Tigger: Memoirs of a Cosmopolitan Cat

Susanne Haywood is an author currently living in the South of England but spent extended periods in Austria, Australia and in the United States. Her professional life was divided between teaching, research, and higher education management, but a little while ago she began writing full-time. Her inspiration and encouragement for this decision were their ginger tomcat Tigger, whose 2015 'Pawtobiography' was her first novel. We have conducted an interview with Susanne.

How long did you take to write 'Tigger: Memoirs of a Cosmopolitan Cat'?

Tigger and I wrote this book over several years, as the events of his adventurous life unfolded.

What are the key themes of this book? Why did you write it?

We wrote it because we reckoned few cats if any had lived on 3 continents and moved with their humans as often and as easily as he did. Adapting to new smells, tastes and sights, surviving in alien environments AND keeping your humans sane requires a lot of skills. He had them in abundance.

How do you read the mind of the cat? Have you been a long time cat owner?

We've lived with cats for over 30 years. Obviously, every cat has his or her own personality, just like every human does, so reading their minds is not straightforward, but once you spend a lot of time with your cat and tune in to their needs, you soon get a feel for who they are. I'm sure I don't always get it right, but with Tigger's help I'm confident we've captured the gist of it!

Who do you want to share your experiences with through your story?

Tigger's story is for all who love cats and animals in general.

Are you worried about people who did not like cats and did not pick up your book?

Where we lived in Australia, many people did not like cats because as an introduced species they do a lot of harm to the wildlife. That's sad: cats never asked to be taken there, and it's up to their humans to manage them. But I accept not everyone likes cats enough to read their books, and that's fine.