Cum să domesticești un om

Cats teach their owners how to act in this comic guide. Barbara Capponi wrote it under the name Babas. It takes the cat’s side in its bond with humans. It shows cats how to choose, charm and teach a human. The book is for those who love cats. They may have cats now or hope to keep them. Its jokes explore the bond between people and pets.

The book has five parts, with cats in charge. The first looks at humans through a cat’s eyes. It studies their looks, habits, food and work. It also traces the past that cats and people share. Cat worship and customs lead to lessons on taking over homes. Part two shows how cats use looks and displays to charm people. Part three sees the home as the cat’s turf. It looks at its comforts, flaws and shared spaces.

Part four turns to hunger and ways to get more food. It covers how humans speak and give rewards. It also looks at travel and children. The last part probes human habits that puzzle or annoy cats. These include too much kissing and picking cats up. They also include clearing away cats’ waste and neutering them. It looks at life with other cats and dogs. It also covers rodents, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The jokes show a bond that helps both sides. Cats and humans seek care and love despite their clashes.

Andrea Ferolla drew the art for the book. Capponi draws on life with her cats Leopoldino and Căpitanul Fracassa. She also draws on her past cats, Pimlico and Bobo. She is a visual artist from Milan and lives in Rome. She draws, writes, sculpts and takes photos. She also makes retablos, small scenes with titles and depth. This art form has roots in Mexican craft.

She once worked in ads for firms across the world. She held both art director and creative director roles. She then turned to art full time. Her work included Carletto, a chameleon character. She worked on campaigns for Amnesty International and Lipu. Her art joins poetry and humour with themes of nature. It explores the mind and the unknown, too. Other themes include small and vast worlds, beauty and cruelty.