November 8, 1979

Edward Ardizzone (October 16, 1900 to November 8, 1979) wrote children's books; he also illustrated them and also books others wrote. He is famous in England, where he was awarded a CBE in 1971. Here is a blurb about his life:

Edward Ardizzone (1900-1979) was born in French Indochina (now Vietnam) and moved to England when he was five years old. As an official “War Artist” with the British Army, he chronicled the Blitz in London and the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt. In addition to his illustrations for works by Eleanor Farjeon, Dylan Thomas, and Robert Louis Stevenson, Ardizzone wrote and illustrated his own books, including the celebrated Little Tim series, which was inspired in part by his dreams of escape from boarding school.


Ardizzone wrote and illustrated this book, Tim's Friend Towser, part of a series. I am not sure if that cat is named Towser or not.

Below is another cat Ardizzone did,  for Prefabulous Animiles by James Reeves (1957). This cat is called The dreaded Catipoce.

We have British cats above.