ON Devon, Dartmoor and local industry history, the books and works of Tavistock based Helen Harris are much valued and lauded. In her latest publication, however, her subject is very different. 'Tabitha - The Story of a Much-Travelled Cat', concerns itself with quite recent events, is set on two continents and concerns the adventures of a healthy confident tabby. The cat in question belongs to Mrs Harris' daughter, Jane Tirard (known throughout the book as mistress Jane). It charts her life and travels from kitten-hood to old age which, at the time of the very recent publication of this, her biography, she was still enjoying. She first took up residence with her mistress in Kent, going there to live along with another kitten — Bramble — who was not related. Sadly, the latter died young in a way all too common — mowed down on a busy road. However, Tabitha, with the essentially solitary, self-sufficiency inherent in the species, did not pine, but prospered, growing rapidly into a fine looking animal. One can make such a comment, because a feature of the book is the range of Photographs taken by Jane Tirard, showing Tabitha in different locations throughout her life; also featured are images of other cats - mostly friends, but a few foes as well - along with some dogs. The quality of these illustrations is of the highest order and adds much to the overall quality of and enjoyment of the publication.

The author, with her brisk and descriptive writing, takes us through Tabitha's eventful life, from her kitten days to those of middle age (nine years old), when her life changed in radical fashion. For work relocation meant that mistress Jane had to cross the Atlantic to live in Michigan, USA - and, naturally, her cat went with her. Again, Helen Harris captures mood, making the reader aware of the very real traumas which a small animal would experience at such a dramatic change in circumstances. Never, though, is her writing maudling or Mawkish; rather, she tells of Tabitha's adjustment — a rapid one — into her new way of life, how she honed her hunting skills to the pursuit of such quarry as chipmunks, rather than mice; how she adapted to the bitter, snowy winters in a state up on the Canadian border and further adaptation was required from the increasingly elderly cat, when Mistress Jane moved to New England — the state of Connecticut. Her adventures, the using up of some of her 'nine-lives'and her relationships with other animals (not always harmonious) — all this is covered in an economic way, yet one which never fails to hold the attention — and the interest — of the reader. The final section tells of Tabitha's return to the United Kingdom at the, for a cat, mighty age of 15years — truly a major ordeal for such an elderly creature, and one which caused concern amongst her human family. Yet, as would appear to be the lifetime's habit of this resilient cat when faced with the challenge, she took the flying of the Atlantic in her stride, and is now living a relaxed, contented life in mistress Jane's new home in Berkshire, dining on tasty food brought from the states, plus, occasionally, some fruit cake and, as a special treat, a king prawn, her adoring human friends about her.

In this immaculately presented publication, Helen Harris shows her skill and professionalism by telling what is essentially a simple, gentle story in a way which involves the reader in the varied life of her subject, avoiding adroitly the major 'mine-shaft' into which a lesser writer would possibly have fallen - the desent into sentimentality and cant. One does not have to be a 'cat lover' to enjoy this book.

'Tabitha - The Story of a Much Travelled Cat' by Helen Harris, photographed by Jane Tirard, is published by Book Guild Ltd, Pavilion View, 19 New Road, Brighton BN1 1UF, priced - £8.99 ISBN 978-1-84624-544-2

Ted Sherrell