The City of Lost Cats - by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A stubborn young girl named Fiona stumbles upon an abandoned house full of stray cats, just as it is threatened by a demolition team, a leadership crisis, and two potentially malicious parakeets. Can Fiona save the house and all its inhabitants?"--

Book Synopsis

A stubborn young girl named Fiona stumbles upon an abandoned house full of stray cats, just as it is threatened by a demolition team, a leadership crisis, and two potentially malicious parakeets. Can Fiona save the house and all its inhabitants? A new middle-grade novel by critically acclaimed author Tanya Lloyd Kyi.

When Fiona wanders into an abandoned mansion down by the harbor, she discovers the house is full of stray cats (and two chaotic parakeets). Fiona feels a great deal of sympathy for the animals; she understands what it's like to need a safe home. Ever since her parents died, she's been struggling to adjust to the tiny apartment where she and her Aunt Tanis now live. And Aunt Tanis has little time to spare for Fiona, between her job at The Municipal Hall and her horrible, hair-gelled boyfriend.

When the mansion is threatened by a demolition team, Fiona is determined to save "The City" and its residents. But the cats have their own priorities. Cot (short for Cottonball Fluffikins Magnificent III, a name he refuses to acknowledge) has lived in the mansion for two years and is the self-proclaimed king. He's convinced the demolition effort has been organized by the recently arrived parakeets. Those birds have got to go!

Cot's feline rival, Piper, is sure she can intimidate the demolition team and force them to leave, if Fiona will simply stay out of her way. And the parakeets . . . well, the parakeets just want to go home.

As the demolition team begins tearing down the house next door, Fiona looks for any help she can find -- at the library, the butcher shop, and even at The Municipal Hall. Can the efforts of one small girl and an assortment of animals stop a luxury condo development? Can they create something better in its place?

It's going to take some quick thinking on the part of Fiona, not to mention the cooperation of all the cats, to give The City a future.

Review Quotes

One of CBC Books' 20 Canadian children's books to read this summer (2025)

PRAISE FOR The City of Lost Cats

"A gratifying, bighearted tale about community, belonging, and cats." --Kirkus Reviews

"Kyi offers a timely tale, told from a variety of intersecting perspectives, that blends heart and humor with sharp social insight. . . . The story's structure--plus the incorporation of news bulletins, whimsical commentary in verse, and community calls to action--make it an irresistible read for cat lovers. . . . a layered portrait of a girl discovering her voice in a noisy world; readers will likely find her wishes for independence and connection deeply relatable." --The Horn Book

"Fiona's fervent and compassionate narration alternates with chapters told from the POVs of the delightful felines, verse-spouting parakeets, and a pure-hearted demolitionist, making for a rounded, nuanced story. Themes of agency and community activism inject this endearing tale of misfits with infectious hope." --Publishers Weekly

"Kyi portrays Fiona's emotional state and the cats' signature qualities (from neediness to aloof independence) with equal sensitivity in this appealing story, which reveals some surprises as the action unfolds." --Booklist

"This ambitious multigenre novel provides enough twists to keep readers engaged and wondering how all the distinct elements will come together in resolution." --School Library Journal

"This middle grade novel builds momentum and creates a strong sense of urgency with perspectives shifting among cats and humans, as well as inserts of lost pet flyers, online news articles advocating for affordable housing, and suspicious town hall messages. . . . Fans of the community-driven action in Escabasse's Taxi Ghost will be captivated by Fiona's ambitious nature and self-sufficiency, which inspire her neighbors in butcher shops, libraries, and even on the demolition team, to unite for the things they believe in." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

TANYA LLOYD KYI is the author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. She grew up with a racoon-sized tortoiseshell cat named D.C. (for Darn Cat), who would have felt right at home in The City. Tanya has worked in the past as a graphic designer, an editor and a dishwasher. (She considers herself entirely qualified for that last one.) Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is cheese and her favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. When she's not telling cat tales, Tanya teaches at the UBC School of Creative Writing in Vancouver, BC.