They are not, admittedly, the most intimidating of felines for a wildlife photographer to capture. In fact, with their fluffy coats, bright eyes and soft paws, they're absolute pussycats.



But these enchanting pictures are a poignant testament to the skill and patience of the woman who captured them, the nature photographer Jane Burton, who died in 2007 after a brave battle against cancer.



Puppy love: Photographer Jane Burton captures a rare moment of affection between a dog and a kitten

Hello kitty: Photos like this one have now been printed in a book called A Cat's Life

Cat nap: Jane used her skill and patience to capture her pets at the perfect moment

Along with her husband Kim Taylor, Jane adopted and raised more than 60 cats (along with their two sons) over the years at their home in Surrey.



With an incredible eye for detail and immovable patience - she sometimes waited for four hours to capture the perfect moment on camera - as well as the courage it took to fight the disease, Jane photographed her beloved pets with their similarly furry friends (puppies, squirrels and rabbits) as an antidote to her dangerous missions picturing wildlife in the field.



Now these beautiful images are being printed for the first time in a book, A Cat's Life, which is also the first volume of Burton's work to be published since she died aged 74.



Give us a hug: A squirrel embraces a reluctant kitten

Bedtime: A mother cat carries her kitten in another of Jane's enchanting shots

Furry friends: Jane, who died from cancer in 2007, raised more than 60 cats like this one throughout her life

A pioneer in her trade, Jane was one of the early women wildlife photographers to leave Britain for West Africa in 1960 - when Kim's job as an agricultural adviser took them to Nigeria.



Together, they travelled the world and in their spare time made several documentaries, including A Cave Of Bats for ITV and Camera In The Caribbean for the BBC.



But despite having photographed wildlife worldwide, Kim says it was his wife's ability to capture the nature and character of cats that was her greatest talent.



'Cats are notoriously hard to photograph in the studio, but Jane managed to achieve what many photographers have been unable to do. Knowing the precise moment to press the shutter was one of her greatest talents.'

Hair-raising: Jane's husband, Kim Taylor, said one of her greatest talents was knowing the precise moment to press the shutter

Cuddle up: A kitten befriends a rabbit in another of Jane's photos

Tom and Jerry: This puppy has found a way to stop his kitten friend walking away



