Grimbold's Other World

Grimbold's Other World by Gray, Nicholas Stuart. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780571154456.

Some time back, wicked machinations in the world of night resulted in the prince and heir-apparent being abandoned in our world. Named Muffler, and raised by simple goat herders, Muffler seems all set to lead a perfectly normal and peaceful life- except that he has the power to talk to animals. This leads him into a friendship with Grimbold, a black cat who knows a lot more than he lets on. Enemies in the world of night continue to conspire against Muffler and his long-lost family, and since cats are the only creatures, apart from poets, who can slip between the mundane and magical realms, Grimbold soon emerges as Mufflers ally in a struggle beyond his wildest dreams.