Cat

Cat stands as one of the early works that helped popularize humorous cat cartoons and illustrations in the 1970s. The book features B. Kliban's distinctive pen-and-ink drawings paired with minimal text. The collection contains both black-and-white and color illustrations depicting cats in surreal and unexpected situations. Kliban's cats engage in human activities while maintaining their essential feline nature. The artwork ranges from simple line drawings to more elaborate compositions, with recurring visual motifs and patterns. The book's format allows each illustration to occupy its own page with occasional sequential spreads. The collection explores absurdity and the intersection of human and feline behavior through a lens of deadpan humor. Through his cats, Kliban presents a perspective on the peculiarities of both human and animal existence.

Readers remember this 1975 collection of cat cartoons fondly from their childhoods and describe it as silly, irreverent humor that holds up decades later. Many note it influenced later cat-themed comics and memes. Liked: - Absurd situations and cat expressions - Simple yet distinctive art style - Cat personalities that cat owners recognize - Humor works for both kids and adults Disliked: - Some jokes feel dated - Brief length for the price - A few readers found the style too weird Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.24/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (90+ ratings) Representative review: "These cats doing ridiculous human things - smoking cigars, playing in bands - somehow capture exactly what cats are really like. The minimal lines say so much." - Goodreads reviewer Several readers specifically noted the "Love to Eat Them Mousies" page as a standout that stuck with them for years.

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson The combination of feline-focused humor and surreal imagination captures the same spirit of whimsy found in Kliban's work.

I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano These verses present cats' inner thoughts through poetry that matches Kliban's knack for understanding feline psychology.

Why Cats Paint by Burton Silver This deadpan examination of cats' artistic endeavors shares Kliban's approach to absurdist cat-centered humor.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot These poems about feline personalities and adventures establish the same blend of observation and wit that characterizes Kliban's illustrations.

Off The Mark by Mark Parisi The single-panel cartoons feature animals in unexpected situations with the same off-kilter perspective found in Kliban's work.

🐱 First published in 1975, this quirky collection of cat cartoons became an unexpected bestseller and cultural phenomenon, selling over a million copies 🎨 B. Kliban never intended to become known for cat art - he was primarily a cartoonist for Playboy magazine who drew cats simply because they amused him 📚 The book's distinctive style, featuring cats in bizarre situations with absurdist captions, influenced later cat-themed humor and helped pave the way for the internet cat meme phenomenon 🖼️ Kliban's cat illustrations became so popular they were licensed for countless products in the 1970s and 80s, including t-shirts, calendars, and coffee mugs, creating one of the first major cartoon merchandising empires 🎯 The book's success stemmed partly from its perfect timing - it was published during a cultural moment when American attitudes toward cats were shifting from seeing them as mere mousers to beloved family pets worthy of celebration