The Big Book of Cats is a weekly illustration project. In 1998, I was 11 years old and decided to make a 200 page encyclopedia of anthropomorphic cat girls. I’ve made a vow to honor this horrific piece of literature and redraw every cat girl and post a new drawing along with the original for the internet’s amusement. Want to know more? Read my official introduction here and check out all the drawings so far here!
You’re welcome and I’m so so sorry.
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This week I wanted to do a little something different! Periodically, I want to share extra tidbits from the book, thoughts on the project, and some bonus sketches of girls you’ve already had the pleasure of meeting. :)
I’ve mentioned before that the Big Book of Cats is laid out in spreads. The drawing of each cat girl is on the left page and on the right is a little survey of weird information about each girl. The only time I really showed what the spreads look like is when I posted my very first re-draw, which was Suzzie!
Let’s look at some of the other girls’ little surveys, shall we?
First of all, sorry about the less-than-stellar scans. You can see the next page through the paper. Oops!
To add another layer of completely unnecessary, exhaustive detail, I tried to fill out each survey in the girl’s personal handwriting. Jenny’s is cute and spunky and suits her personality I think. You’ll notice that sometimes I stray from the specific details on fur colors and such. I usually give the original a try, but if the colors don’t end up looking interesting or don’t convey the girl’s personality, I switch it up. Jenny needed to have more vibrant colors, so I made her orange rather than gray.
I kind of hope I intended for her name to be “Cecilia Mocha”, which would be less cringe-worthy to read and a cuter French reference, but c’est la vie. I don’t think 11 year old Michelle was that clever. I had lovely cursive handwriting but didn’t seem to know quite how to spell “diamonds” yet either. Her lips are described as “thicker” but they really don’t look it, do they? Yes, those are supposed to be lip prints. The Big Book of Cats survey is more intense than a police report!
Okay, the name “Kitty Matter” just grosses me out. What is that about? Clearly I wanted Kitty to have more loopy, sexy handwriting, but it just gets increasingly illegible. I have no idea what state she’s supposed to be from, but I’ll take a wild guess and say I meant Kansas. Blade hair? Blode? Hopefully blonde. Kitty, you’re drunk! At least it’s consistent and I still can’t spell diamond.
I think Alison’s last name is supposed to be pronounced like “McKey”? Hopefully? Whatever. I can spell blonde now, but still not diamond! Obviously practice doesn’t necessarily equal perfect. Alison is from my home state, Missouri, another reference to the fact that she was inspired by a classmate of mine at the time.
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I got sick of trying to come up with unique paw prints every time, so about half way through, I drew a big faux stamp across the bottom that says CANCELED and just stopped doing it. Haha.
The survey parts are definitely more embarrassing than the drawings at this point. I only consistently share the original drawing because sometimes the information adds a whole other layer of young, middle-class white girl ignorance that I just don’t need to remind the world of. You’ll see more stereotypical interpretations in coming weeks–Shawna defintely wasn’t my only attempt at representing a culture that was foreign to me at the time, but honestly may have been the most sensitive.
I love everything about this project, but the foot/hand prints are particularly funny. I feel like 11-year-old you and 11-year-old me would have gotten along just fine.
“hair quality” just kills me.I know I’ve said it before, but I just love this project.
Hahaha, right? It’s so so weird
This is amazing. You thought of EVERYTHING. I mean, hair quality? Paw prints? LIP MARKS?! A very complete physical profile. You were a weird kid. But then, so was I.
Hahaha, I did some really weird things. The mind of a creative only child is a scary place.
I could not love this project more. I’m almost tempted to go back and dig out my old anthromorphic cat girl drawings. Almost.
It would be amazing if you turned this project into an actual printed book once you complete it. That’d be the kind of coffee table book I’d want! I think I’d even show it to my family first; “See! I wasn’t the only girl who drew cat girls growing up. Guh, you are all so narrow-minded.”
This is so funny! Thanks for another sneak peek into this rad project. I know I say it all the time, but this is really my favorite thing that you’ve done – it’s totally something I would have done when I was younger.
<3 Melissa
wildflwrchild.blogspot.com
OMG! I’ts so great seeing he actual book you drew all these ladies in. I can’t believe how much detail you went into even as a little kid. Amazing.
Oh my god this is the best thing I have EVER SEEN.
This is so funny, cute and meticulous! Also: heather gray fur?! What attention to detail. I really, really love this project. It would have been such a shame if you’d thrown the book out. Do you remember why you chose to draw cat girls in the first place?
I went through the typical young girl obsessions with horses and cats and cats are easier and cuter to anthropomorphize I guess! I’ve always loved drawing female characters, fashion-type illustrations, and kind of playing around with character design, so it was a pretty natural thing for me to draw at the time.
Seriously, this is impressive.
I will be so sad when you finally finish the whole book!
Rachel
Me too!! Haha I’m dreading it tbh. I still have at least half to go though so it’ll be a while! :)
this is one of the most beautiful and amazing things i have ever seen. i loved this series before but you just took it to a new level. personal handwritings?! states? i really wish we could have been friends when we were kids!
Aww your comments are always so sweet! Thanks, babe. I wish I could’ve had you all as friends back then too! <3
What do you think you meant by “Style: down”?
Also, these are adorable.
Nevermind, that’s in reference to hair.
Haha yup! Why I couldn’t just write “hair style” is beyond me
You should totally sell these as prints or a completed book; if you could part with your baby. I love cat-girls, I used to draw them all the time in a (ugly) anime style when I was young; only one problem.. I never improved with age haha, these are absolutely bautiful, and I would love to frame a set and put them around my house. I will defiently be checking back on these babes!!
Aww, I totally moved on to an ugly anime style after my cat girls! Haha. Thank you for your sweet comments. <3 I definitely have hopes of putting together a little book when the project is done. We’ll see!
Omg this is by far one of the most coolest ideas for illustrations I’ve ever seen before! Taking old drawings and making them more up to date, so clever! I used to do the same coming up with characters and doing little fact files about them and stuff :D love your blog! xx
Aww, thank you! You’re so sweet. I’m having a blast with this project!