Patrick Moore - Miaow!: Cats Really are Nicer Than People!

Miaow!

Sir Patrick Moore CBE FRS

Cats really are nicer than people!

www.hubbleandhattie.com

The Hubble & Hattie imprint was launched in 2009 and is named in memory of two very special Westies owned by Veloces proprietors.

Since the first book, many more have been added to the list, all with the same underlying objective: to be of real benefit to the species they cover, at the same time promoting compassion, understanding and co-operation between all animals (including human ones!)

Hubble & Hattie is the home of a range of books that cover all-things animal, produced to the same high quality of content and presentation as our motoring books, and offering the same great value for money.

Thanks to my good friend, Chas Parker, for the idea behind this book

Publishers note

All of the illustrations used in this book have come from Sir Patricks personal collection; they hang on his walls, and line his mantelpieces. As such, some are not of the best quality, regrettably, although each and every one is precious to him

First published in paperback format in April 2012

First published in eBook format in Nov 2012

Veloce Publishing Limited, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 3AR, England. Fax 01305 250479 e-mail .

Print ISBN: 978-1-845844-35-6

eBook ISBN: 978-1-845845-41-4

Sir Patrick Moore and Veloce Publishing Ltd 2012. All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this publication may be recorded, reproduced or transmitted by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of Veloce Publishing Ltd. Throughout this book logos, model names and designations, etc, have been used for the purposes of identification, illustration and decoration. Such names are the property of the trademark holder as this is not an official publication.

Readers with ideas for books about animals, or animal-related topics, are invited to write to the editorial director of Veloce Publishing at the above address. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Typesetting, design and page make-up all by Veloce Publishing Ltd on Apple Mac. eBook code and design produced in-house by Veloce Publishing Ltd.

Miaow!

1940 and wartime: Flying Officer Patrick Moore. I was a bomber command navigator throughout the Second World War against Germany.

This little book is about cats cats of all shapes, sizes and colours. But as my own two beloved cats, Jeannie and Ptolemy, have a starring role in it, perhaps I ought to start by saying something about them.

My old cat, Smudgie, had come to the end of her life, aged twenty. She had had a long and happy life, but I missed her terribly. Then I had to go into hospital for a knee operation (which didnt work!), and, whilst there, was shown a notice which read: Kittens for sale, 15. At home once again, a friend went to investigate, and brought me a small, squeaking kitten, which was Jeannie. She was put into my arms, and that was that: love at first sight. Jeannie is black and white, and we established that, by birth and family, she is a Norwegian Forest Cat. Quite how she came from Norway to Bognor Regis, I know not!

Here, I am holding my lovely Smudgie, who I had before the arrival of Jeannie and Ptolemy. She was a stray who came to me as a kitten and lived with me for twenty happy years.

My mother, Gertrude, a trained opera singer, was always very close to me, and always with me. In this picture she is holding our beloved ginger cat, Rufus, who was not only lovely to look at but also lovely by nature. Rufus had many happy years, and when he finally didnt wake up, I was heartbroken.

After a while, we thought that Jeannie might like a companion. A cat belonging to a friend of mine had produced kittens, and one of these jet-black with lovely green eyes was brought to my house for me to see. Jeannie approved. The kitten looked around, fixed his eyes on me, and talked. I understood that what he was saying was: I want to be your cat. I want to live here and make this my home. Do please adopt me!

I stroked his head and he purred. Your name is Ptolemy.

My family had increased by one.

Introducing Jeannie ...

... and Ptolemy.

Miaow!

I chose the title for my book quite deliberately. Obviously, it is dangerous to generalise, but given a choice between the average person and the average cat, I would opt for the cat any time, and in this book I will try and explain why.

Here goes!

My starting point is a cricket match, played some time ago between my club, Selsey, and our deadly rivals, West Wittering. It was a blazing hot August day, with the temperature well in the nineties (Fahrenheit, please note, not Centigrade; I have no use for what I call creeping metrication), and the match was very close. I claim that my quick leg-breaks bowled off a long, leaping run were decisive; I was well pleased with my final analysis of 8 for 69, but at the fall of the last Wittering wicket, I was decidedly relieved. I could not have gone on for much longer, and was as tired as if I had done a hard days work (I imagine: not that I have ever worked in the conventional sense; I have always been far too busy).

Here I am captaining our cricket team, during a match at Selsey ground, although I am purely a bowler and bat at number 11.

What kind of reception would I receive upon my return home? From any human being, a comment about my untidy appearance, perhaps, together with a reminder that whilst I was relaxing on the cricket field, there was a back lawn that badly needed mowing.