"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

"By ethical conduct toward all creatures, we enter into a spiritual relationship with the universe." - Albert Schweitzer

On these pages are some facts about cats, and the views of famous people about cats & animals in general.

• Cats are the UK's favourite pet with 4.5 million households owning 7.7 million cats.
• Cats are the No. 1 pet in America, with approximately 77 million kitties (compared to 55 million dogs).
• The ancient Egyptians realised the cat's potential as a vermin hunter and tamed cats to protect the corn supplies on which their lives depended.
• The most popular cartoon character in the world is Garfield, the world's laziest cat. The cartoon strip is read in 2600 newspapers by 260 million readers around the globe.

• Sir Winston Churchill owned an orange tabby cat named Jock who attended many war-time Cabinet meetings.
• Alexander Dumas (author of The Three Musketeers) had a cat called Mysouff. Mysouff could predict what time his master would finish work, even when he was working late.
• Charles Dickens had a female kitten that was known as "Master's Cat". She kept him company in his study as he wrote, and when she wanted his attention she would snuff out his reading candle.
• The prophet Mohammed loved cats. The story is told that at one day when he was being called to pray he noticed his cat, Muezza sleeping on the folds of his sleeve. Rather than disturb the sleeping cat, Mohammed cut off the sleeve of his robe.
• A thirteenth century Egyptian sultan left his entire fortune to the needy cats of Cairo. For many years afterwards homeless cats received a free meal daily.

Famous animal lovers:

Albert Schweitzer was considered the greatest Christian of his time. He based his personal philosophy on a "reverence for life" and on a deep commitment to serve humanity through thought and action. Awarded the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize. He believed: 'Until we extend our circle of compassion to include all living things, we will not ourselves find peace.'

Leonardo da Vinci, consistently voted the greatest human being who ever lived maintained: 'The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.'

The man who took on and defeated the most powerful empire the world has ever known, Ghandi, said: 'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged the way its animals are treated.'

Albert Einstein not only discovered nuclear fission, but had advice for our diet: 'Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution of a vegetarian diet.'

Abraham Lincoln, replying to friends who chided him for delaying them by stopping to return a fledgling to its nest said: 'I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.'

Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the US president had a few words to say about animal cruelty: 'It seems to me of great importance to teach children respect for life. Towards this end, experiments on living animals in classrooms should be stopped. To encourage cruelty in the name of science can only destroy the finer emotions of affection and sympathy, and breed an unfeeling callousness in the young towards suffering in all living creatures.'

Isn't it wonderful to know you are in such good company?

The sites below will help you find out more about cats and animals in general and how you can create leverage through animal welfare to make the world a better place:

Cats Protection, www.cats.org.uk

The Humane Society of the United States, www.hsus.org

Allen and Linda Anderson's www.angelanimals.net

Gene Bauston's www.farmsanctuary.org

Padraig Healey's www.moggies.co.uk

Marilyn Edwards's www.thecatsofmooncottage.co.uk

Pauline Dewberry's www.thedailymews.com

Joanne Hull's www.joannehull.com

Why are animals perfect? Well they are born complete and they give love unconditionally. Perhaps this goes some way towards explaining how the CD we have produced works...