In this post, we’ll take a look at the best coffee table books for animal lovers. Read on for our top recommendations.
The perfect book can really spruce up a coffee table and make your living space feel more personal and interesting.
There are awesome coffee table books about everything from coffee to food to fashion, but this post is all about coffee table books for animal lovers.
Dog coffee table books, cat coffee table books, wildlife coffee table books…you get the idea. This list has it all!
The 16 Best Coffee Table Books for Animal Lovers
Here they are in no particular order…
1. Cats on Catnip
Some cats dabble in the nip while others are full-fledged catnip fiends. This book seems to showcase the latter.
Cats on Catnip shows cats totally whacked out on catnip. Who wouldn’t want to see that?
2. Dog People
We all anthropomorphize our pets from time to time. Some of us have even put clothing on them…
Maybe you put clothing on your pets, maybe you don’t. Either way, you’re gonna want to see Dog People which features furry friends dressed up like humans.
3. Radiant: Farm Animals Up Close and Personal
Everyone loves dogs and cats, but farm animals need some love too.
In Radiant: Farm Animals Up Close and Personal, author Traer Scott shows how beautiful and full of personality animals like cows, chickens and pigs can be.
4. Dogs in Cars
Every dog person has probably experienced the joy of seeing their furry friend having the time of their life riding in the car.
Whether they’re chillin’ in the backseat or sticking their head out the window, ears flapping in the wind, Dogs in Cars showcases just how much dogs love going for a ride.
5. The Photo Ark: One Man’s Quest to Document the World’s Animals
The Photo Ark showcases the work of National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore who’s on a quest to capture up close and personal portraits of the world’s animals – particularly endangered ones.
If you want something beautiful, noble, amusing and cute, consider adding this book to your coffee table book collection.
6. Literary Chickens
Literary Chickens is a weird book, and we mean that in the best way possible.
Author Beth Moon had the brilliant idea of pairing black and white portraits of chickens with literary quotes from throughout the ages. The result is hilarious, to say the least.
7. Horses: Portraits by Derry Moore
A more serious and beautiful book for your coffee table is Horses: Portraits by Derry Moore.
Horses contains beautiful photographs of horses and their riders, and it sheds some light on the unique customs and passions of equestrian culture throughout the world.
8. Pit Bull Flower Power
Do you want to see pictures of pit bulls with floral arrangements on their heads? This is absolutely the coffee table book for you, no question about it. Period.
Pit Bull Flower Power aims to show the softer side of pit bulls which have been largely demonized by society until very recently.
9. Shop Cats of New York
You’ll definitely see more dogs than cats roaming the streets of New York City, but the city hosts tons of cats too. You just have to know where to look.
Tamar Arslanian and Andrew Marttila, the authors of Shop Cats of New York, found their subjects in a hotel, a record store, a whiskey distillery, yoga studios, bike shops, bookstores, etc. This book shows cats hanging out in their city habitats and features their stories.
10. Wild Horses of Cumberland Island
Another great book for horse lovers is Wild Horses of Cumberland Island. This book has beautiful photographs and details about the wild horses of Cumberland Island, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia, United States.
Even people who aren’t very interested in horses will appreciate the black and white photography that showcases the beauty of the island and some of its architecture.
11. Canines of New York
Canines of New York by Heather Weston is a collection of more than 200 photographs of dogs from every borough of The Big Apple.
New York City couldn’t be further from a canine’s natural habitat, but these pups sure do look cute strutting around the city.
12. Kittenhood: Life-Size Portraits of Kittens in Their First 12 Weeks
What list of animal-centric books would be complete without a book that’s all about kittens?
Kittenhood: Life-Size Portraits of Kittens in Their First 12 Weeks is exactly what it sounds like, and it’s just as adorable as you’d imagine.
13. Fancy Rats: Portraits and Stories
If you love all creatures great and small then you’ll probably appreciate Fancy Rats: Portraits and Stories.
Diane Ozdamar is an animal activist and photographer. In this book, she shares compelling portraits and stories about rats she’s fostered.
14. Walter Chandoha: Cats
The late Walter Chandoha was a famed cat photographer.
His work and legacy are honored in Walter Chandoha: Cats which showcases his photographs of cats from 1942-2018.
15. Finding Home: Shelter Dogs & Their Stories
If you’re looking for a coffee table book about animals that’s beautiful and genuine rather than just cute, this is definitely the one for you.
Finding Home: Shelter Dogs & Their Stories is compelling and just may bring a tear to your eye.
16. Muttshots: A Compilation of Canine Characters
Loz Dalton created Muttshots: A Compilation of Canine Characters to showcase her dog portraits that aim to capture the nuance of her subjects.
Lucky for us, her subjects are cute dogs!
Conclusion
There you have it: 16 awesome coffee table books for animal lovers. If you’re in the market for coffee table books and want something animal-centric, we highly recommend the books on this list.