Tuesday 29 July 2008

Most Witless-Looking Cats: The Shortlist

It's actually a day earlier than I initially promised, but to be honest I was so excited by the brainlessness of the entries, I couldn't wait to upload them. It also seemed sort of appropriate to make the shortlist on the day that my own second most witless cat, Janet, formed a strong and unique attachment to what must be the world's dirtiest plastic bag (who knows? This could finally be "The One"). If anyone does come in with an amazingly dumb late entry, I'll add it to the pics below, but for now, these sixteen are the standouts. As you'll see, I've tried to avoid blatant surgical dumbhancements (or, as it's alternatively known, "photoshopping") and cat clothing (Bitty is a rare exception, since his hat has clearly been made from a stretched scouring pad, and earns his owner, Sharon, extra points for creativity) and lean more towards a naturalistic brainless beauty in my selections.

Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to send pics in and sorry if your mogwit didn't make it. I'll be announcing the top three early - all of whom will win a signed copy of Under The Paw - next week. In the meantime, please feel free to post any relevant critical analysis below and enlist friends to offer politically dubious support.

P.S. Please could Maggie get in touch to tell me the name of her cat.

Cheebee from Adriana:

Boris from Sara:

Bubbles from Sam:

Bitty from Sharon:

Bailey from Christine:

Cocoa from Ann:

Gizmo from Rachel:

Hamish from Lavinia:

Ichabod from Sharon and Mark:

Lee from Charli ("the type of cat who will bang his head on the table as he jumps off your lap and doesn't even realise he hurt himself"):

Mitchell from Jane:


Murrt from Lisa:

Percy from Laura:

Spam from Bill ("once walked into thin air three storeys up whilst not even chasing anything"):


Jelly Mitten (Russian spy name: Jelamina Mitovski) from Catherine:

Anonymous from Maggie:

Abby from Gavin ("main habits include watching the fishtank, licking plastic bags and stealing earplugs from drawers"):

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Laura's cat Percy must be the best contender. They all made me smile but seeing that feline trying to squeeze his whole body into an egg box had me in stitches for ages!!!

^~^
='x'=

Anonymous said...

Well Tom, my critical analysis is that some do not qualify as witless.eg. Cheebee is obviously sunbathing (indoors) um on second thoughts...well Gizmo is pretending to be the white petals on his owners tasteful sofa..Ichabod is clearly a Zen master Cat and Murrt is a Zoe Wannamaker Look alike.
Sitting in a wok counts as witless however,as does having blue netting/bags on your head or sitting in egg containers....

Jo said...

They's not witless...They's just cool!!

Anonymous said...

Spam, hands down.

Both for the "bag" photo, as i am imagining that he has scooted all about the tile with his head in the bag before this shot was taken, and for the comment about "walking out into thin air three stories up".

Now that is witless.

He is lovely, though, as are all of them. Disarming.

Dee said...

They are all just gorgeous but for me it must be Ichabod just has the LOOK..:)

Anonymous said...

Murrt...first choice
Hilarious pic
Ichabod...2nd

Anonymous said...

Jelly Mitten the spy, in her disguise of a take away, what a beautiful cat though

Cath, Kate + Laura said...

RE: Anonymous from Maggie, this looks so much like my cat Cecil, I got all confused thinking I had entered him into the competition (which I should have, but forgot!) Will have to send you a picture of Cecil so you can do a comparison...

Cath

Sharon said...

Hi Tom!

I love Cocoa in the Wok!
I enjoyed your book...my niece Kate brought it to share on our family beach vacation!

Wynton and Emma say Meow!

Anonymous said...

those are so cute-thanks for posting these.

Renate

Anonymous said...

I vote for Cocoa in the wok ! :o)

Anonymous said...

What on earth is it with cats sticking their tongues out?

I can understand falling asleep with your head in a KFC bag (hey, we've all done it after a returning from a big night out...) or the temptation not to care what you look like while you're slobbing out on the sofa (ditto...). And even, to an extent, sitting in a wok or an egg box. (Well, maybe not those two...)

But when it comes to sitting there with your tongue sticking out...well, I just don't get it. To me, that is the mark of a TRULY witless moggy...

http://jakefiles.blogspot.com/
One cat in a man's world...

Anonymous said...

These cats are so cool...I don't consider them witless, they are proof of how utterly charming and hilarious our little dudes can be!


(perhaps you'd like a look at my Facebook group,'My cat is soooooo silly!')

I'll be your mirror said...

i love them all, but Ichabod, Abby, Murrt and..i forget the other one are truly the funniest pictures :) i wish i had seen this earlier as i have taken several thousand photos of my cat Stella since i got her (she will be 1 on monday) and there are multiple witless photos in there :) congrats to all you lucky cat moms and dads

Unknown said...

It's got to be the one sitting in a wok