Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

In the 1930s, an author who called himself “Old Possum” sent his godchildren (Tom Faber, Alison Tandy, Susan Wolcott, and Susanne Morley) a series of poems about cats. Playful, irreverent, and brilliantly written, these fourteen poems (a fifteenth “Cat Morgan Introduces Himself” appeared in 1952) were published in England by Faber and Faber in September of 1939. Fortunately, the author was not your average godparent, but the great modern writer T. S. Eliot. We are celebrating Adopt a Shelter Cat Month in June; no volume has ever made me want to own a cat, possibly even several cats, more than Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

Children ages four and up respond to the cadence and the language, bubbling over with fantasy and fun, long before they can even understand the meaning of the words. Therefore Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats is ideal for a parent, librarian, or teacher to read aloud; the poems provide equal enjoyment for all listeners. These cats all have distinct personalities; the poems celebrating them introduce readers and listeners to one individual, idiosyncratic cat after another.

The Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat;
If you offer him pheasant he would rather have grouse.
If you put him in a house he would much prefer a flat.
If you put him in a flat then he’d rather have a house.

Or:

Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw—
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair;
For when they reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!

In 1982 Harcourt made an edition available with illustrations by Edward Gorey. A signed volume by Gorey always sits near me when I write. No one can make cats more droll or more sinister than he does. As maniacal as these cats look, the humans seem a good deal more bizarre.

The inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical Cats, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats can be savored again and again—for its language and charm. If you have a favorite cat or stanza, please weigh in today. I can never chose which creature from this book I enjoy the most. I do know that hours of reading pleasure can be found, for both adults and children, in this slim volume of fifty-six pages, one of the finest volumes of poetry ever written for young people.

Here’s a page from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats:

You ought to know Mr. Mistoffelees!
The Original Conjuring Cat–
(There can be no doubt about that).
Please listen to me and don’t scoff. All his
Inventions are off his own bat.
There’s no such Cat in the metropolis;
He holds all the patent monopolies
For performing surprising illusions
And creating eccentric confusions
At prestidigitation
And at legerdemain
He’ll defy examination
And deceive you again.
The greatest magicians have something to learn
From Mr. Mistoffelees’ Conjuring Turn.
Presto!
Away we go!
And we all say: OH!
Well I never!
Was there ever
A Cat so clever
As Magical Mr. Mistoffelees!