Brains Are the New Catnip

Author: Isabel Atherton

We’re in the middle of a bonafide bout of Zombie Mania.  Movies, TV shows, novels, Zombie Apocalypse survival guides – you name it, it’s out there.  And we love it!  Zombies apparently have a special undead appeal.  Perhaps those hordes of Zombie Cat Coverravenous undead seem charming in our current cultural climate.  Who knows?  Whatever the cause, there’s a major problem with the currently available media offerings.

What could possibly be wrong, you ask?  WHAT ABOUT THE CATS?  That’s right, who’s worrying about our beloved pets and how they might deal with becoming undead?  No one, that’s who.  Until now.  Author Isabel Atherton and illustrator Bethany Straker have bravely undertaken the task of educating us all on just how one kitty (previously) named Tibbles manages to survive and thrive during the Zombie Apocalypse with the help of his faithful human companion, Jake, in the adult picture book Zombie Cat.

After a nuclear accident wreaks havoc, Tiddles finds himself on the receiving end of a zombie mouse bite.  Not only is this embarrassing (he is a cat, after all, and to be bitten by a mouse – one can only imagine the indignity) but also has the unfortunate side effect of turning Tiddles into…Zombie Cat.

Sigh.  What to do now?  Zombie Cat doesn’t have quite the same zeal for brains as his fellow felines and hopes against hope that Jake will take him in, despite his decaying body parts.

I will tell you no more, for to do so would ruin the suspense entirely.  Suffice to say that Zombie Cat still has some undead

Cats

My cats are currently not zombies. I think.

life in him.

As a fan of zombie entertainment and an aspiring Crazy Cat Lady, I feel Tiddles’ pain.  To go from suave, pampered feline to decomposing fur sack has to be humbling.  The hunger for brains simply adds to the disgrace.  Zombie Cat takes a quirky look at the zombie craze and is all sorts of weird and funny.  From Tiddles’ lack of brain lust to the loss of his former beauty, we’re treated to a whole new version of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse.  There’s even a little Michael Jackson in there.

The illustrations are a hoot – cartoon cats, people and assorted other wildlife get the full zombie treatment with missing body parts and gaping wounds.  This is really not a book for children – Zombie Cat is on the cover playing with intestines.  But it would be a perfect novelty gift for pop culture loving cat owners.  As I was reading it, I was also struck by the idea that it would be great material for adult literacy classes – especially around Halloween.  Who wants to read about Dick and Jane when you could be enjoying cats eating toddler brains?

Overall I enjoyed Zombie Cat, as I suspect will other cat/zombie lovers.  I don’t really know how many of us there are out there, but I can’t possibly be the only one, hopefully, since that would make me pretty weird.  If you’re looking for a fun novelty gift for Halloween or even a demented sort of Secret Santa, Zombie Cat could be just the ticket.

– S. Millinocket

Sue Millinocket
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