The Pie and the Patty-Pan Book

You know, in today's world (if we had talking cats and dogs who invited each other over for tea, that is) Duchess the Dog would simply have informed Ribby that Cat that she was allergic to mouse, and then none of this mess would have happened.

Also, even allowing for a world in which dogs and cats invite each other over for tea with great courtesy, and where magpie doctors can be easily found and pursuaded to drop everything and come to take a look at an ill guest, I do find it a little far-fetched that that Duchess would seriously think she had accidentally swallowed an entire patty pan without noticing! Not to mention that a qualified doctor, albeit a magpie, would think such a thing was anatomically possible!