Catawall

It's thought that there are over ten million domestic cats in the United Kingdom therefore Te Harrison-Best's new collection of feline poems titled Catawall at very least should have a vast ready-made audience among owners.

If you've kept a dog and cat at the same time you will be only too aware how different in nature these creatures are.

Basically, the faithful hound is a camp follower, awaiting orders while the cunning kitty strolls off to do its own thing.

Does this make the cat a much more interesting and independent creature?

All the evidence would suggest so and this colourful assortment of verse helps make the case.

However, before we get over-slushy and sentimental on the topic of cats (which is easy to do) one or two interesting facts are worth considering.

It's thought that every year the average domestic cat kills up to forty small feathery or furry creatures. But remember their antecedents included the sabre-toothed tiger and apologists will tell you they are still only doing what comes naturally. And did you know that researchers at Bristol have found that cat owners tend to be more intelligent than dog owners?Not because of close contact with the wily pussies but simply because they have been better educated, tend of work longer hours and so have less time to spend with their pets; thus the low maintenance, independent moggie best fits requirements.