DR. KRITSICK’S TENDER LOVING CAT CARE: THE CONCERNED OWNER’S GUIDE TO THE GROWTH, NURTURANCE, AND DAY-TO-DAY CARE OF A CAT by Stephen M. Kritsick DVM (Linden: $16.95).

Like the ancient Egyptians, we are on the threshold of elevating the cat to divine status. The feline icons of our time are Morris, Garfield and Heathcliff as well as T. S. Eliot’s creations currently prowling the stage of the hit musical, “Cats.” New cat owners feel the pressure for sensible care and understanding even if the furry creatures walk on their scrambled eggs and scratch the satin upholstery to pieces.

Dr. Stephen Kritsick’s book is a user-friendly manual for the novice cat owner. Emerging through the writing is the engaging personality of a warm, caring veterinarian and his ability to help us understand what is technical and confusing. Like other cat books, this one offers information and advice about ownership, day-to-day maintenance problems and how to deal with the medical needs of the typical house cat. The author smoothly glides the reader from one sophisticated subject to another with a caring physician’s desire to communicate with his patients as he did in his first book, “Creature Comforts,” a poignant memoir in the James Herriot genre. Cat behavior and behavior problems are important subjects that are over-simplified by the author and too abbreviated to be of real help. But the good doctor more than compensates in his medical, reproduction and first-aid sections offering a thoroughly readable and comprehensive approach to difficult subjects. His chapter, “Veterinary Examinations,” will be extremely valuable to all cat owners and is the best available. The book is a streamlined medical primer for the bewhiskered set, clear and easy to use. All cats need TLCC, and Dr. Kritsick is determined that they shall have it.