Little Calico and Tortoiseshell Cat Book

Taylor ( The Ultimate Dog Book ) a Yorkshire vet, here offers a quartet of small books as cuddly as kittens. Each one identifies the earmarks of the type of cat in question, the facts and lore surrounding it and its many variations. Among the tidbits: ``Asia'' is a good name for a marmalade puss because that was the breed's original habitat; feline genetics decrees that almost all tortoiseshell and calico cats are female (the rare males are usually sterile); a tabby cat starred in the first X-rated cartoon, Fritz the Cat ; Cardinal Richelieu always signed death warrants with his black Angora, Ludovic the Cruel, sitting on his lap. There are also cat horoscopes, more wonderfully imaginative cat names, recipes for cat treats and a short course on cat communication, all enwrapped by King's photographs, which display an exquisite eye for the subtleties of face and fur. The only quibble--and it is mouse-sized--has to do with Taylor's practical advice: cat owners would do better to turn to books more detailed and less fanciful. (Oct.)