Russian Blue (cat) Enzo loves his life in his home with his owners and Boy #1, #2 and #3. The youngest, Boy #3, is often a challenge to escape from as he likes pulling Enzo’s tail, fur and ears, but Enzo is a clever cat and can usually avoid him. There are other noisy, scary things in the house, but nothing like he is about to experience.

It all begins with a man putting a hole in their back door. Soon Enzo realises it’s a small door. In fact, a cat door, just for him. Trial and error and loss of patience from his lady owner, finally shows Enzo how to use it, and that’s when things go a little crazy.

Looking through the clear cat door, Enzo doesn’t see his own backyard. It’s a completely different landscape altogether. There’s a river flowing right outside and a giant bear on the other side! No way is he going out that little door.

Soon after, there is no other place to hide from Boy #3, and Enzo has his first adventure. His cat door is a portal to other countries around the world, and it is different every time he goes through it. He is not the only cat experiencing this wonder, but learns each cat who meets in these places is part of an important mission.

They must defeat the evil Professor Olga Stone. She is also a chef keen to open her own specialty restaurant, with exotic and endangered animals and birds on her menu. She must be stopped, and recruit Enzo is in training to be on the sabotage team.

There are many stories with people finding portals, but Journey through the Cat Door‘s imaginative premise gives these adventures to a regular house cat. Enzo is a likeable puss showing the reader his world through his eyes, then taking them on his adventures. Things don’t go to plan a lot of the time for Enzo, but he muddles through trying to prove himself to his new friends.

The evil Professor Olga Stone has a truly terrible master plan, making her the perfect villain in this book for middle-grade readers.

Scattered through the book are line sketch illustrations of Enzo on his adventures as he becomes the special agent he’s longing to be. Animal lovers and pet owners alike might just see cats in a different light after meeting Enzo.

Author – Belinda O’Keefe

Illustrator – Monica Koster

Age – 10+

(2022, Bateman Books, Animals, Cats, Action, Danger, Courage, Proving yourself, House cat, Secret Mission, Technology, Hyenas, Chef, Exotic Animals, Crime, Bully, Portal)