Do cats have ESP? One man wondered why the family cat went to the door to greet his wife exactly five minutes before she got home every day. The couple lived several floors up in an apartment building, and the wife got home at different times of day. An animal behaviorist finally worked out that the small feline could hear its mistress greet the elevator operator all the way down on the ground floor as she stepped onto the elevator. This and other fascinating insights appear in Temple Grandin’s Animals in Translation, co-authored with Catherine Johnson. Grandin’s theory is that animals have a unique intelligence that is hard for ordinary humans to appreciate. But not so hard for Grandin. She is autistic, and she believes the autistic human mind with its simpler emotions and more diffuse observations of the world is closer to the animal brain. As a teenager, Grandin was already taking cues from animals on how to deal with her problems. Observing livestock go through a squeeze chute which calmed them during inoculations, Grandin built a squeeze chute for her own use, and it helped quiet her nerves during severe anxiety attacks. Later, Grandin used her empathy with animals to design more humane slaughter facilities for meat-packing plants. She sees these plants from the cattle’s point of view the terrifying chain, the troubling reflection and too-dark corridor and points out the problems, with amazing results.

Grandin says the normal human mind screens out a lot of its landscape. We see what we’re looking for, while animals and autistics process reality more indiscriminately, fixating on something the ordinary human doesn’t even notice. Grandin writes, for instance, about being riveted by computer screen savers. Grandin’s book, written for the non-scientist, will appeal to anyone with an interest in animals from pet owners to ranchers to animal rights activists. Her book has enormous implications. Not since Jane Goodall’s research on the chimpanzee’s use of tools has there been a book that so successfully challenges our definitions of what is human and what is animal.

I’ll admit it: when I first heard of an entire book devoted to a creature that is is, in America at least, often little more than the allergy-afflicted child’s pet of choice, I was dubious. But a few gorgeous, full-color pages later, Kingyo: The Artistry of Japanese Goldfish, had me hooked. As it turns out, these brightly colored pond-dwellers, which developed through a natural mutation of gibel carp, are far more than meets the eye. In Japan, where they’ve been sought-after pets since their introduction from China in 1502 and bred since the 1800s, goldfish have become a symbol of the culture. There’s a little bit of everything in this elegant, surprising book. Graphic designer Kazuya Takaoka and photographer Sachiko Kuru have compiled hundreds of images that show how influential the goldfish has been in Japanese art and design, appearing on everything from plates, cups and jewelry to children’s toys. Readers will marvel at the variety of colors, and yes, even shapes, of the many different breeds depicted in Kingyo. (The one shown above is the Ava Demekin, or “Red Telescope Eyes.”) As further proof of the power of the goldfish, Takaoka and Kuru have also included a poignant 1937 novella by Japanese author Kanoko Okamoto, “A Riot of Goldfish.” This magical tale follows Mataichi, a young goldfish breeder hopelessly in love with the daughter of one of his patrons. Unable to gain her affections, he sets his sights on developing a fish that matches her beauty. Kingyo is sure to fascinate both aquarium aficionados and readers with an interest in things Asian.

Mammals of North America is the latest entry in the Kaufman Focus Guides series, launched to much acclaim last year with Kenn Kaufman’s Birds of North America. This innovative nature series uses digitally enhanced photographs, rather than drawings, to help users identify each entry. The new guide, Mammals of North America, limits its scope to those wild mammals known to occur on our continent, and the result is a perfect gift for campers and avid outdoorsmen. With keys for recognizing every animal from the elk to the marmot, this user-friendly guide also includes a map of the area in which each animal is likely to live, as well as the size and appearance of the animals’ tracks. “For the most part, mammals are what we have in mind when we think about the thrill of seeing wild animals,” Kaufman writes. “Let a fox or deer cross the path, let even a chipmunk approach the group, and it will become the center of attention. The mammal trumps everything else.” Amy Scribner is a writer in Olympia, Washington.

What is it about sea turtles that make them so mysterious? Is it the laborious egg-laying process, in which thousands of females lumber up the beach to deposit their eggs? Is it their immense size? Their prehistoric roots? According to author James R. Spotila, the director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at Drexel University, it is all of this and more. In Sea Turtles, he writes, “The seven species alive today are ancient reptiles living dinosaurs if you will swimming through our oceans just as they did one hundred million years ago.” Sea Turtles is a compelling look at these ancient creatures, which can live for decades and reach weights of up to 2,000 pounds. Spotila traces the history and life cycle of the sea turtle, as well as efforts to preserve the seven species, many of which have been hunted to the brink of extinction. Sea Turtles profiles several individuals and programs aimed at saving the turtle. Beautiful color photos and lyrical writing make this book a must-have for any nature enthusiast on your gift list. Amy Scribner is a writer in Olympia, Washington.

If you’d rather walk on the wilder side, The Encyclopedia of Animals: A Complete Visual Guide chronicles all six animal groups, with special attention paid to conservation efforts for endangered species. Every page includes lush photos and fascinating facts that lend to hours of browsing. One quick flip through the pages reveals that bats can fly at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, and sperm whales have gullets large enough to swallow a human. A gorgeous guide to the animal world, The Encyclopedia of Animals is comprehensive enough to use as a reference, and lively enough for children and adults alike to page through just for fun. Amy Scribner is a writer in Olympia, Washington.

Okay, so maybe you don’t know anyone whose true pet passion is the pig. That should not deter you from picking up The Whole Hog: Exploring the Extraordinary Potential of Pigs, a lovely yes, lovely book from the Smithsonian Institution. This well-researched and beautifully illustrated volume is crammed with facts about pigs, from the domestic pink pig to more exotic varieties. Author Lyall Watson displays a charming enthusiasm for swine (his childhood pet was an orphaned warthog called Hoover in honor of his vast appetite), and the book is chock-full of his own pig anecdotes from decades as a zoologist.

Watson’s love of this highly intelligent animal is contagious. “There is something cryptic about them,” he writes, “a mystery waiting to be resolved, a sense of intellectual potential that will not be denied, no matter how hard some people try to relegate them to the farmyard as ignorant oinkers.’ ” Read this book and you’ll never look at bacon the same way again.

Amy Scribner is a writer in Olympia, Washington.

Those who aren’t enamored with hounds can pick up The Cat Fanciers’ Association Complete Cat Book, edited by pet expert Mordecai Siegal. In addition to tips on caring for cats, this book delves into detailed descriptions of various feline breeds, from the standard Siamese and Persian, to lesser-known cats such as the Javanese and the Scottish Fold.

The Complete Cat Book’s pictures and descriptions of various breeds reveal that cats are as varied in appearance and temperament as dogs. For example, the Selkirk Rex, a breed first found in Montana, sports a woolly, curly coat similar to that of a lamb. The Scottish Fold gets its name from its ears, which fold forward and downward.

The authors also devote ample space to describing the characteristics of a pedigreed cat and outlining the show process. This book is just right for the owner of any feline, whether it is show-quality or simply a beloved housecat.

Amy Scribner is a writer in Olympia, Washington.

We all know people who are completely, sometimes compulsively, devoted to their pooches. The ones who let the dog sleep under the covers with them and actually encourage those sloppy doggie kisses. For the dog lover in your life, Betsy Brevitz’s Hound Health is the go-to resource for keeping pups healthy and happy. It’s hard to imagine a canine question that isn’t addressed in this well-organized, comprehensive guide. It covers everything from choosing the right breed for your lifestyle to dealing with bad doggie breath to avoiding plants and foods that could be poisonous.

The book includes helpful illustrations explaining common procedures such as cleaning a dog’s ears or administering eyedrops. It also lists common ailments for different breeds and explains the symptoms and potential cost of such health problems. Hound Health takes the guesswork out of caring for any kind of dog.

Amy Scribner is a writer in Olympia, Washington.

Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery leads a quiet life in rural New Hampshire with her husband until the day they adopt Christopher the pig. Small enough to fit in a shoebox when the Montgomerys bring him home, Christopher is undernourished, the runt of a large litter. Remarkably smart, irresistibly charming, he fits right in on their eight-acre farm, befriending the neighbors, who bring him treats and help the Montgomerys nurse him back to health. The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood documents the friendship that develops between the author and this endearing animal. Explaining the appeal of her unusual pet, Montgomery writes, Everything about a pig makes people want to laugh out loud with joy: the way their lardy bulk can mince along gracefully on tiptoe hooves, the way their tails curl . . . their great, greedy delight in eating. Montgomery writes with skill and sensitivity about the challenges of caring for this formerly fragile animal, who now weighs a robust 750 pounds. Christopher has been profiled in USA Today and on National Public Radio, and Montgomery now shares his story in full in this unique and beautifully written memoir, already one of the most talked-about books of the summer.

Julie Hale tends to her dog Howdy in Waynesville, North Carolina.

<B>The Philosoher’s Dog</B> If your brow is high enough and your quest for a deeper understanding of the intricate bond between animal and human life is strong enough, <B>The Philosopher’s Dog: Friendships with Animals</B>by Raimond Gaita offers provocative insight. “The person who has rid himself of the need of others, who longs and grieves for no one, is not someone who is positioned to see things most clearly,” Gaita suggests, and he extends this need to include the love of animals. A professor of philosophy, Gaita uses what he calls a mix of “storytelling and philosophical reflections on the stories” to analyze mankind’s connection to animals. If you are as comfortable with quotes from Socrates and Kierkegaard as you are with tales of Jack the cockatoo and Gypsy the German Shepard, Gaita’s book offers both intellectual challenges and anecdotal treasures.