Trooper: The Bobcat Who Came in from the Wild

In 1987, the author found an orphan bobcat caught in a cactus and acted quickly to save his life. Johnson named the animal Trooper, and together, they had 19 years of adventures in the Mojave Desert. With coyotes being one notable exception, Johnson's love of animals extends to all creatures encountered by Trooper, from those native to the area (kit foxes, desert tortoises, jackrabbits) to those introduced by humans (mustangs and one unrepentant peacock). Written in an unadorned style reminiscent of the works of James Herriot, this love letter to the world's friendliest bobcat is also a tale of Las Vegas wildlife driven from their natural habitats as the desert morphs into suburbia. As Johnson comes to terms with Trooper's death, the reader may feel sadness at saying goodbye to a cat they never met but feel as if they already know and will almost surely miss.