But why did it have to happen to us? Because he was a Siamese, of course, with his own ideas on things...

Doreen Tovey enchants us with stories of life with her husband Charles in a West Country village, where they are driven to distraction by Siamese cats, Annabel the donkey, nesting swallows, bucking horses, and the villagers who still regard them as inept townsfolk, even after 18 years.

In an effort to get away from it all, they take a trip to Canada to see the bears and wolves - much to the alarm of Father Adams and Miss Wellington. If they can't handle Siamese cats, how will they handle a grizzly?

As for the cats, Seeley and Shebalu start acting strangely when they develop a taste for dog food. But it is time for another solemn little Seal Point to come into their lives - Saska, who takes some settling in.

Doreen Tovey lives in a 250-year-old cottage in Somerset. She is president of the Siamese Cat Club and has written more than a dozen books, which have sold over 120,000 copies in 10 countries.