Catch 'n' scratch... a cartoon book for... cats

Mark Doeffinger (USA) saw our discussions of the uses of cartoons in media other than newspapers and magazines.So he was so kind to send us his book for cats, which is essentially a cartoon book for cats with a fur to scratch. The pages following the cover include: a ball of yarn, a spider, a chair, a bird and a rug.


The material at the back of the book protrudes through a hole in the cartoon just as in the cover. Mark told me cats will actually play with the ribbon on the cover and scratch at the fur, especially if you soak the fur in Catnip (=A hairy aromatic perennial herb - Nepeta cataria - in the mint family, native to Eurasia and containing an aromatic oil to which cats are strongly attracted.). But the book is mainly a gag gift for cat owners.

Mark added this instructions: "I hope your cats enjoy it. When the cats are near, just throw the book on the floor. The cat's natural curiosity may get them to play with the book."

Last weekend we found 2 young kittens in our garden... and I couldn't wait to experiment with the book... (our older cat Kiara took part in the experiment too).

The results:

Let's say... they didn't play longtime with the book, but long enough for me to take some nice pictures. Actually they were more interested in a little ball and liked more playing soccer (but I didn't use Catnip).

It's a nice gift for cat owners and I enjoyed myself with the book and cats!

Related articles:

more Mark Doeffinger stuff on our blog

UCO part 1

UCO part 2

U.C.O. - Unusual Cartoon Objects

article by JMB
Also take a look at U.C.O. (part 2)

Paraphrasing The Beatles, on can say: ‘Paper, cartoon, these are words that go together well’. Yes indeed, in spite of all the computers’ screens, cartoons are still printed on paper: newspapers, magazines… and books, of course! This blog is really a place to mention books.


But there are also calendars as well as some other cartoon mediums that use paper too, like:


this bookmark, advertising for a book of rebuses, drawn by the French cartoonist Honoré;


this disposable individual tablecloth, designed by the French cartoonist Cambon;


such disposable napkins, illustrated by the Turkish cartoonist Tan Oral;


this matchbox; designed by the Irish cartoonist Martyn Turner, for a wedding party;



these playing cards, illustrated by the French cartoonist Dubout;


and these cards for a soothsaying tarot, drawn by the Italian cartoonist Pino Zac.

Obviously, one must mention postcards too; some series are even bound together like a book.
Directly connected to cartoons, let us name the invitations to exhibitions or festivals, and their posters. Now, let us go from these largest collectible items to the smallest ones: post stamps.


A set of post stamps designed by the famous American caricaturist Al Hirschfeld.

Let us change for something really thicker: cardboard, and think of jigsaw puzzles; like the ones of: Mordillo, Jan van Haasteren, Roger Blachon, Oscar Barrientos, Maurice Sendac, Marino Degano, Graham Thomson… and many others.

The orchestra by the French cartoonist Loup
(2000 pieces puzzle; Heye publishing)

Smaller but thick too, such are the innumerable beer mats printed for brewing. Writing on an international website but located in Belgium, it would be a really big shame to forget them! Such items are illustrated by various cartoonists.

An old beer mat illustrated by the French cartoonist Chaval.

Well. Whatever the beers’ qualities are, the French I am cannot avoid speaking of… wine, and I am pleased to mention the labels for its bottles, sometimes drawn by cartoonists.

A wine label created by the French cartoonist Ghertman

Next time, may I show you some non-paper mediums? These are much odder. You remember the acronym: U.F.O.; the following items could be named: U.C.O. - Unusual Cartoon Objects.