My Guilty Secret

Have you come across the YouTube videos of "Simon's Cat"? This is a series of cartoon videos by Simon Tofield, a British animator, who based the character of Simon's cat -- who remains unnamed -- primarily on one of his own four cats.

It is clear that Simon has watched his cats very closely because he has captured the habits, demeanor and qualities of cats perfectly in his videos: ever-hungry, ever-curious, playful, and pretty much completely self-centred. Simon's cat takes these to new levels, mind you, and can do a few things that regular cats cannot, like use a baseball bat.

This is, I believe, the first Simon's Cat video made for YouTube. At least, it's the first one I ever saw. I know, I know -- that's not necessarily the same thing. But it appears less polished than later videos, and was uploaded in 2008. I include it because it contains the aforementioned baseball bat. It's a bit more violent than some of the later videos ... re the baseball bat ...

Anyone who's ever had a cat knows how they love boxes. Here is the perfect example of what happens when a cat finds a box.

And although it's really hard to pick a favourite from the many Simon's Cat videos available, I think this is the one I'd have to choose. Simon's household has acquired a kitten, and the mannerisms of the new baby feline, plus the interactions between Simon's cat and Simon's kitten, are spot on ... and hilarious.

If you liked what you saw, you can find more at Simon's Cat home page. The author has also introduced a series of questions and answers in video format (part cartoon, part vet interview) to help cat owners better understand their cats' behaviors.

... And yes, now you know one of my favourite pastimes ...  my guilty secret!

Happy Weekend, from a Simon's Cat fan of the most intense kind :)