"Cats and Dogs" 23 September 1978
The practice is going through a very busy time. It is raining cats and dogs - literally! - when James comes face to face with Mrs Bond's cat, Boris, which James describes as a miniature puma. After initially scoffing at their colleague's story, the Farnons experience it for themselves. James agrees to care for Mr Dean's dog after he passes away. He also treats a farmer's newly acquired bull calf, but struggles to come up with a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Siegfried wants James and Helen to move out of their cramped living quarters and into the suite at the top of the house. He is also growing tired of his brother's aptitude of pretending to look busy.
Characters: Mrs Hall, Mr Bond, Mrs Bond, Harry Sumner, Mr Dean, Joe Mulligan.
"In 'Cats and Dogs', Sonia Graham, who played Mrs Bond, had a wild cat up a tree; that was good stuff, I remember that vividly," recalled Robert Hardy in 2016. "I decided to sing an old song which I knew as I approached this cat, of whom Siegfried was terrified. I was singing this old country song under my breath: 'Oh what have you got for dinner Mrs Bond? There are geese in the orchard and ducks on the pond...' I remember it worked wonderfully well. Sonia was thrilled with that. It was just a lucky chance that her character was called Mrs Bond! And I remember that lovely location we were at. It was an old abbey. We went there again for another do with Mrs Bond — two or three times, I think."[1]