The Catlady

by Dick King-Smith, John Eastwood (Illustrator)

Muriel is known as the Catlady, because she lives alone with just her many cats for company. When a new kitten is born, it soon becomes clear that it’s no ordinary cat. Vicky is a kitten with a very regal character, and strangely enough, she was born on the very day that Queen Victoria died!

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Cats, Childrens, Middle Grade, Friendship, Chapter Books

80 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

About the author

Dick King-Smith was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England, surrounded by pet animals. After twenty years as a farmer, he turned to teaching and then to writing children's books.

Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.

Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Few authors ever packed more writing into three decades than Dick King-Smith, who released as many as seven or eight novels a year featuring an incredible variety of story ideas. The Catlady introduces us to Muriel Ponsonby, an elderly woman in the early 1900s living at Ponsonby Place, the mansion her parents left her following their deaths years ago. Her only housemates are a few dozen cats, but Muriel knows a secret about them: several are her reincarnated friends and family. Her father, Colonel Sir Percival Ponsonby, served in the British army; now he's a cat, and so is Muriel's mother, Florence. How nice to have them back, even if they only express themselves in cat sounds. Some would doubt Percival and Florence are in those bodies, but Muriel has a gift for recognizing if a human soul inhabits one of her cats. When she discovers a person she knew among them, it's a sure thing.

Muriel's daily routine is less than exciting, but two surprises are headed her way. First is the tubby ginger kitten born January 22, 1901, whom Muriel is astonished to identify as recently deceased Queen Victoria. Muriel treats "Vicky" with special respect, and informs Percival and Florence who she is so the cats will all defer to her. The other surprise comes after Muriel places an ad in the Dummerset Chronicle newspaper for paid help to care for her cats. The townsfolk don't dislike Muriel but are unnerved by her eccentricity, and no one applies for the position. Then on a snowy night, a young teen named Mary Nutt arrives on Muriel's doorstep for shelter from the storm. Mary's parents recently died, and she's become a vagabond with no future. The Catlady invites Mary to stay as long as she'd like; Mary needs a home and Muriel needs a young helper to tend to the cats. They crossed paths at the perfect time.

With many of the cats birthing kittens, the work becomes too much even for Mary, but she won't complain. Fortunately Muriel sees the need to reduce, and places a newspaper ad offering free kittens to good homes. This time people show up at Ponsonby Place, impressed by Muriel's generosity. Many take cats as pets for themselves or their children. Muriel and Mary become close friends as the seasons pass, but the Catlady was old when they met, and her health continues to decline. Hesitant to tell Mary about her reincarnated cats, Muriel eventually spills the secret. Mary's impulse is to dismiss it as an old lady's deteriorated mental state, but she would derive comfort from believing her own parents are alive somewhere in another form. Muriel is confident that when she dies she'll return as a cat, and this comforts Mary when her aged companion at last passes on. If Queen Victoria lives, maybe Muriel could, too. Will Mary ever know if the Catlady reincarnated as she felt certain she would?

Dick King-Smith didn't fear dabbling in odd story concepts. Whatever your thoughts on reincarnation, it's fun to suspend disbelief for the duration of the novel and hope the main characters find what they seek. Rarely do two people meet when they need each other most, as Muriel and Mary did, and when that occurs it is perhaps life's sweetest blessing. I might rate The Catlady two and a half stars; it reminds us that loyalty is often rewarded, and nothing we lose is quite as lost as we think. Imparting all that in seventy-two pages is impressive.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 2 out of 5]

ENGLISH: The Catlady is a firm believer in reincarnation. Among her many cats, she is sure of the presence of her own father and mother, and even the late Queen Victoria (a she-cat she calls Vicky), reincarnated in cat-form. She is also convinced that after her death she will come back in the shape of yet another cat.

ESPAÑOL: La señora de los gatos cree firmemente en la reencarnación. Entre sus muchos gatos, está segura de la presencia de sus propios padres, e incluso de la difunta Reina Victoria (una gata a la que llama Vicky), reencarnados en forma gatuna. También está convencida de que después de su muerte volverá en forma de otro gato.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny book with wonderful illustrations!

King-Smith enjoys inserting the Royal Family into his stories. Some of the humor may go over a child's head but there is still plenty that won't.

A nice, quick read by an author who loved animals.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this. The illustrations are cute, but there's not much content beyond banging on about her cats being reincarnations of everyone from parents and friends to Queen Victoria. Even for children, I found it superficial and unimpressive. After reading Babe and enjoying it, I expected much more.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read on my daughter's recommendation/insistence! Quite a strange little book about reincarnation. I liked it :)

[Friend of Pixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

King-Smith's books have so far been big winners for Logan, who is nearly 7 and loves animals. Elderly Muriel Ponsonby lives with so many cats, the townsfolk call her the Catlady. They like her because she is kind and polite, but they sense she's "barmy." Maybe that's because she's convinced that some of the cats she lives with are reincarnations of friends and family, including her parents. A sweet story about kindness, and an interesting intro for L to the concept of reincarnation and what the repercussions of that might be.

[pati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny cat stories and I can relate to the Catlady in many ways!

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, but it came off sort of creepy and sad, instead of funny and charming.

[Hannah Garden]

I read this last night (by the author of Babe: The Gallant Pig) to rinse after the novel I’d finished the night before, my third and maybe final Meg Wolitzer. Rinse so I could spit.

The Catlady is a children’s novel, from our Early Reader shelves at the library. It is brief and batty, plot-heavy and glib though not without realism or philosophy. A good little dessert of a fiction after the preceding’s bitter boorishness.

(Meow.)

[Cat Yampell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5–LOVED the idea however SERIOUSLY problematic with regard to lack of correctness as to strays and the human attitudes and lack of care towards them.
The book is set in reality—not fantasy—thus, such attitudes MUST be taken seriously!
The ending, while predictable, was charming.
However, so many missed opportunities either this subject matter—this tale—rather heartbreaking, ESPECIALLY considering King-Smith’s talent. 😿

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

My second DKS book not that one yet, and this is a quirky tale about a cat lady, stylised apparently as catlady although the cover seems to have a space, but anyway that is neither here nor there, this is entertaining and fun read from an author who knows his craft well.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

71 - 2017

[Tabitha Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book I just could not stop reading.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing too special. I didn't realize it was all about reincarnation haha. People being reincarnated as cats.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lovely King-Smith story. I didn't understand the time setting of this, until I researched and found that Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901.

[Brittany Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute little story about reincarnation in the settings of England.

[Katie Dennison · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was meh. I did not like that it was about reincarnation. But it was okay.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, funny and fun chapter book! I would highly recommend this book for children 3rd/4th grade and above, especially those who love cats!

[Auriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really sweet, and it teaches that you should never judge people on how they look or act because you don't know what they are going through.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1901, Muriel Ponsonby lives on her parent’s country estate with a large family of cats. A firm believer in reincarnation, Muriel looks every kitten in the eyes (as soon as they are open) to see if the tiny animal is just a cat or someone else come back to life. Her deceased parents returned as cats and live in their old bedroom. Various aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends live with Miss Ponsonby. Queen Victoria inhabits the body of a kitten born at the estate on the day she dies. As Muriel gets older, she finds it harder and harder to take care of her cats. When Mary, an orphan, comes to her door during a storm, Miss Ponsonby takes her in. Mary proves to be a wonderful companion. She begins relieving her benefactor of more and more responsibility. Except for Mary’s disbelief in reincarnation they get along very well. Then, Muriel dies, and Mary has reason to reconsider her belief in life after death. Miss Ponsonby is such a wonderfully sympathetic spinster. And whether or not the reader believes in reincarnation, King-Smith weaves it into the plot in a natural way. Can you imagine having pets that once were your parents?!

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a happy accident. I was looking for another book and the title caught my eye. It is short and easy to read at a single sitting.
It is definitely English and set around 1910. Muriel Ponsonby is an old spinster with a house full of cats. She believes in reincarnation. As she ages a young orphan girl moves in to help her. The stage is set for a delightful plot.
Although shelved in the children's section of the library, anyone can enjoy reading this little story. The author has written several other books of similar length including Babe about the pig. I definitely plan to read more of his stories.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read one of Dick King-Smith's books besides Babe: the Gallant Pig. A fun transitional reader for kids who want animal stories.

Elderly Muriel Ponsonby lives in a large old mansion with dozens of cats, some of them are reincarnated friends and family. One cat is even the late Queen Victoria. Muriel is fortunate to have a destitute orphan drop by on a cold winter night. Just the person she needed, someone to help her with the cats. What will happen to the cats and all of her money when Muriel dies? I bet you can guess.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very strange, but sweet tale about a woman who loves cats and is a firm believer in reincarnation. The narrative is not too long and has a decidedly English flavor. The story is set in early twentieth century England and we learn quite a bit about the English gentry and the death of Queen Victoria. The black and white illustrations are very cartoonish and complement the story nicely. The Hindu philosophy of reincarnation is woven throughout the tale and it was a new concept for our girls. We enjoyed reading this story together.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a quirky spinster who believes in reincarnation, and sometimes recognizes the past (human) lives in the kittens she raises. One of whom was Queen Victoria. Quick to read, funny, and sweet.

Library copy.

[Vikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this little children's book. It was the story of a lady that lives with many cats. She believes in reincarnation and that some of her cats are old family members of hers and even Queen Victoria, who had just died. So the story takes place in 1901. It was really cute and a lot of fun.

[Ratforcekids · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dick King-Smith writes books about animals and he is very good at it! He is the author of the beloved Babe: The Gallant Pig that you may have seen as a movie. Also by King-Smith is Funny Frank, The Golden Goose, Lady Lollipop, and many more.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

The language is extremely British, which there is nothing wrong with, but it made it a difficult class read for an American. I found the story a bit lacking, and the students failed to get a lot of humor because of the language.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of his better cat stories.

[James]

its mystirious to me

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd, slight little novella.