Philip Lawrence
Cats in Charge was inspired by Doreen Tovey. I found her book A Comfort of Cats by accident and was enchanted by it. Her books tell of being tormented by crafty Siamese and by this time I had two Siamese of my own, Coco and Leo. I had long felt that their adventures were worth a story and I had already penned a short story about them for a magazine. So the book was quite easy. It is a largely factual tale of how my partner and I became both besotted and enthralled with these creatures. Of course one’s reaction entirely depends on if one likes cats. Hitler, Stalin and Napoleon all hated cats. Mark Twain, Churchill, Hemingway and Da Vinci adored them. But if you like the feline form the Siamese is the most exquisite. But they are naughty and the book relates some of their less endearing traits, especially stealing food. Just yesterday a plate of bacon on the breakfast buffet was snaffled up by Leo. He is so quick you can’t turn your back for a second. The book tries to tell a humorous tale as some of their antics are quite funny. But the humour is gentle and based on a certain sentimentality that is now out of fashion. A turning point for us was the arrival of third Siamese Emily, who is exquisitely beautiful and very naughty. But as the book explains I can forgive her anything, as I frequently do.
What made you want to write a memoir of living with a family of cats?
I wanted to keep alive the style of writing that Doreen Tovey developed, but I was conscious that the anthropomorphism that was popular back then is not really acceptable now; so I tried not to give the cats a human voice. But I felt there was a worthwhile story to tell about our three amigos. Also I live not far from where Doreen Tovey lived and a number of people locally had asked me to write something about her or another cat book.
Why are Siamese cats such a dominating breed?
I can’t answer this in a scientific way as I don’t know enough about feline genetics. But just as a breed characteristic the Siamese is a very confident and demanding cat. They are slim, elegant and incredible pretty, but also lithe and powerful. Their slim bodies belie their strength. They talk a lot and are very sociable; they don’t like to be left alone. Their characteristics are typical, of oriental breeds in general, but I can’t give an explanation in biological terms. They are very intelligent; opening doors and cupboards is child's play to them and maybe that increases their sense of superiority. They will definitely dominate another breed in the house; other than say a Bengal, which is also a very confident, but sometimes aggressive cat.
Why were you inspired by the author Doreen Tovey?
Well she loved Siamese as I do and it turned out that quite by accident we lived very close to where she and her famous cats resided. I just really like the charm and innocence of her books, as they harp back to a simpler and less stressful time. There is probably a good deal of nostalgia at work. Her books also give a compelling picture of some typical Somerset country characters and that is amusing for me as I live in the county. They are just a light-hearted diversion from the stresses and strains of modern life and they are written in a droll and witty style. In short they are classy.
Why does your book reignite the style of sentimental story about beloved pets?
I think anyone who loves a pet knows the amazing sense of well being that the company of your cat or dog (or any animal) brings. It’s a joy based on companionship and mutual affection. And of course these little “varmints” do cause some inconvenience and cost and when they are ill or injured they can break your heart. So the sentimentality is a recognition of a non-rational feeling of attachment rooted in some strong emotions. It refers to a bond and a sense of togetherness. It exists beyond the sphere of monetary value or any instrumental gain; in short it is sentimental and that’s what I tried to express in the book.
Can you tell us about your previous 8 books.
My other books are very serious! When I was younger in the 1980s I was quite worried and frightened by the prospect of nuclear war and I wrote some stuff protesting about nuclear weapons etc. But I am a contradictory person and I have always like aircraft and things that go fast. So I have also written books about the aircraft industry and I ended up working as a consultant for the very companies that I criticised in my first book. I have written two other books that I am quite proud of. One is Modernity and War published in 1999. This is an analysis of the cultural representation of war in the western world. The other is Deep Stall, published in 2005, which is just business school type text about the Boeing company, but quite good in my opinion. I am not that fussed about my other books. When you are an academic you are expected to write books, but most of what professors write is not that interesting and many academics do not write that well. After my fifth book I really tried to learn the craft of writing clear and lucid prose. I hope that I have succeeded.
What is next for you?
Another cat book is coming up and another serious book about the aircraft industry. I would like to write a really good thriller, but I don’t know if I have the necessary skills. I have worked out a detailed plot and am starting to do research for this book.