Cat Number Three

Alison Prince was joint winner of the Guardian Prize in 1996 and won the Literary Review Annual Poetry Prize in 1997.

Ernie loves music and he loves his cats, and he always counts his cats at dinner time. The first two cats are NOT impressed by Jezebel's lively tales of hiding in cars, stealing butter and taking the best chair, but when she wanders off again, they're surprised to find they miss her.Ernie loves music and he loves his cats, and he always counts his cats at dinner time. There's Bert and Whistle, one and two. Then, suddenly one day, there's three! Sly black cat Jezebel has sneaked in and somehow got a share of Bert and Whistle's food, their home, and Ernie's attention. The first two cats are NOT impressed by Jezebel's lively tales of hiding in cars, stealing butter and taking the best chair, but when she wanders off again, they're surprised to find they miss her. Ernie thinks maybe she'll be lured back by some lovely Mozart, but Bert and Whistle have a better idea...