Cover Image: Tiny But Mighty

Tiny But Mighty

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

First, I just have to say that I love Kitten Lady! I've been following her on social media for years and what she does is beyond amazing. This book is a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to help with kitten rescue in their community. Hannah has been through it ALL, and I 100% trust her expertise.

Was this review helpful?

Hannah Shaw (aka "The Kitten Lady") has dedicated her life to saving the youngest of cats and she wrote this book to be a wonderful resource for others wanting to do the same! It is jam-packed with great information about all aspects of fostering cats and how everyone can find a way to help while also sharing some adorable kitten photos and stories of her best rescues!

Was this review helpful?

This was a lovely book about the incredible work being done to rescue and save the lives of kittens.

Was this review helpful?

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for possibly writing a review.

I heard Hannah Shaw talking about this book on the podcast, Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, shortly after helping foster some kittens myself. Just from her story, I knew I needed this book in my life. It was serendipity that the publisher selected me to read it because I now get to spread Hannah's message about the importance of fostering and adopting.

Over 800,000 shelter cats are euthanized every year because they weren't adopted. What you might not know is the majority of euthanized shelter animals are kittens under 8 weeks old because shelters don't have the capacity to deal with unweaned animals. If they don't have foster parents lined up to assist, the kittens are often euthanized immediately after surrender. It all comes down to resources, something all shelters struggle with.

Like Hannah, I want to live in a world where no animal has to die because a shelter lacks resources. That's why her book is so important. She talks about the issues surrounding "unadoptable" cats and kittens in a very accessible way and provides practical suggestions that anyone can undertake. Whether you are interested in Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR), fostering, or just wondering what to do with that kitten you found outside on its own, Hannah has all the details. I really appreciated the checklists of what you need and the detailed descriptions of the various stages of kittenhood. You don't need to create a full-blown neonatal kitten unit in your home to foster kittens. Hannah makes the process much less intimidating.

While the book is very comprehensive, there are also true stories of her adventures with kittens and cats and the most adorable pictures. It is very uplifting and inspiring. If you like cats, get this book and think about how you can help create a world where no cat or kitten has to be euthanized.

Was this review helpful?

Tiny But Mighty is an excellent resource for cat lovers who are also interested in helping cats and kittens in need in their community. Author and feline advocate Hannah Shaw shares her experience and expertise in animal rescue to assist others in this role. Cat fans in general will also enjoy the beautiful photographs, recounted experiences, and learning more about how to keep their feline friends happy and healthy.

Was this review helpful?

I will admit, reading non-fiction books are normally not in my wheelhouse, but when the subject matter is about kittens, my heart tends to turn to jelly.
This book, written by Hannah Shaw, AKA Kitten Lady, is a concise guide to caring for orphaned neo-natal kittens from birth up to 8 weeks old. The book covers everything you'd need to know from bottle feeding and cleaning up kittens to how to successfully prepare these kittens for their forever homes in adoption. "Goodbye is the goal."
She even includes about how to successfully TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) a community cat colony to ensure that the cycle of orphaned kittens ends.

Along the way, Hannah interweaves stories from her own experiences with the various kittens over the years, including her own cats, Coco and Eloise. My most favorite story of all was of Chloe, the kitten with the paralyzed hind legs.

Great read!!

#Netgalley #tinybutmighty #kittenlady #partner

Was this review helpful?

Who should read this book?
People who foster kittens/cats. Lots of great information for reference, plus encouragement and affirmation.
People who are considering fostering kittens/cats. Seems like everything a person needs to know is included.
People who like kittens/cats. Includes lots of beautiful photographs of adorable felines.
People who have stray kittens/cats in their neighborhood or near where they work, attend school, or spend time. Just in case they ever find themselves rescuing a pregnant stray or abandoned kitten.

Shaw writes in a conversational, informative, and non-judgmental style that inspires and uplifts. Her passion for saving the most vulnerable feline population is clear as she shares her knowledge and experiences. Absolutely recommended for any of the above-listed readers and more.

Was this review helpful?

While I did find this book to be overly optimistic and idealistic, the general information contained is solid and a wonderful resource. Having been involved in animal rescue and care in various ways for many decades I admire the dedicated and hardworking people who sacrifice so much for their dreams of doing good and making the world a better place.
This book does touch on some of the difficulties and non-successes a would-be rescuer will come across, but the purpose of the book is to aid and provide resources which have and can be difficult to find when needed.
This is a great resource that should be kept for and shared with any group of volunteers working with cats and kittens of all ages.

Was this review helpful?

I have been following the Kitten Lady on Instagram for a year or two now. Even though I don't foster kittens (yet), I have watched a bunch of her YouTube videos about taking care of kittens, because they are adorable (and educational). Even though I have always been a cat lover, she is a big part of why I started volunteering with a local rescue, and I have learned so much from her.

Although this book would be totally awesome if it only contained the adorable cat pictures that are in it, it also contains a ton of information about animal advocacy, taking care of tiny kittens, fostering, adoption, TNR, and tons of other topics related to kittens. There is even a section on self-care and compassion fatigue. My point, there is something for everyone... even if you don't li

I had already learned so much just by following the Kitten Lady's Instagram and watching her YouTube videos, so when I heard about this book, I knew I HAD to get a copy!

This book was everything I expected and more. It gives so much great information, as well as heartwarming stories of past foster babies, many of whom I follow on Instagram, and of course TONS of cute kitten pictures, many photographed by Hannah or her fiance, Andrew Marttila (aka @iamthecatphotographer).

Whether you currently foster kittens, think you might like to try fostering at some point, current help with cat rescue in any way or are interested in learning more about it, or if you just like cats, this book is a must-read. I guarantee you will learn a lot and come away smiling (after laughing and crying a bunch).

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book!

Was this review helpful?

First I want to say I wish I could give this book rating more than 5 stars. Shaw is an expert on kitten welfare. She lays out the book beautifully starting on how she started, statics information, how to care for a new born kitten, and how to advocate. An added bonus is all the cute kitten photos.

Was this review helpful?

Hannah Shaw is an expert when it comes to kitten care, and it shows. Her book is chock-full of helpful information. She's honest about what has and hasn't worked in her experience and is detailed about how and what to do when.
Her book is clean, pretty, and easy to read. I know people will pick up this book just to look at the adorable kitten photos and will be drawn in by her stories and conversational style.
All in all, a great book that I'm sure will change a lot of lives!

Was this review helpful?

Ahhh, this was all I expected it to be and much, much more! Aside from the plethora of adorable kitten photos, this book is packed with useful information for the new (and not so new) kitten rescuer. I've only fostered one kitten so far and she was about 4 weeks old when she was dropped off at the local shelter and went into foster (now a permanent resident running the house) with me so I don't have experience with bottle babies yet. With this book (along with Shaw's videos) as a resource, I would feel much more comfortable fostering younger kittens in the future. I'll definitely be mentioning this book to the foster coordinator to hopefully share with those volunteering as fosters. The is also very helpful information about TNR (trap neuter release) which is an important part of decreasing the number of kittens in need. Not ready to foster? Shaw includes a list of other ways to help. Shaw has done a wonderful job here of providing the information needed in a caring and yet very honest manner and discusses the harder parts of fostering. Fostering isn't all milk mustaches and tiny purring fuzzballs, but it's all worth it.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Princess Fuzzypants here: This first paw account of a kitten rescuer and advocate tells the truth. Sometimes the truth is hard to take. The fact that those adorable little balls of fluff called kittens are still the most vulnerable members of the feline society for several reasons. First off, they are small with great needs and little resources. If a neonatal kitten enters a shelter, the limited resources are not going to be used up on their care, even if those in the shelters knew how to save them. Ms Shaw looks at the issues in a compassionate but realistic light.
She understands the shelter workers who are in put into this position do not want to kill a kitten or any cat. Lack of money and an overwhelming ignorance on sterilization both of domestic and community cats exacerbates the problem. Until there is a multi-pronged solution, there will be cats at risk.
This is a lady who puts her money and her heart on the line. She has rescued so many kittens and consulted on so many risky endeavors, she deserves a medal- or at least for you to read her book.
Cat lover, or in my case cat, will learn much. This is a readable but enlightening tale. I am glad she wrote it.
It deserves five purrs and two paws up.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love Hannah Shaw! I follow her on Instagram and watch her YouTube videos. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to kittens and fostering! When I saw this book I was so excited and I’m so lucky I got an early copy to dive into. This books is an essential book for any cat lover or someone who is interested in fostering. I think she gives great tips and insights to any cat parent and her fostering tips are the best. You can’t learn from anyone better than Hannah Shaw. Her heart is so big and you can totally see that through this book and her fostering! Thank you for allowing me to read this and educate myself!

Was this review helpful?

If there was ever a book guaranteed to “meow” you, it is TINY BUT MIGHTY! How can one not fall in love with these darling fur balls — and with the kindhearted author too?

My goodness gracious does this precious book get to the me! The author, a professional kitten rescuer, animal advocate, humane educator, and popular Instagrammer @kittenxlady, has written THE manual on saving newborn kitties. She draws upon her work as founder of Orphan Kitten Club, a 501(c)3 charitable organization that provides rescue and adoption services to orphaned kittens in the San Diego area.

Shaw shows the threats to the lives of the most vulnerable felines, how to prevent overpopulation through spaying and neutering, how to deal with illness including finding the right vet, and how to ensure these tiniest lives find the best homes.

And she’ll woo you with personal rescue stories of kittens like Badger, Tidbit, Chloe, and Hank, with hundreds of the most heart-tugging kitten pics ever.

Anything less than a 5/5 would be a cat-astrophe, indeed this sweet book is purr-fect, so happily, enthusiastically, 5/5 it is!

Pub Date 06 Aug 2019.

Thanks to Hannah Shaw, PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TinyButMighty #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

This is written by kitten advocate Hannah Shaw, who really knows her stuff. It’s all laid out in this book for anyone interested in just learning about it or wanting to get into it totally. She’s so enthusiastic about saving the most vulnerable of rescue animals that it seems to rub off on some of those she comes into contact with. Along with being an advocate and a rescuer, she also educates others and founded a 501(c)3 charity called Orphan Kitten Club that provides rescue and adoption services for orphaned kittens in her area (San Diego.)

Her book is packed with information about animal welfare, instructional guides; tells where kittens are coming from that are ending up in the shelters and mostly being euthanized because of the lack of resources and facilities to care for their specialized needs. It also explains why they have such low chances of making it if removed and taken to your average shelter. The book is also filled with hundreds of adorable photos of kittens taken by Hannah’s partner, pro cat/kitten photographer Andrew Marttila. I fell in love with every one of the pics, starting from the very first, and I only fell harder as they went on.

Hannah shared how she got into becoming a kitten rescuer, her learning curve, and different situations she found herself in along the way. She even gave cute names to all of her rescues, based on the situation usually. As she got better, she wanted to try and branch out to help save even more kittens by getting more people doing what she was doing. and eventually reached out to offer info, getting more and more people involved, and sharing what she’d learned. There is everything from how to trap an outdoor cat/kitten to bottle feeding a young kitten, to how fast cats reproduce (avg. gestation 63 days; avg. litter is 5; can get pregnant as young as 4 months old) wow.

I liked this book a great deal. I was very impressed by the thoroughness of the author’s coverage of the topic albeit in a friendly, informative way that makes you interested in reading more. I learned so much about the subject that I never would have known otherwise, and I thought I knew a bit about rescues. This one aspect (kittens) was very eye-opening at how different it has to be handled, or risk a negative outcome. The book really is needed so the information can get out there and get more people involved in this serious issue.

I’m an animal lover, last month for my birthday when I renewed my tag, I got a special animal sterilization tag that my state has to show my feelings. I’d recommend this book for animal/cat/kitten lovers interested in learning more about saving kittens and/or about how they can help to cut down on the unwanted cat/kitten population which helps open up resources for other animals in need. And don’t forget all of those great kitten pictures. It’s well worth checking out the book just for those. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Hannah Shaw, and the publisher.

Was this review helpful?