Hemingway's Cats

This biography follows Ernest Hemingway through his romantic relationships, his long stretches of loneliness, and the serious illnesses he faced. Throughout it, the author shows how the cats and dogs he took in gave him a steady source of comfort during hard times.

The book is illustrated with photographs and portrays Hemingway in many roles: lover, husband, father, hunter, angler, writer, and devoted owner of numerous animals. It presents a gentler man than the tough public persona he helped build, one that family and close friends knew well, and it suggests that the public image was partly invented.

Hemingway is most often linked with Key West, where many polydactyl cats are still associated with his name. The author also describes his home on a hilltop in Cuba, where he kept fifty-seven cats and five dogs on the grounds. Hemingway wrote about how the animals gathered in large numbers at feeding time, and he regarded them as affectionate creatures that took in his love and gave comfort back.