Macabre Humor Hits the Shelves
In 1981, British cartoonist Simon Bond published 101 Uses for a Dead Cat, a collection of darkly comic drawings showing dead cats used as pencil sharpeners, wine holders, and boat anchors. Promoted with the tagline, “What do you do with a dead cat?”, the book gained immediate attention.
A Worldwide Bestseller
The book was published in 20 countries and sold over 2 million copies. Its popularity led to sequels including 101 More Uses for a Dead Cat and Uses of a Dead Cat in History. A parody response, The Cat’s Revenge – More Than 101 Uses for Dead People, also appeared.
Controversy and Criticism
Though it spent 27 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, reactions were mixed. Time magazine dubbed Bond “the Charles Addams of ailurophobia,” while others sent him hate mail, accusing him of obscenity.
A Cultural Moment
Released during the early 1980s “cat craze,” which included Garfield and Cats the musical, Bond’s book stood out for its irreverent tone. A 25th anniversary edition was published in 2006, cementing its place in publishing history.
In 1981, Simon Bond released a cartoon book unlike anything else. 101 Uses for a Dead Cat featured darkly humorous drawings of dead cats used as objects—from wine holders to boat anchors. It shocked, amused, and outraged readers, but quickly became an international hit…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/h0GL6FG3ZJ
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) March 24, 2025