The Cat’s Meow: Authors on Their Feline BFFs

Did you know that October 29 is National Cat Day? What a purrfect holiday for cat lovers! To celebrate, we’ve asked some of our favorite authors about their feline friends. Read on for the scoop on these authors’ cats.

(Psst: We also have a roundup of author’s dogs over here!)

Meet Lychee (aka Empress of All Things)

Single by choice. Gemini. Loves to judge the world through the front window. Humans are meatbags meant to worship you.

Companion to: Roselle Lim, author of Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop

Literary character they’re most like: Dorian Gray: beautiful on the outside, a rotting menace underneath.

Favorite book: Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. She would be compiling notes from both books.

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): I would rank her 10 out of 10. No, I’m not coerced at all. This is from my own free will. No cat is hovering near me waiting to bite if I disparage her sweet character. (Oww! End message)

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @rosellewriter.

Meet Noah

My name is Noah, and I own a bunch of humans. My favorite one is possibly the one that doesn’t move much—she’s always sitting in front of this big, brightly lit screen making tapping noises all day. If I bite her at just the right time, she feeds me. Sometimes she’ll forget she already fed me and will feed me again. You have to appreciate consistency.

Companion to: K.S. Villoso, author of The Ikessar Falcon

Literary character they’re most like: It depends. Some days she’s like Beth March from Little Women—angelic, soft, and so sweet she’ll actually let you drape her around your neck or allow mice to walk off unharmed. Some days, she’s Hannibal Lecter.

Favorite book: The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. I think Tao is a very relatable character for her: a stoic, noble hero whose quick wits and agile paws helped save a couple of dumb dogs from the unforgiving wilderness.

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): I’d actually give her a 10, because if I ask for a back rub after an exhausting day writing, she’ll give me one. It lasts all of five seconds but she does a great job! She will also nap with me. You can’t ask for more than that.

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @ksvilloso.

Meet Figaro

A tuxedo cat named after the kitten in Disney’s Pinocchio, she lives up to her angry-but-affectionate namesake every day. She is meant to be free fed and suffers deeply under her human’s twice daily kibble schedule. Loves the cozy darkness under the covers of a late-made bed.

Companion to: Aiden Thomas, author of Cemetery Boys

Literary character they’re most like: She’s definitely Blue from The Raven Boys— opinionated, long-suffering, and stuck with idiot boys (me and my dog, Ronan) who she’s much smarter than.

Favorite book: I think she’d like The Jungle Book and really admire Shere Khan. She’s a small cat with a big attitude, and she also walks around the apartment like a big jungle cat. It’s absolutely bizarre!

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): I’d say a 6.5. For the most part, she ignores me during the day, which lets me get my work done, but when it hits about 7 pm she’ll sit on my laptop, stare me down and aggressively purr at me until I feed her. At that point, I should be stopping for the night anyway, so it’s a good cue to take a break and relax!

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @aidenschmaiden.

Meet Lady Toaster Strudel Von Prickly Pear, aka Toast

Toast is a playful lady of middle years who enjoys basking in the sun, annihilating innocent paper towels, and the occasional indulgence in catnip. She takes her job as a neighborhood watcher very seriously and can be found most afternoons napping on her very soft blanket on the back of the sofa.

Companion to: Manda Collins, author of A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

Literary character they’re most like: Toast is very much like Emma Woodhouse from the Jane Austen novel. She is fond of her creature comforts and considers herself to be the best judge of how things should be arranged. For example, like Emma did by trying to manipulate her friend Harriet’s matrimonial prospects, Toast is not above a bit of manipulation to suit her preferred outcome. When she wishes to draw my attention to something, a water bowl in need of freshening for example, she will approach our elderly dog Charlie and threaten him in such a way as to make me leap to give her what she wants! Emma, of course, doesn’t stoop to blatant threats, but she does want what she wants.

Favorite book: No question she would favor The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): I’ll just be honest here. Toast is a terrible assistant. She sits directly in front of my monitor most days, demands pets, treats, and play while I’m trying to get my words in, and after all that, she doesn’t even bother trying to read the finished product. The only reason I’m rating her 7/10 is because she does give good snuggles when I’m plotting and has inspired some villains on occasion. On a cuteness scale she’s 14/10 so there’s that!

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @MandaCollins.

Meet Grace

Grace is a 5-year old cat adopted on Valentine’s Day. Her card at the shelter said she was a “sweet lover girl” which is absolutely true. She is also a skilled strategist who enjoys cat puzzles and staking out corners so she can surprise and attack unsuspecting dog siblings. Grace doesn’t like being held, but she does like sitting directly on your chest, which is the better end of the deal.

Companion to: Morgan Rogers, author of Honey Girl

Literary character they’re most like: Grace is most like Nancy Drew. She is extremely inquisitive and clever. She also loves to solve mysteries such as: How mad will the dog get if I steal his toy? Why hasn’t Mom fed me yet? Her favorite mystery she’s solved so far has definitely been: How loud can I meow until I get all the cuddles I deserve?

Favorite book: It would be Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers because she shares a name with the main character (which was completely unplanned!). Her second favorite book would be The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune because Grace is a soft, wondrous creature and she would appreciate a book full of characters like that to match!

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): As a writer’s assistant Grace ranks as a 9. She never pressures me and gives me space to let my creativity flow. She is also a big proponent of napping after writing one sentence, which might actually bump her up to a 10.

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @garnetmorgue.

Meet Pan

Pan is a pandemic-born bundle of Peter Pan-antics, bacchic revelry, and daemonic curiosity.

Companion to: Rosaria Munda, author of Flamefall

Literary character they’re most like: Gurgi, the troublesome but adorable sidekick from the Chronicles Of Prydain.

Favorite book: Where the Wild Things Are because he likes big piles AND wild rumpuses.

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): As a writer’s assistant, he ranks at about a 2 because on the rare occasions when he settles down enough to stop trying to drink my coffee and sleep in my lap, he’s too cute! And then I end up staring at him.

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @rosariamund.

Meet Soki

Soki is the intrepid half of a litter of only two kittens. Having grown up with an inattentive cat mother who let him wander the vast home alone, he now believes he is a small wild tiger or cloud leopard and due the same level of respect. Soki is most proud of his dense, plush coat that pleats attractively when he moves.

Companion to: Essa Hansen, author of Nophek Gloss

Literary character they’re most like: Soki is most like Gandalf from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings—not just because he’s starting to show his age! He is reliable and friendly when he’s around, but sometimes goes missing for long stretches of the day (sleeping in one of his dens or boxes?). He likes to relax, is intelligent but kinda nosy yet coy, sweet but tough if threatened.

Favorite book: Soki’s favorite books would be The Cat Who… mystery series by Lilian Jackson Braun. He likes smart, relaxing reads, and would think the feline protagonists have relatable inner lives.

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): Soki ranks a solid 8 as an assistant. He cuddles halfway on my lap when I’m writing so that he doesn’t interfere with critical arm movements. He falls short of a full 10 because, while a great listener, he’s often reticent to comment when I need feedback.

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @essahansen.

Meet Nala

A cat with a taste for travel. Currently living the dream in a basket at the front of her friend Dean’s bike.

Companion to: Dean Nicholson, author of Nala’s World

Literary character they’re most like: I know it’s a film rather than a book, but it has to be Nala from The Lion King. It was my favorite film when I was young. Nala is such a proud, strong but caring creature—just like my Nala. I think of us as Simba and Nala, taking on the world together.

Favorite book: Nala’s World, naturally. She’s forever looking at the photos of herself. Sometimes I think she’s wondering how she got inside the cover of the book. But she’d also love The Incredible Journey, that classic novel about two dogs and a cat traveling across America to be reunited with their best human friend.

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): 2 out of 10—she is a huge distraction, she’s always sitting on the keyboard when I’m trying to write. She won’t even let me do TV interviews without trying to upstage me.

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @1bike1world.

Meet Jack

I’m Jack and it’s about time I’ve got a starring role in one of my human’s books! I’m the inspiration for Xander, the mysterious black cat in the Full Moon Mysteries. I’m named after Jack Bauer from 24. I’m 15 years old and met my human when I was about 9 months. I showed up in a bird box at the rescue center where she volunteered and she took me home to foster. As you can probably guess, I worked my charms and never left. I spend my days at the very top of my cat tree, glaring at the two dogs that somehow ended up in my home. My favorite things are Temptations cat treats and finding clever places to throw up.

Companion to: Cate Conte, author of A Whisker of a Doubt

Literary character they’re most like: T. S. Eliot’s Macavity. Jack is kind of a master criminal and con artist around here! And I’ve always said he has mystical powers. He has the uncanny ability to be in one place one minute, and then seconds later be clear across the house.

Favorite book: Aside from the series he is starring in, Jack would totally love Harry Potter. He likes anything with magic (and mayhem!).

Ranking as a writer’s assistant (1-10): Jack is pretty hands-off. He sits on his throne and gives me the stink eye most days when he’s not asleep. If he does have an opinion on a scene, he usually tries to throw my computer off the desk. But, he’s a cool cat—the quintessential Halloween cat, in fact. So that earns him some points. I’ll put him in the middle of the scale: a 5.

Follow their adventures: On Instagram at @cateconteauthor.

Kelly Gallucci

Kelly Gallucci is the Executive Editor of We Are Bookish, where she oversees the editorial content, offers book recommendations, and interviews authors and NetGalley members. When she's not working, Kelly can be found color coordinating her bookshelves, eating Chipotle, and watching way too many baking shows.

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