Miaow! ─ Cats Really Are Nicer Than People!

This little book is about cats; cats of all shapes, sizes and colors, and specifically about those that have shared their lives with the great and well-respected astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore CBE FRS, over a lifetime of 80 years.? This is Patrick’s very personal account of the cats that have been part of his family, beginning with Bonnie, who died at the grand old age of twenty, through to the two beloved felines that he lives with currently: Jeannie and Ptolemy.? The fascinating and engrossing text is complemented by personal photographs of Sir Patrick, his adored mother, Gertrude (also a cat-lover), and the many cats that have filled Patrick’s life with love and companionship. Reveals a delightful and charming side to the man who has attained international status as a writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter, and who is credited with having done more than any other to raise the profile of astronomy.

The UK’s longest-serving media darling, host of The Sky at Night, which was launched in 1957 and has recently aired its 700th episode, Patrick Moore is an astronomer, former spy, and, best of all, a cat guy. A heart condition meant that Patrick was tutored at home, so had little contact with kids of his own age. However, loneliness was not a problem for him: “My boyhood was unusual. I can’t recall a single friend until I was 15. But I always had my cats.” And he still does. Ptolemy and Jeannie live with him, in a house with a notice on the door that days: ‘The house is maintained entirely for the convenience of our cat.’ In fact, given a choice between people and cats, Patrick will always choose cats, hence the title of his book.