, Baba the. A Cat's Tale (p. xvi). Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.