Jennie (Collins Modern Classics)

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He awakens as a white kitten, immediately to be tossed out of his London townhouse and onto the cruel streets of London.

This is an excellent example, as it really is carefully thought through, just how a child would experience another animal's world. The author is American, the book was first published in 1950 and contains a couple of race-related terms which nowadays would be considered inappropriate.

He's hit by a truck and goes into a coma, though he seems to be conscious of what's going on, almost like his soul is hovering close by, watching. I cried for hours and I couldn't sleep as all I wanted to do was kiss Jennie Baldrin and hold Peter in my arms. The story of a small boy who changes into a cat and is befriended by a stray and taught how to fend for himself in his new life is bewitching, and although primarily a children's book, is recommended for any cat-lover.

He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life. Every time I hear that piping theme, I cry for the world and the love he knew both for a lifetime and for only twenty-five minutes. Of course I'm speaking of the books like 'Jennie' - books that sustain you and strengthen you, books that teach you how to be human. I'm glad I finally did get my hands on a copy of this, even though it's later in life than the author probably intended.

Gallico spends endless sentences describing her ministrations to Peter, especially her 'busy tongue' and the 'delicious feelings' it inspired in Peter. Paul Gallico’s descriptions of cats and their lives is quite detailed and it looks like they were based on real observations.