With this delightful novella, No One Noticed the Cat, Anne McCaffrey begins her stories of cats that culminated in the Barque Cats of Catalyst and Catacombs. When Prince Jamas's regent and advisor dies, he leaves the cat Niffy to guard and advise the prince. Subtle and always right, Niffy guides the prince in affairs of state and of the heart, saving him from a nasty scheming queen determined to kill him.

The cat remains true to her nature, but contrives to be in the right place at the right time and to nudge the prince in the right direction. The regent had raised the prince and when he died, the cat remained. A neighboring king with wicked wife has designs on the prince's realm, but Niffy and Jamas foils those.

A charming tale well told will satisfy those who love cats. No dragons or high science ensure, but common sense and cleverness prevail over malice and deceit.