The 2009 Most Witless-Looking Cats Competition: The 4 Winners (In No Particular Order)

Fats, from Lisa:

Tim, from Carol:



Fred, from Marah:

Villi, from Lindsey:




Okay, so I said I'd pick just three winners, but Lindsey, who submitted her Bagpuss-loving Villi, actually already won a copy of Under The Paw in the Tough-Looking Cats comp back in spring (with Furball), and has very generously said I should give her prize to someone else. I'm not going to say which of the other three cats is the "extra" cat on the list, as judging this year's comp has been harder than ever, and I think all of these four cats are of equal witlessness. There have been some others who came very close too. Most notable of these are perhaps the anonymous cat who had fallen asleep on his/her neighbour's fence post and Pellos, the indoor cat who had such a pleased-with-himself expression having escaped from the house for the first time and immediately caught his first bird. Animals kill other animals, but I wouldn't want to be seen as condoning avian slaughter, and also I think - as hilariously witless as Pellos looks - his bloodthirsty witlessness is not quite as purely, plainly witless as the other cats here. Okay, so Villi and Tim do have their own props, but they are more subtle ones. Fats, meanwhile, takes the classic "cat slob" pose to new, undignified heights, and Fred... well, I have no idea how Fred got into that position, but he clearly had to be a heroic kind of div to do so.

Each of the winners will receive a signed copy of the paperback of Under The Paw, and a Yeowww catnip Purrr-muda! Triangle (see below). If you happen to be one of them, and have not yet sent your address, please do so (underthepaw@tom-cox.com). Prizes will be sent out at the end of this week. Commiserations to all the losers - you'll just have to work extra-hard on being more braindead between now and next year's competition....