Siamese Cats

Though intended for owners of Siamese cats, most of the suggestions made here apply equally well to other breeds and to common domestic cats: how to choose your pet, how to feed and care for it and how to breed it. Cat-fancier Reagan goes into detail throughout (included in his medical advice are instructions on how to give artificial respiration to a cat). He writes crisply, with a minimum of fluffy adulation. Some points can be argued, such as his warning that cat owners should keep no indoor plants, because some are toxic when eaten by cats, and his sternly worded plea that cats, whether in cities, suburbs or even small towns, not be allowed to run free outdoors, since they are defenseless against dogs, cars, insect-borne disease and cat thieves. These claims will strike some as extreme, and the 60-plus photographs are a mixed bag. Still, this is a concise and practical guide. (Oct.)