90-93_Cats.qxp_Grid 20/05/2025 15:42 Page 90
FOCUS ON…CATS
PAWSOME POSERS When you’re feline down, a cat can be the purrfect pal. The Cats In Cartoons exhibition that is on at London’s Cartoon Museum until September, is a reminder of how much fun they can be, so PG has asked publishers for their top cats in both cards and life. Left: Top Cat and his gang are still favourites.
Cats are a big draw for card designers, helped by the fact owners are happy to find artwork that looks like their own fabulous feline. “We’ve had great success with cats on cards,” explained Ohh Deer’s Harry Ferrin, “and the big reason is that it doesn't matter the style of cat, they’re all your cat. “We have both cute and naughty cats but have always found the funny ones have sold best for us. Hands down the top seller is Ken The Cat. For the 3rd year in a row, he’s sitting pretty at the top of our bestseller's list. It's a little silly how well this card sells, and our second-best selling card for 2025 is also a Ken The Cat design.” Bewilderbeest’s founder Iain Hamilton admitted: “Much as I love drawing dogs, I think the cat world might just be a more inclusive one. The good thing about cats is that if someone likes a cat card, they’re usually just happy it’s a cat. If the colour or breed matches their own, that’s just a bonus.” And Iain’s top-selling When Your Cat Is Extra Fancy card was inspired by a friend’s cat that’s so fussy it will only drink running water: “So they have a ridiculously Right: Fancyness from Bewilderbeest. Below: Lesley Anne Ivory for Natural Partners. Below right: The Rush Design trio.
90 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
expensive water bowl that constantly flows water through it. Totally bonkers, if you ask me!” While ArtPress now has plenty of cat cards, the first was Cat With Fish On Its Mind by Jane Ormes 14 years ago and still published today, as well as being the poster boy on the publisher’s promotional bags. The latest is a Ronald Searle range, featured in the Cats In Cartoons exhibition, and launched in conjunction with Curating Cambridge, featuring 12 of the artist’s fiendishly funny, satirical drawings, from joyous cats brandishing huge bouquets to a Balding Cat Walking Out In An Unsuitable Wig. Also on the art card front, Natural Partners has 125 different cat cards by Lesley Anne Ivory, whose work clearly reflects her love of our feline friends – as publisher Joe Cole commented: “She’s been painting cats forever!” The Cath Tate team have a soft spot for cats, and it shows in the ranges, with social media manager Rosanna Jones commenting: “From our dedicated Nine Lives collaboration with artist Adrian O’Keefe, packed with quirky humour and full-on feline attitude, to Photocats & Canines, one of our
Above: Ohh Deer’s Ken The Cat bestsellers. Left: ArtPress has Ronald Searle and Jane Ormes. Below left: Poet and Painter’s A Cat Parent.
bestselling inhouse ranges created by Cath herself, cats have pride of place in our designs. “The much-loved Annoying And Cute cartoon by Amy Hwang also deserves a shout-out – it’s proven very popular online and has been reshared by thousands of catloving fans!” As the mummy to a trio of cats, Rush Design’s Lorraine Bradley is very pleased with the “totally pawsome” portrait of her three in the Cheeky Charcoals collaboration with artist Sarah Boddy. Eight-year-old Winter, the Chinchilla Persian x Maine Coon, is both fur baby and muse to Bee Drought, Hotchpotch’s newest designer, sitting next to her every day while working. Bee said: “She’s a constant source of laughs and cuddles, inspiring so much of my work and just basically the love of my life. I’ve