The Story of Fester Cat by Paul Magrs

by Paul Magrs

I always knew that the rest of my story is gonna be a good one. I don’t know how I knew that, but I always did. Ungow! I am Fester the cat. Welcome to my book, everyone! From when he first ambled into Paul Magrs’s yard—skinny, covered in flea bites, and missing all but one and a half teeth—Fester knew he’d found his family. Paul and his partner, Jeremy, thought it was the ragged black-and-white stray, tired from a rough life on the streets, who was in desperate need of support. But clever Fester knew better. He understood that it was his newfound owners who needed the help. Over the course of seven years, the feisty feline turned the quaint Manchester house into a loving home. Through his fierce spirit, strong will, and calming energy, Fester taught Paul and Jeremy how to listen and breathe, how to appreciate the joys of simply sitting and singing (what Fester’s purrs sounded like to his silly humans), and how to find joy and contentment in life, even when dealing with hardship. This is the true story of an extraordinary little cat whose gentle charm and trusting soul turned two young men into a family.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Cats, Memoir, Biography Memoir

Paperback

First published November 4, 2014

Reviews

[Gene Hult · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Story of Fester Cat opens with a devastating bang, as not long after we're first introduced to Fester and his funny, mellow, kind cat's voice, and to Paul and Jeremy, the 30-something gay couple who Fester mutually adopts, Fester is euthanized due to old age and at least one terrible stroke. Magrs writes this painful moment with beautiful, wise, poetic intensity, so expressive that it made me sob helplessly, remembering all the cats I've loved in my life. It reminded me how every pet we bring into our lives is a tragedy in waiting, and still we reach out to love these magnificent miniature tigers because they give so much in return.

Really, I was so wiped out by the gorgeousness of this death scene that I took a break for a few days, worried that the remainder of the book would be equally as heartbreaking.

I needn't have worried -- with the tragedy out of the way and recognized and endured, the rest of Fester Cat's imagined autobiography is quite a lark in comparison to that opening cymbal crash of emotion.

The telling of the last third of Fester's life, from when the homey couple accept Fester into their cozy lives to when Fester gets dotty in his age and passes away, are written entirely from Fester's POV, in charming, funny, and warm Northern English vernacular. This neat trick of one-step removal, writing about his own life from Fester's perceptions, allows Magrs to gently retell the quiet dramas going on in his and Jeremy's cluttered home. It's all very sweet and pleasantly enjoyable, even when any of the three boys gets worked up about some issue, big or small. They all keep coming back together with love and affection, building familiar routines around one another. It's an enviable life with Fester in the house and garden, and Fester is a deserving, lovely soul with whom to spend time.

The entire ecosystem of the neighborhood is portrayed quite wonderfully through Fester's senses, too: all the other barmy cats about, the squirrels and birds and frogs and mice and strange human neighbors teetering out of windows, visiting for Sunday lunch, or poking at Fester at the suspiciously medical "hairdresser's". Paul and Jeremy are nicely delineated and characterized, honestly if a tad beatifically, and the intricacies of their relationship and the love that binds them are delicately explored by the fuzzy cat who shares their life and bed.

My favorite bit is the notion that "the galaxy rhymes," a way of paying attention to they mysterious synchronicities that ricochet constantly around us, appreciating coincidence and fascinating echoes of existence, without getting religious or mystical about it.

The Story of Fester Cat almost lost a star in rating, though, because of the very unnecessary Afterword, which is written from Paul's point-of-view. It is a retread, adding nothing of importance that readers hadn't already heard or gleaned from Fester's take. It's annoyingly redundant, with almost verbatim summation of what we'd just read, and I recommend skipping it entirely.

For it is Fester's voice, his sweet and sensitive loving perceptions, that is the shining light of this heartfelt and witty book. It was a pleasure to spend time with such a special -- and so typically, deeply familiar -- cat.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore cat stories, whether mysteries or biographies. Once in a while there is a story that leaps above all the other well loved tales.. Making the Rounds with Oscar and Homer's Odyssey were two such books. FESTER'S STORY is another.
Fester had me from the first chapter, with his wicked very British sense of humour and irony. He told his story starting from the end and then going back to the beginning. Between bits that had me gaffawing out loud and other parts that had me misty eyed, his was an amazing story.
He adopted his humans, Paul and Jeremy, when he was about 12. Health-wise, he was a mess but he had a sense that it was time to have a home and family and these two "dafties" as he lovingly called them were it. Paul and Jeremy could not have come from more different worlds and yet when they came together, it was for life. When Fester moved in, they became a family.
Life was not always easy. Fester had health issues. Paul had the wraiths from his childhood and dysfunctional family that would haunt him and Jeremy had the boss from Hell. Yet somehow, through it all, their family unit stood held together by the furry glue called Fester..
I am sorry that I wasn't on FaceBook when Fester had his page. Princess Fuzzypants and he would have been great furriends.
He was a kind and quiet soul who taught his life lessons with grace and charm. Obviously, as Paul's writing partner, he was an important part of the creative process. Paul's eulogy at the end of the book is heartbreaking. Anyone who has loved and lost a dear animal will live it again through his words. He caught beautifully the the loss but also the gratitude for the time together.
I would say this book ought to be on every animal lovers to be read list. And if if you are a crazy cat person as am I, put it right on the top. You will not be sorry.

[Viviane Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fester was a neighborhood outdoor cat for most of his life. He was considered cool and full of wisdom on how to survive on the streets. We meet several of his friends and acquaintances, most of them hairy mats of messy fur, skeletons showing, missing teeth, fleas and showing battle scars from their rough skirmishes on the streets! Then all of a sudden life begins to change when one of his friends gets adopted by a human family that is moving far away from Manchester and at the same time Fester meets Paul and Jeremy!
What a change for good old Fester! At first it’s a funny bit of culture shock as he certainly isn’t used to being cared for so well and they have to get used to his occasional dumps (they call it accidents, ha, ha!) until they get sharp and get him a kitty litter, which of course he treats like a special throne where he drops his sacred gifts for his loving owners!
Little by little owners and Fester establish their favorite spots, a companionship that grows deeply upon these gay men who discover a different kind of love present in their lives. There are many funny moments such as when Fester is introduced to a fancy patronizing friend of his owners or when they take him for his “beauty” appointment (a la vet). Little by little Fester’s health is restored as much as possible! He’s now a permanent fixture in their lives and it’s a lovely, lovely relationship they share with the reader as Fester explains his owners’ individual and collective habits and idiosyncrasies.
It’s been a long time since a book made me both laugh and cry, but this one did it all and more! It’s a tender, humorous, startling, agonizing and precious memoir that every cat lover absolutely must read and everyone else as well! Marley, move over – this is the reverse story but every step of the way to the end is delightful, engaging and so, so memorable! I’m writing this as one of my own two beloved felines is butting my head for a bit of cuddlin’ which means I have to stop typing but not before I state I will never stop remembering this superb feline memoir! Kudos and thank you, Paul Magyrs for sharing this gift from your lives!

[Chris Dietzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a true GoodReads success story. A friend of mine on here won a copy of this book through an official GR giveaway, read it and loved it, then saw on my GR author profile that I'm a huge cat lover and recommended it to me. The story is part memoir of the cat (who narrates the entire book) and part memoir of the author (who took in the cat and gave it a home). The writing is quick and straightforward and there are dashes of humor throughout. A great read if you're a cat lover.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story about Fester Cat and his adopted humans, which I picked up completely by chance after seeing it in an online list of book recommendations. I'll admit to sobbing quite considerably during the afterword after having held it together up to that point. A really moving tale I'm glad I read.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fester Cat had spent twelve years on the streets of Manchester, twice contemplating domesticity, but the last lady didn't understand him, she thought he was a girl! The indignity! Then Paul and Jeremy enter his life. They're the new couple in Fester's territory, even though they've been there about a year. There's something alluring and different about them, but most magical of all they know Fester's name! The Spanish lady thought he was a she and here's two guys who not only know he's a distinguished gentleman but that he answers to Fester! Ungow!

After a little time coming and going Fester decides that he shall adopt Paul and Jeremy and their lives together begin. Fester isn't just a furry family member but he helps the three of them become a family. Through rituals of turkey at Christmas and long summer days reading in the "Beach House" to singing and talking, they bond into a cohesive unit that is campy and cuddly and most of all filled with joyous everlasting love.

In March of 2013 my heart broke a little at the news that a certain tuxedo kitty was no longer in this world. Thirty-six days later I got a story in my inbox, The Story of Fester Cat. And I knew I couldn't read it. In a little over two weeks it would be four years since I had lost my tuxedo kitty, Spot. 1445 days and growing. This September Paul contacted me asking if I'd review the book for my blog. I said I was glad to, all the while wondering, but can I? I usually avoid reading books about animals like the plague. I can't take the fact that the book was written because their furry little story had come to an end.

I don't want excesses of unnecessary emotion and rainbow bridges, a sentiment that Fester himself would agree with I'm sure. I don't feel that it's cathartic or will help me heal, all I feel is the pain as fresh as the day I lost my little guy. But somehow this book was different. Yes, it did break my heart, I cried uncontrollably for awhile, but it also put my heart back together. In the two years I'd known Paul, Fester had become a part of my life, the daily pictures on Facebook of them working away at his computer or relaxing in the Beach House was a highlight of my day. The lose of a furry family member leaves a hole in your heart that you don't know what to do with, Paul filled his with Fester's song.

Fester's story is told in Fester's own unique voice, ungow! I'm not talking just about the conversational aspect, the vocal inflections that everyone who has known and loved a talkative cat knows about. The way they insinuate themselves into conversations with a mow here and a meep there. I'm talking about the inner voice made real in the narration of his story. All cat "owners" will tell you that their cat has a unique voice, I always imagined my Spot's voice as regal and somewhat sardonic, like Jeremy Irons.

Paul though has masterfully written this book in such a way that it feels he is channeling Fester. Fester is observant and witty and knows how to keep his humans in line and sticking to their routines. He is streetwise but also has a deeper understanding of life. His voice isn't just unique like some books have a unique narrator. Fester's voice attains a whole other level where it feels like it's destined to be classic, much like Eloise in the fabulous Kay Thompson series. You just read it and go, yes, this is Fester.

Reading The Story of Fester Cat you realize how important and personal a book this is. While in some regards as Paul says "It's like our little cat going out to meet the world!" But I think there's a whole deeper level, the level of Paul and Jeremy. If you have been lucky enough to read any of Paul's other books you will realize that Paul rather sneakily works himself into the stories. There's a bit of Paul in Robert in the Brenda and Effie series, then in Jack in 666 Charing Cross Road, and then there's Simon in the Iris Wildthyme series. You get this feeling that Paul has always wanted to be on an adventure and as a talented writer he has used these surrogates to insert himself into the narrative.

But for the first time he doesn't need a stand-in. This is Paul's life. There must be something so scary opening yourself up in such a way when for years you've had this separation. Not just showing a fictionalized version of yourself shown in the best light, but to show the good, the bad, the love, the heartbreak, the fights, the fusses, to show it all for everyone. This book is Paul laid bare. This is him, and Fester, and Jeremy. This is their song, full of love and heartbreak, but undeniably catchy. I can only hope that it will stick with you as the chorus and refrain play in your memory. Ungow!

[Barb Lie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was offered to read The Story of Fester Cat by Paul Magrs, I wasn’t sure if this was something that would fit into our reviews at TRC. I am a cat lover, and have enjoyed some cat mystery books, especially Shirley Rousseau Murphy and her Joe Grey series. But The Story of Fester Cat was a true story, which I knew would also be an emotional read.

The description above tells it all. Fester was a stray cat and found his home at the age of 12. Unusual for a stray to live in the outside world so long, but Fester was destined to meet his family in Paul and Jeremy. There is no question that Fester adopted them when he innocently walked into their lives, and this story is told by Fester’s point of view. Very well done, with lots of humor.

The story starts in an unusual way, which took me by surprise. It starts at the end, when Fester is not feeling well, can’t understand why he can’t do the things he normally could. He is after all 18 y ears old. We get to know Fester, and his love of his family and share the moment we all dread, saying goodbye. This left me sad, and wondering how this story would play out. But have no fear, it then starts at the beginning, when Fester was a stray, and his friends in the wild. We see how he finds Paul and Jeremy, and from there on in, I was happy to follow this fun, humorous and enjoyable story. We learn about the hairdresser (the vet), who fixes up Fester from the things he endured living outside, like fleas, skin disorders, gum disease, etc. Watching how he bonds with his family, the love they felt for each other, and how Fester meets their friends and family. Through hard times, and good times, it is Fester who keeps Paul and Jeremy together, as they equally love him. You also get a glimpse at some other cats who are friends of Fester, like Bessie, and Korky. The Story of Fester Cat is also about Paul and Jeremy, and their own family issues.

Fester manages to give us the joy of following his tale of life in a home filled with love; meeting the friends and family, some he liked and some he did not. At the end of the book, Paul gives a beautiful eulogy for Fester, who changed his life. This is a different read, but a really nice story, filled with humor, love, and sadness. You don’t have to be a cat lover to enjoy this book, but if you are, it’s a do not miss.

Barb
The Reading Cafe

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/th...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Una

The story of Fester the Cat is a delightful story told by Fester himself. It will appeal to most cat lovers as the author obviously has a good understanding of cat behavior and using anthropomorphism or personification allows Fester throughout the story to explain these behaviors to the reader in human terms:

“We pick our humans not the other way around”
or…

“my legs are wobbly and I have a headache.”
The cat lover can relate to all of Fester’s antics from what they have seen in their own or other’s cats.

The story is funny, poignant and inspirational as we follow Fester from his rough life on the streets, to his life as a much pampered house cat. He lets us in on how he handles “his boys” through the ups and downs of their relationship, relating to the similarities/ differences in a cats life and even allows us to venture with him as he goes through several illnesses and finally death.

He is a small cat with a big heart with the ability to know what to do when the going gets rough. He is loyal to his friends (he keeps contact with his street buddies) and especially loyal to his family. Fester also knows who and what he doesn’t like. In the seven years they had Fester, Paul and Jeremy grew as a family and realized that Fester was the gel they needed to bond their relationship. Fester needed them and they needed him. Being a cat lover all my life, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as I laughed and got teary, touched by Fester‘s recollections.. .. In fact I felt the story was PURRFECT!!!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Story of Fester Cat" is a warm and cuddly tale about writer Paul Magrs cat, Fester. He is a stray that ends up coming to stay with Paul and his partner. While he is street savvy, he is much happier to stay at home with his owners being treated to treats (even if it means having to deal with Panda, a stuffed panda - Fester is not really a fan)! The story is told from Fester's perspective, which made it fully entertaining and definitely unique!

It is no secret that I am an animal lover and I love books about animals. That alone made me eager to read this book! I was engaged from the very first page and the story of Fester kept me reading. You don't necessarily have to be a cat lover in order to enjoy this book! The book is written by Paul but told from Fester's perspective and through Fester's perspective, we can see how much Paul and his partner, Jeremy, care for Fester and how wonderfully beneficial their relationship is for both the humans and the animal. It definitely made me thankful for the special animals I know or have known.

This probably could have been a good book if it had just been told from Paul's perspective but I really loved that Fester gets to tell his own story. We get to see the world through Fester's eyes. He has a very funny personality and I loved reading about him.

If you enjoy cute stories with plenty of fluffy cuteness, this book is for you!

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

5 stars

Is this a story of a cat? Yes. Is this the story of two men in love? Yes. Is the narrator Fester Cat? Yes and no.

Paul Magrs took the loss of his beloved Fester Cat and used it as a jumping off point to chronicle his and Jeremy’s lives from the time Fester arrived and adopted them up to Fester’s death at about age 18.
We are all voyeurs in one way or another, and even the most boring of activities, such as the lives of two men and their cat, seen through a metaphorical window, as mundane as it may seem, can be riveting. As Fester narrates their lives, I gradually came to realize to realize that Paul was using Fester Cat to distance himself from certain events to gain perspective and at other times, he used personification to make Fester more than just a cat.

We were essentially invited into Paul, Jeremy, and Fester’s lives and it truly felt natural to join them at the breakfast table, and in the garden, as they went about their daily lives. The flow of the story was very effective and if you take a moment to read the Author’s notes at the end, you will find out why Magrs chose to lay the story out in this way.

Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.

[Ellen Pilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I read every cat book I can get my hands on and usually get upset that they make me cry. I will say this made me cry, but just once and the rest of the story is so uplifting that I didn't mind having a cry.
Fester is a tough street cat that survives mainly on his own for the first 12 years of his life. He has had 2 past homes, if you can call them that. He decides that he wants to live with Paul and Jeremy, a couple in their 30's. In doing this, they become a family and he helps them as much as they help him.
The story is written in Fester's words. I love Fester's attitude, he is definitely a glass half full kind of kitty. This is a must read for all cat lovers.

[Louise Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Admittedly, I am a cat lover, and I suspect that folks who aren't would not enjoy it as much as I did. But I did find it absolutely delightful. It's a story of the last third of Fester's life with the "boys" whom he adopted, and told from Fester's point of view. Fester has a wonderful attitude to life which completely charmed me. (If you have ever lost a beloved cat, don't read the first or last chapters in a public place - I was reading them in a coffee shop and had to leave because I was crying so uncontrollably!)

[Jaksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Insightful, crisp, clear writing - and all by a cat! (Or most of it.) One doesn't need to be a cat, or a cat-lover, or even an animal-lover to love this book. The story of how one, almost elderly cat, in poor health, ingratiates himself into the lives of two men. If a cat could write, this is what he'd say.

Loved it!

I received a copy of this book through the goodreads giveaway program.

[Brian Collyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous tale of a mangy stray cat that stumbled upon the home of two daft men and decided that this is where he wants to spend the rest of his days. Fester Cat narrates about his life and observes the daily struggles of his adopted caretakers. It ranges from heart-breaking to charming back to heart-breaking again. This is a book that any animal lover will enjoy. Ungow!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so cute - a definite "must read" for cat lovers. It's told from the perspective of Fester the Cat, and the whole thing is just adorable and charming. I will warn you to have a box of tissues on hand when you get to the end, but despite feeling a little sad at the end I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Ungow!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.

This is "The Story of Fester Cat" told from his perspective. If cats could talk (write?) this is how I imagine it would sound. It is a wonderfully written story of how a pet can complete a family. If you are a cat lover, you will adore this book.

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story told by Fester Cat, an outdoor cat, ( whose almost a stray), who decides to move in with two men at the age of 12. Once they find out his owner doesn't care if they adopt him, they accept him as if he always belonged to them.

[James Gent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, moving, funny, true.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too many related books are more about the people than the cat. This is special because it's written as if the cat himself told the story. A highly sapient cat, to be sure, but still Fester.

bookdarts:
Al Stewart Year of the Cat. Don't Take away the Music.
A pink room painted by Raoul Dufy. "The most perfect, glamorous room in the world."

"Some people will spend all their lives causing arguments. It's because they enjoy it. In the end, they just bloomin' enjoy it. They like causing misery because they don't believe in happiness."

[Anca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! P Magrs sees life in ways not many people can. This special sensitivity and understanding come through clearly in every page of the book. It's a story for every human being, a story that must be read. If you ever loved someone and lost that four- legged person, if you have one (or more) or if you think that one day you might be lucky enough to be chosen by one- read this book.
Fester Cat- thank you. P. Magrs- thank you.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a great heart warming story. I am particularly fond on animal stories and this one was a treat. I have read other books and have not enjoyed the animal narrative but this one was some how different. I also like the layout of the story with an explosive start and then a rewind of the events leading up to that point. The characters are all enjoyable even Aunt Bessie. A beautiful story and read.

[Jacqui Schischka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so sorry to finish this book and leave the quiet, idyllic world of Paul, Jeremy and the adorable Fester. This book was a lovely quiet antidote to the business and chaos of today's world and was a very welcome respite. Of course, I cried lots at the beginning and end when Fester passed away but I was so happy that he spent the last 6+ years with a loving family. RIP Fester and thank you Paul :)

[Sheri S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't sure if I would like this book since it's told from the perspective of Fester Cat. However, I warmed to the perspective and ended up liking the book and the opportunity to learn about the cat and his adventures with Paul and his partner, Jeremy. As a cat owner myself, I could appreciate many of the stories told about Fester's favorite places to sleep and demands for food. He sounds like a sweet cat who made quite an impression on everyone he met.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a heartfelt read, full of love and emotion. The story of found family when a local stray decides to adopt two men as his family and teaches them how to be just happy with the simple pleasures in life.
I love how the story is told from the pov of the cat, very funny and just perfect.
This is out of print in the USA and the author is trying to get the rights back to publish in the UK…. I hope he succeeds as this book is wonderful for any cat lover. As Fester would say “Ungow! Ungow!”
X

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a cat person , I cried a lot as I have lost my 17 year old cat a few months ago .I had him from a tiny kitten ,rescued from an accident . Paul comes across like a loving person .A cat can fill a house and turn it ,into a home .Fester knew where to go for his last part of his life .Caring people write caring books .

[Marilyn Geary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Pauls story. A memoir written while still covered in grief over the passing of his furbaby. A way to hold to the love and life of a tiny creature.

Spoiler, the death is written first, then goes back to tell Fester's life. I liked not having to read the book in dread.

If you like pet, especially cat, stories, recommend.

[Paul Phipps-Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, life affirming book. I read whilst away from my cats for a week, and all I wanted to do when finished was hurry home and talk to them, as Paul talked to Fester. A warm, engaging story of how families are made complete in the most unlikely way.

[Ben Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally one for sweet cat/dog books, but I picked this one up on a whim and I loved it. It's a warm-hearted book that never tips into sugary-sweet. Told by Fester the cat, it's a moving story that beautifully depicts both life with a cat, and human life too. Ungow, Fester!

[Gaylon Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cats and loved the story but was saddened about Fester. Have lost beloved cats more than once and it always hurts my heart.

[Lydia Coates · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read, written from the cat's point of view, which at first, I did not like. It grew on me however. A true story, it's both funny and sad.