Book Review: Everyday Cat Excuses – Why I Can’t Do What You Want by Molly Brandenburg

Molly Brandenburg is a creative soul who has expressed that creativity in a wide variety of ways. The most recent outburst of imagination from this comedy performer and former award-winning movie advertising copywriter is the book Everyday Cat Excuses. Written and illustrated by Brandenburg, this humorous collection of sketches initially published via Amazon's BookSurge was quickly snapped up by Sterling Publishing and will be soon available in hardcover format.

Brandenburg's cartoons have been in various publications already, but this is her first book. Based on her lifetime of experiences as a cat owner, she presents why your cat (aside from being a cat) won't do what you want him or her to do. For the most part, each excuse is given a single page, with little beyond the premise to connect it with the previous and subsequent pages. The funnier bits are those that take multiple pages, since they are given the time and space to build up to the punch line. My favorite (and one that may appeal to dog owners as well) is the inside/outside sequence.

The cartoons are simple line drawings of stylized cats in minimalist locations. The captions are in block print, and occasionally there are thought balloons for the cats. It is a cartoonist representation of deadpan humor, and it works well, considering the subject.

Everyday Cat Excuses is a short book, only 64 pages long, which is about all that is needed on this topic without becoming old and boring. It's the kind of book that you leave on your coffee table or front-faced on your bookshelves, so that when cat-friendly friends come over you can easily pick it up and share your favorites. If you are a cat owner, expect to see this given to you as a gift at some point, and yes, you may want to do the same in return. It's that kind of book.

I look forward to what Brandenburg will produce next, and hopefully she will dip into another well for her inspiration, given that this book has ended on a high note for cat excuses and does not need a follow-up.