Susannah Fullerton on great writers and the cats who owned them

Next date: Wednesday, 05 November 2025 | 06:30 PM to 07:30 PM

Writers and cats go together like pen and ink. In the silence of a study, the cat is the perfect companion. It doesn’t demand attention or need to be taken for walks, yet is there for comfort, pleasure and even inspiration. Throughout history, famous writers have loved and been inspired by their cats.

Great Writers and the Cats Who Owned Them by Susannah Fullerton tells the stories of 17 famous authors and the purring partners who comforted, inspired and made slaves of them. You’ll meet Dr Johnson’s dignified cat, Hodge; Edward Lear’s half-tailed moggy, Foss; Charles Dickens’ deaf kitten, Bob; L.M. Montgomery’s oddly named feline, Daffy; and many more.

Our author talk with Susannah explores the special bond between renowned writers and their feline companions, as well as the works they inspired. Whether it’s a cat in a nursery rhyme, on a billiard table, or in a writer’s study, her latest work explains the connection between writer and feline, and the joy, solace and ideas the cat provided.

Don't miss this event for cat lovers and literary enthusiasts alike!