Cat Tale

The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther

By: Craig Pittman

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's Summary

“Craig Pittman has a remarkable talent for telling stories set in the Sunshine State that never fail to fascinate and entertain. Sure, Cat Tale has plenty of laughs and Florida weirdness, but Pittman has written a truly inspirational story about the panther’s brush with extinction, and the human beings who were determined to save the species. You won’t be able to put Cat Tale down.” (Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Devil in the Grove) 

It wasn’t so long ago when a lot of people thought the Florida panther was extinct. They were very nearly right. That the panther still exists at all is a miracle - the result of a desperate experiment that led to the most remarkable comeback in the history of the Endangered Species Act. And no one has told the whole story - until now.

With novelistic detail and an eye for the absurd, Craig Pittman recounts the extraordinary story of the people who brought the panther back from the brink of extinction, the ones who nearly pushed the species over the edge, and the cats that were caught in the middle. This being Florida, there’s more than a little weirdness, too.

An engrossing narrative of wry humor, sharp writing, and exhaustive reportage, Cat Tale shows what it takes to bring one species back and what unexpected costs such a decision brings.

©2020 Craig Pittman (P)2020 Harlequin Audio

Cautionary tale

I very nearly skipped downloading this title because I thought I already knew most of “the story” but this work has far more information than I ever gleaned from earlier articles and books. Every person who owns property in Florida or loves wildlife or even just vacations in Florida needs to read this book, and then join any or all of the groups trying to “save” what remains of wild Florida before it’s paved over.

Superb

Fascinating insight into the history of an endangered species, exploitation of irreplaceable natural resources, and political corruption. It’s a must-read for those interested in Florida and as a microcosm of abject scientific and government failure in the face of unfettered expansion and sprawl. All my thanks to Mr. Pittman and the heroes depicted in this book.

Daily deal snag

But had I known the book was out there, I would have paid full price. Not a born Floridian but am in Key Largo as often as I can be. I have heard bits and pieces of this story from locals.

Locals have a tendency to "over tell" local lore/gossip, what shocked me after listening to this is the fact they didn't over tell it, in fact if anything none of them had as much info about this mess as one should have when it happens in your back yard.

Floridian or not this is a good listen for the education in how egos, money and politics can send things in very bad directions.

Narration is great and he nails local names! Don't know if he is from FL or just did the DD to get it right. As someone who gets beyond annoyed by narrators who can't get names of places pronounced right, I was very happy!

Such a pleasant surprise!

I purchased this book only because it was offered as a daily deal and I didn't really expect much. Boy, was I surprised. I found myself captivated by this saga. This true story was masterfully told by bringing in the personalities involved through the decades long effort to save the Florida panther.

I highly recommend this book!

Glad I Got this Book

Cat Tale is not my typical genre. I like detective, crime and murder mysteries. But I got Cat Tales in the 2 for 1 sale and so glad I did. Very interesting and it kept me entertained for the entire 9 hours.

Greed versus nature.

Very interesting puzzle and invasion of natural habitat for the Florida Puma through the years. The true story from the perspective of the scientists, trackers and veterinarians who obviously cared about their eminent extinction.

Well written!

Author does a great job of explaining the complexity of the competing interests that have impeded Florida panther conservation. There are a mix of interesting personalities and he brings them to life. Very enjoyable, if sad, listen regarding the state of Federal conservation efforts for an endangered species.

Inspiring story how some humans saved an animal species

As a resident of Collier County I am familiar with many of the locations mentioned in the book. Each year we hear of more panthers being killed on the highways. I hope the panther survives and humans learn to accept their presence.

The dedication and courage of the panther rescue team stand in contrast to abdication of responsibility by government overseers and greed of land owners. This also shows how elected leaders are often quick to exercise influence with government agencies to please rich contributors. I am shocked at the dereliction of duty by some of the officials mentioned, and the intellectual fraud demonstrated by an expert.

Cat Tale good for long rides

Cat Tale had a very good message with inside info about the political story on the Florida panther. but this was a strange way to deliver. just a leap from subject to subject

Amazing but Infuriating

This book was amazing and completely captivating. I couldn't stop listening but wow are the details infuriating! how were so many parts of the Panther project screwed up and the amount of feet dragging could make you pull out your hair.