In this collection, Herriot continues a technique which has proven successful in his earlier books. Each chapter is complete in itself, an anecdote which is linked to the next one merely by its topic, cats. As has been pointed out by some of his critics, there is a certain danger of the formula becoming mechanical and the material becoming worn out. This is not true in the carefully selected tales of this book, which draws from Herriot's best work. There is enough variety to keep the reader's interest, and the author's strength lies, as always, in his colorful descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside, as well as his satisfaction with his work which shines through all his accounts. Stories about animals, especially domestic pets such as dogs and cats, sometimes tend to be sentimental, but Herriot manages to avoid this through his matter-of-fact style, as well as his realism...