A leading pet food manufacturer says eight out of ten cats prefer its brand.

The makers would also be correct to claim it's preferred by most seagulls, too, as they soon polish off any leftovers the cat doesn't finish, as my picture shows.

This reminds me of the time I played the "human interest" in a cat food commercial.

In a way, it was all done by wires. My "co-star", a sleek feline, refused to eat the well-known kitty food we were promoting.

The best boy, what TV crews call their Man Friday, was despatched to a nearby branch of MacFisheries, returning with some tasty fish which was mixed into the contents of the tinned food.

Now eating with relish, the cat was so keento get to the dish that it took the wrong route across the set.

Invisible thread was attached to its collar and the best boy gently tugged on it until the desired path was taken.

We all went home happy with the film in the can.

-Michael Parker, Brighton