This is a delightfully presented book of collected stories and observations, all about cats, their lives and drives. I have perhaps learned nothing really new, as we have had cats with us for years and years, and I have looked through cat behaviour books and tried to understand their cute, irritating and endearing ways. It is like revisiting an old friend, the cat whisperer (although the cats are of course busy doing their thing). The author takes the view that essentially we are cat botherers and cats have their own singular agenda. They choose the humans with whom they will live and will then cajole and organise their human and bring them and their family into line. Much of the narrative is through the lens of the cat, in other words imbuing cats and their thoughts and actions with anthropomorphic interpretation. This is cute. Don’t all cat lovers do this, anyway? Cats in the workplace, in libraries, bookshops, railway stations – they all have functions and very often enhance the environment in which they “work”. Take Larry the cat at no. 10 Downing Street, who gets a mention and who has seen off 2 Tory prime ministers and will probably see off a third at this rate. Jacinda Ardern introduced her cat to the electorate, and Bill Clinton had his Whitehouse cat responding to his (the cat’s) personal mail.. as it were. He looks at the issue of bird annihilation by cat; and the best way to manage your cat – indoor/outdoor, but it isn’t a didactic angle, just gently informative. There are lovely photographs of different cats, the author has had several over the years organising his home for him. It is a pleasure to read.