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Searle's Cats
The world of cats is humorously depicted in this well-known collection of illustrations. World renowned cartoonist Ronald Searle has satirically but lovingly portrayed his feline friends in outlandish€”almost human€”entanglements. A remarkably hairy cat facing a dandruff problem, a vanity-stricken balding cat wearing an unsuitable wig, and a cat of a thousand disguises concealing itself as a rug are just some of the witty full-color illustrations that everyone, but cat lovers in particular, will find irresistible.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
About the author
Ronald Searle
181 books32 followersRonald William Fordham Searle, CBE, RDI, is an influential English artist and cartoonist. Best known as the creator of St Trinian's School (the subject of several books and seven full-length films). He is also the co-author (with Geoffrey Willans) of the Molesworth series.
He started drawing at the age of five and left school at the age of 15. In April 1939, realizing that war was inevitable, he abandoned his art studies to enlist in the Royal Engineers. He trained at Cambridge College of Arts and Technology, currently Anglia Ruskin University, for two years, and in 1941, published the first St Trinian's cartoon in the magazine Lilliput.
In January 1942, he was stationed in Singapore. After a month of fighting in Malaya, Singapore fell to the Japanese, and he was taken prisoner along with his cousin Tom Fordham Searle. He spent the rest of the war a prisoner, first in Changi Prison and then in the Kwai jungle, working on the Siam-Burma Death Railway. The brutal camp conditions were documented by Searle in a series of drawings that he hid under the mattresses of prisoners dying of cholera. Liberated late in 1945, Searle returned to England where he published several of the surviving drawings in fellow prisoner Russell Braddon's The Naked Island. Most of these drawings appear in his 1986 book, Ronald Searle: To the Kwai and Back, War Drawings 1939-1945. At least one of the drawings is on display at the Changi Museum and Chapel, Singapore, but the majority of these original drawings, approximately 300, are in the permanent collection of the Imperial War Museum, London, along with the works of other POW artists.
Searle produced an extraordinary volume of work during the 1950s, including drawings for Life, Holiday and Punch. His cartoons appeared in The New Yorker, the Sunday Express and the News Chronicle. He compiled more St Trinian's books, which were based on his sister's school and other girls' schools in Cambridge. He collaborated with Geoffrey Willans on the Molesworth books (Down With Skool!, 1953, and How to be Topp, 1954), and with Alex Atkinson on travel books. In addition to advertisements and posters, Searle drew the title backgrounds of the Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder film The Happiest Days of Your Life.
In 1961, he moved to Paris, leaving his family and later marrying Monica Koenig, theater designer and creator of necklaces. In France he worked more on reportage for Life and Holiday and less on cartoons. He also continued to work in a broad range of media and created books (including his well-known cat books), animated films and sculpture for commemorative medals, both for the French Mint and the British Art Medal Society.[2][3] Searle did a considerable amount of designing for the cinema, and in 1965, he completed the opening, intermission and closing credits for the comedy film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. In 1975, the full-length cartoon Dick Deadeye was released. Animated by a number of artists both British and French, it is considered by some to be his greatest achievement, although Searle himself detested the result.
Searle received much recognition for his work, especially in America, including the National Cartoonists Society's Advertising and Illustration Award in 1959 and 1965, the Reuben Award in 1960, their Illustration Award in 1980 and their Advertising Award in 1986 and 1987. In 2007, he was decorated with France's highest award, the Légion d'honneur, and in 2009, he received the German Order of Merit. His work has had a great deal of influence, particularly on American cartoonists, including Pat Oliphant, Matt Groening, Hilary Knight and the animators of Disney's 101 Dalmatians. In 2005, he was the subject of a BBC documentary on his life and work by Russell Davies.
In 2010, he gave about 2,200 of his works as permanent loans to Wilhelm Busch Museum Hannover (Germany), now renamed Deutsches Museum für Karikatur und Zeichenkunst. The ancient Summer palace o
He started drawing at the age of five and left school at the age of 15. In April 1939, realizing that war was inevitable, he abandoned his art studies to enlist in the Royal Engineers. He trained at Cambridge College of Arts and Technology, currently Anglia Ruskin University, for two years, and in 1941, published the first St Trinian's cartoon in the magazine Lilliput.
In January 1942, he was stationed in Singapore. After a month of fighting in Malaya, Singapore fell to the Japanese, and he was taken prisoner along with his cousin Tom Fordham Searle. He spent the rest of the war a prisoner, first in Changi Prison and then in the Kwai jungle, working on the Siam-Burma Death Railway. The brutal camp conditions were documented by Searle in a series of drawings that he hid under the mattresses of prisoners dying of cholera. Liberated late in 1945, Searle returned to England where he published several of the surviving drawings in fellow prisoner Russell Braddon's The Naked Island. Most of these drawings appear in his 1986 book, Ronald Searle: To the Kwai and Back, War Drawings 1939-1945. At least one of the drawings is on display at the Changi Museum and Chapel, Singapore, but the majority of these original drawings, approximately 300, are in the permanent collection of the Imperial War Museum, London, along with the works of other POW artists.
Searle produced an extraordinary volume of work during the 1950s, including drawings for Life, Holiday and Punch. His cartoons appeared in The New Yorker, the Sunday Express and the News Chronicle. He compiled more St Trinian's books, which were based on his sister's school and other girls' schools in Cambridge. He collaborated with Geoffrey Willans on the Molesworth books (Down With Skool!, 1953, and How to be Topp, 1954), and with Alex Atkinson on travel books. In addition to advertisements and posters, Searle drew the title backgrounds of the Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder film The Happiest Days of Your Life.
In 1961, he moved to Paris, leaving his family and later marrying Monica Koenig, theater designer and creator of necklaces. In France he worked more on reportage for Life and Holiday and less on cartoons. He also continued to work in a broad range of media and created books (including his well-known cat books), animated films and sculpture for commemorative medals, both for the French Mint and the British Art Medal Society.[2][3] Searle did a considerable amount of designing for the cinema, and in 1965, he completed the opening, intermission and closing credits for the comedy film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. In 1975, the full-length cartoon Dick Deadeye was released. Animated by a number of artists both British and French, it is considered by some to be his greatest achievement, although Searle himself detested the result.
Searle received much recognition for his work, especially in America, including the National Cartoonists Society's Advertising and Illustration Award in 1959 and 1965, the Reuben Award in 1960, their Illustration Award in 1980 and their Advertising Award in 1986 and 1987. In 2007, he was decorated with France's highest award, the Légion d'honneur, and in 2009, he received the German Order of Merit. His work has had a great deal of influence, particularly on American cartoonists, including Pat Oliphant, Matt Groening, Hilary Knight and the animators of Disney's 101 Dalmatians. In 2005, he was the subject of a BBC documentary on his life and work by Russell Davies.
In 2010, he gave about 2,200 of his works as permanent loans to Wilhelm Busch Museum Hannover (Germany), now renamed Deutsches Museum für Karikatur und Zeichenkunst. The ancient Summer palace o
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 14, 2019
Very very funny book with hilarious drawings of 'Searle's cats'.... I found this book second hand somewhere, I see it is published in 1967, pretty old, but hey, cats are cats... great fun. Found it again cleaning out my office cabinet... great find, once again!
December 26, 2014
Searle's cats ride again; the back cover pictures one of them reining in (or trying desperately to rein in) a horse!
The book opens with a cat in a classical urn holding a spray or two of psychedelic flowers then, in a role reversal, a goldfish leaps out of its bowl to grab the 'inefficient' cat by the back. A barren cat tries to hatch an infertile egg, a decidedly happy cat in the bath is blissfully unaware that the house is on fire and then there is a rather timid cat in wolf's clothing!
There is an exhibitionist cat, two cats who discover that love is a many-splendoured thing, a vegetarian cat is eyeing a plate of fried eggs and a circus cat who is secretly rehearsing Hamlet! There are many more but my favourite is the balding cat who is walking out in an unsuitable blonde wig.
It is good fun and a must for all cat lovers as well as those who want a little laugh.
The book opens with a cat in a classical urn holding a spray or two of psychedelic flowers then, in a role reversal, a goldfish leaps out of its bowl to grab the 'inefficient' cat by the back. A barren cat tries to hatch an infertile egg, a decidedly happy cat in the bath is blissfully unaware that the house is on fire and then there is a rather timid cat in wolf's clothing!
There is an exhibitionist cat, two cats who discover that love is a many-splendoured thing, a vegetarian cat is eyeing a plate of fried eggs and a circus cat who is secretly rehearsing Hamlet! There are many more but my favourite is the balding cat who is walking out in an unsuitable blonde wig.
It is good fun and a must for all cat lovers as well as those who want a little laugh.
August 5, 2025
moui c'est spécial disons
September 6, 2025
We have a habit of collection books by illustrators we admire, whether it be Quentin Blake, Chris Riddell, or the wonderfully sartorial Ronald Searle.
We have enjoyed Searle's winespeak, his take on book collecting, and his non-sexist dictionary, but we have always lusted over his cats, which to date had eluded us.
Today the Universe was in a giving mood and we finally managed to bag a copy in a charity shop in Formby, along with a vintage Searle plate and bowl. Quite the haul.
The book is everything we had hoped for. Outrageous cats in Searle's unique style with wickedly witty taglines accompanying them. Many we laugh out loud amusing, with Tania particularly enjoying the 'circus cat secretly rehearsing Hamlet'.
My only criticism is that the book is far too short and we will now be on the hunt for More Cats, the follow up to this successful title. 4 1/2 stars.
We have enjoyed Searle's winespeak, his take on book collecting, and his non-sexist dictionary, but we have always lusted over his cats, which to date had eluded us.
Today the Universe was in a giving mood and we finally managed to bag a copy in a charity shop in Formby, along with a vintage Searle plate and bowl. Quite the haul.
The book is everything we had hoped for. Outrageous cats in Searle's unique style with wickedly witty taglines accompanying them. Many we laugh out loud amusing, with Tania particularly enjoying the 'circus cat secretly rehearsing Hamlet'.
My only criticism is that the book is far too short and we will now be on the hunt for More Cats, the follow up to this successful title. 4 1/2 stars.
December 7, 2019
I am always drawn to books about cats. Not my style or art, but I appreciated the comedy.
July 4, 2020
kui internetist veel ei saanud kassipilte vaadata, siis pidi vaatama sellistest raamatutest. nummid kassikarikatuurid vaimukate pealkirjadega, eriti ilusad on kõigi kasside silmad.
February 5, 2014
Borderline cute and borderline disturbing, Mr. Searle’s famous series of cats show his furry felines in a variety of poses and settings. Excessively fluffy with uncharacteristically large faces in proportion to their bodies, these cats regard the universe with curiosity, nerve, daring or trepidation, as the situation warrants. These are not realistic drawings of felines by any means but they capture certain ineffable qualities with their potato-shaped bodies, oddly-colored eyes and varying attitudes.
February 15, 2009
The story and its accompanying art are a little wiggy, but I've always found this to be a sweet and funny book. Kinda like Jim Hansen meets Crumb.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews