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Cats' Letters to Santa
Featuring a wide range of funny felines with very specific Christmas wishes, a whimsical collection of letters from cats to Santa includes requests for Garfield books and pleas for immediate removal of the family dog. Original.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 1995
202 people want to read
About the author
Bill Adler
335 books15 followersBill Adler pursued his goal of being the P.T. Barnum of books by conceptualizing, writing, editing, compiling and hustling hundreds of them — prompting one magazine to anoint him “the most fevered mind” in publishing.
Mr. Adler achieved early success by collecting and publishing letters children had written to President John F. Kennedy. He followed up with children’s letters to Smokey Bear, Santa Claus, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and President Barack Obama, among many others.
He helped popularize novels written by political, entertainment and sports celebrities, supplying ghostwriters and even plots. He signed up beauty queens to write diet and exercise books.
As an agent, his clients included Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Howard Cosell, Mike Wallace and Ralph Nader.
Mr. Adler was best known for his own titles. He wrote “What to Name Your Jewish Baby” (1966) with Arnie Kogen and “What Is a Cat? For Everyone Who Has Ever Loved a Cat” (1987). In 1969, he compiled “The Wit & Humor of Richard Nixon.” In 1995, he published “Cats’ Letters to Santa.”
One of his more famous tricks — a word he preferred to gimmicks — was the 1983 mystery novel “Who Killed the Robins Family?” by Bill Adler and Thomas Chastain. On the cover was an offer of a $10,000 reward for solving a series of fictional murders.
A team of four married couples from Denver won by coming up with the answers to 39 of 40 questions posed in the book. The book reached No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list in January 1984 and remained there for the better part of a year, selling about a million copies.
“Ideas are my mistress,” Mr. Adler told United Press International in 1986, saying he used his “given abilities to conceptualize books.”
It was People magazine that commented on Mr. Adler’s “fevered mind” in 1983, adding that publishing traditionalists regarded book packagers like Mr. Adler as “money-crazed barbarians with the sensibilities of turnips.”
Referring to Mr. Adler’s books, Roger W. Straus Jr., president of the publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, told People: “They’re pretty chintzy, as a rule. It’s like throwing a quarter in the street. If you listen attentively, you find out it ain’t silver when it hits the ground.”
Others disagreed. “I consider Bill Adler unparalleled in the publishing industry — terribly, terribly original,” Mr. Cosell said.
One of Mr. Adler’s best-selling books was a collection called “The Kennedy Wit.” The president’s aides approved the project early in the administration, but Kennedy was said to have been angry about it, causing Random House to drop the idea. Mr. Adler suspected that the president had not wanted his humor emphasized so soon after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961.
After 35 more publishers turned the book down, Mr. Adler finally obtained a $2,500 advance from Citadel Press, a small publisher. The book, released in 1964, after the president’s assassination, was on the New York Times best-seller list for more than six months and sold more than 1.4 million copies.
William Jay Adler was born in Brooklyn on May 14, 1929. His parents died when he was a child, and he was raised by relatives. He attended Brooklyn College for three years and was drafted into the Army, then trained as a flamethrower for the Korean War.
After finding out that flamethrowers led infantry into battle, he applied for Armed Forces Radio, saying he had experience in broadcasting, though he did not. He was a disc jockey in Tokyo until his discharge in 1953. He then worked in broadcasting, as humor editor at McCall’s magazine and as a book editor for Playboy, where he first came up with book ideas.
One brainstorm was to ask the Kennedy White House if he could read mail sent to the president. In a time of much looser security, he was allowed to spend the day copying letters in the White House pos
Mr. Adler achieved early success by collecting and publishing letters children had written to President John F. Kennedy. He followed up with children’s letters to Smokey Bear, Santa Claus, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and President Barack Obama, among many others.
He helped popularize novels written by political, entertainment and sports celebrities, supplying ghostwriters and even plots. He signed up beauty queens to write diet and exercise books.
As an agent, his clients included Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Howard Cosell, Mike Wallace and Ralph Nader.
Mr. Adler was best known for his own titles. He wrote “What to Name Your Jewish Baby” (1966) with Arnie Kogen and “What Is a Cat? For Everyone Who Has Ever Loved a Cat” (1987). In 1969, he compiled “The Wit & Humor of Richard Nixon.” In 1995, he published “Cats’ Letters to Santa.”
One of his more famous tricks — a word he preferred to gimmicks — was the 1983 mystery novel “Who Killed the Robins Family?” by Bill Adler and Thomas Chastain. On the cover was an offer of a $10,000 reward for solving a series of fictional murders.
A team of four married couples from Denver won by coming up with the answers to 39 of 40 questions posed in the book. The book reached No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list in January 1984 and remained there for the better part of a year, selling about a million copies.
“Ideas are my mistress,” Mr. Adler told United Press International in 1986, saying he used his “given abilities to conceptualize books.”
It was People magazine that commented on Mr. Adler’s “fevered mind” in 1983, adding that publishing traditionalists regarded book packagers like Mr. Adler as “money-crazed barbarians with the sensibilities of turnips.”
Referring to Mr. Adler’s books, Roger W. Straus Jr., president of the publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, told People: “They’re pretty chintzy, as a rule. It’s like throwing a quarter in the street. If you listen attentively, you find out it ain’t silver when it hits the ground.”
Others disagreed. “I consider Bill Adler unparalleled in the publishing industry — terribly, terribly original,” Mr. Cosell said.
One of Mr. Adler’s best-selling books was a collection called “The Kennedy Wit.” The president’s aides approved the project early in the administration, but Kennedy was said to have been angry about it, causing Random House to drop the idea. Mr. Adler suspected that the president had not wanted his humor emphasized so soon after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961.
After 35 more publishers turned the book down, Mr. Adler finally obtained a $2,500 advance from Citadel Press, a small publisher. The book, released in 1964, after the president’s assassination, was on the New York Times best-seller list for more than six months and sold more than 1.4 million copies.
William Jay Adler was born in Brooklyn on May 14, 1929. His parents died when he was a child, and he was raised by relatives. He attended Brooklyn College for three years and was drafted into the Army, then trained as a flamethrower for the Korean War.
After finding out that flamethrowers led infantry into battle, he applied for Armed Forces Radio, saying he had experience in broadcasting, though he did not. He was a disc jockey in Tokyo until his discharge in 1953. He then worked in broadcasting, as humor editor at McCall’s magazine and as a book editor for Playboy, where he first came up with book ideas.
One brainstorm was to ask the Kennedy White House if he could read mail sent to the president. In a time of much looser security, he was allowed to spend the day copying letters in the White House pos
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 1, 2011
If you ever wondered what your cat would like for Christmas, wonder no more. Bill Adler has enlightened us with numerous cat-wishes, charmingly illustrated by Paul Bacon. Cat lovers especially will enjoy this collection of letters, but everyone will appreciate the humor. Don't wait for Christmas to read it.
December 15, 2019
Cute collection of letters that probably only a cat lover would enjoy! a quick 94 page read.
January 8, 2019
One of the books in my daughter's Christmas collection.
5 Stars = I love it for sentimental reasons.
5 Stars = I love it for sentimental reasons.
December 11, 2023
Too cute!
December 8, 2025
this book was genuinely so funny
November 7, 2025
Dear Santa Claus:
I need a place to sleep.
The lady got married again and the new guy doesn't want me in the bed.
Love,
Sam
Cute little Christmas book! Nice and short read for those November and December evenings! 🐱
Some were repetitive, but still cute!
I need a place to sleep.
The lady got married again and the new guy doesn't want me in the bed.
Love,
Sam
Cute little Christmas book! Nice and short read for those November and December evenings! 🐱
Some were repetitive, but still cute!
January 8, 2014
"Yes, Whiskers, there IS a Santa Claus." I picked up this delightful little book on a discount table at Barnes & Noble after Christmas. Here are some sample letters:
Dear Santa:
Please leave under the Xmas tree a gift box wrapped in ribbon. The box can be empty. All I want is the ribbon.
Love,
Lulabelle
Dear Santa:
I would love a ticket to the circus so I can see the tigers. They're relatives of mine.
Your friend,
Stripes
Dear Santa:
I need a book on how to deal with a neurotic human.
Thank you,
Freud
Dear Santa:
Please leave under the Xmas tree a gift box wrapped in ribbon. The box can be empty. All I want is the ribbon.
Love,
Lulabelle
Dear Santa:
I would love a ticket to the circus so I can see the tigers. They're relatives of mine.
Your friend,
Stripes
Dear Santa:
I need a book on how to deal with a neurotic human.
Thank you,
Freud
December 3, 2023
The letters are utterly hilarious! I won't spoil the surprise.
January 7, 2025
A cutesy collection of letters from whimsically named felines.
About two letters to Santa per page.
Some examples would include things like: dear Santa, I want to visit the tigers at the zoo. Love, Stripes.
Very cute, niche market. A cat lover would get a kick out of it.
Does it really needs to be a whole book? Probably not. Adorable novelty that got my kids laughing? Some soft chuckles for sure. Thankfully it’s a small book.
About two letters to Santa per page.
Some examples would include things like: dear Santa, I want to visit the tigers at the zoo. Love, Stripes.
Very cute, niche market. A cat lover would get a kick out of it.
Does it really needs to be a whole book? Probably not. Adorable novelty that got my kids laughing? Some soft chuckles for sure. Thankfully it’s a small book.
December 31, 2018
This was a cute book. Some of the letters were funnier than others, of course. There were some that were a bit off-the-wall and random. I have to wonder if actual letters written by kids were used as inspiration for some of these.
December 9, 2017
This is a short book from the 90s. I found it cute, fun, and humorous.
December 15, 2017
Very funny if you love cats.
April 22, 2019
Cute little assemblage I found in a thrift shop filled with, well, (very short) letters from cats to Santa, with a few chuckles peppering the collection.
December 28, 2018
Cute 😸Funny 😹 Meow! 😻
April 15, 2020
Yep ... I'm losing it. I did, in fact, read this book. It was okay.
June 15, 2020
Made me laugh. Great book.
December 31, 2020
Some of the letters in here were pretty cute. I just wish they had some letters in here signed by my cats (Sterling and Sabrina)!
May 3, 2022
Although somewhat a silly basis, some of the letters were hilarious. Highly recommended for those times when you need a good laugh.
June 5, 2023
It is cute but not outstanding.
December 28, 2023
Ok book
February 24, 2024
Cute little book, especially if you are a cat lover.
December 19, 2024
Cuteness overload just in time for Christmas!
December 12, 2025
Cute, funny, and full of classic cat attitude. Even as a dog person, I couldn’t help but enjoy these playful “letters” to Santa. A quick, charming holiday read.
February 8, 2012
I read this book on the same day as 'Pets' Letters To God', as they had a similar premise, though this one was specifically about cats and what they ask Santa for. The letters are somewhat brief, so the author views cats as the intellectual equivalent of a young grade school child. While I've not owned a cat myself, I've been told that those who do find them to be very intelligent, so their letters may be longer and more in depth than the author believes.
Again, a fairly thin book that I read in 10-15 minutes that doesn't require very deep thinking. I would imagine that this book could be offered on the 'free' shelf of an eBook website, as it's a bit thin in content. Nonetheless, a cute and amusing read for both fans and non-fans of our feline friends.
Again, a fairly thin book that I read in 10-15 minutes that doesn't require very deep thinking. I would imagine that this book could be offered on the 'free' shelf of an eBook website, as it's a bit thin in content. Nonetheless, a cute and amusing read for both fans and non-fans of our feline friends.
January 23, 2016
Dear Santa,
Can I have a bird feeder all my own? You can leave it in the window, the one that cranks open but has no screen.
Thanks,
Fuzzy
Dear Santa Claus,
I want a dead mouse so they will think I'm doing my job and get off my back.
Thank You,
Herman"
These are just 2 of the humorous and imaginative letters written to Santa by his feline friends. Not all of the cats are nice but they will tickle your funny bone. The line drawing illustrations by Paul Bacon add an extra bit of whimsy to this little book. If you're a fan of cats (bet you couldn't tell that I am!) you'll enjoy this one.
Can I have a bird feeder all my own? You can leave it in the window, the one that cranks open but has no screen.
Thanks,
Fuzzy
Dear Santa Claus,
I want a dead mouse so they will think I'm doing my job and get off my back.
Thank You,
Herman"
These are just 2 of the humorous and imaginative letters written to Santa by his feline friends. Not all of the cats are nice but they will tickle your funny bone. The line drawing illustrations by Paul Bacon add an extra bit of whimsy to this little book. If you're a fan of cats (bet you couldn't tell that I am!) you'll enjoy this one.
September 7, 2014
Dear Santa,
I loved this book. It was very giggly and funny. I actually LOVE to read this book near the holidays just to bring the spirit. I rate this book a 2 because, I am actually a dog lover and the whole book were all about CATS. And some times you get to a point of the book where you just want to stop. Each Santa letter in the book were not all original, some were exactly the same which kind of brought me into a boring stage. But I do love jokes and this book had tons of them! I personally recommend this book to 3rd graders - 6th graders. Great book to get as a gift too, even for a cat!
I loved this book. It was very giggly and funny. I actually LOVE to read this book near the holidays just to bring the spirit. I rate this book a 2 because, I am actually a dog lover and the whole book were all about CATS. And some times you get to a point of the book where you just want to stop. Each Santa letter in the book were not all original, some were exactly the same which kind of brought me into a boring stage. But I do love jokes and this book had tons of them! I personally recommend this book to 3rd graders - 6th graders. Great book to get as a gift too, even for a cat!
November 14, 2011
A cute little book filled with letters from cats to Santa including illustrations by Paul Bacon.
Sample:
Dear Santa,
Please don't come down the chimney.
It's very dirty.
I know,
I tried.
A great Christmas stocking stuffer for cat lovers. I picked it up at a second hand shop for $1.50 - can't go wrong.
Sample:
Dear Santa,
Please don't come down the chimney.
It's very dirty.
I know,
I tried.
A great Christmas stocking stuffer for cat lovers. I picked it up at a second hand shop for $1.50 - can't go wrong.
January 27, 2016
Cats don't have too many original thoughts. Most of the letters are very similar in tone but since my daughter Anna gave this to me for Christmas I thought I should read it. (There was a nice check hidden in there as well.) Anyway, I guess I should just be impressed that cats can write at all and quit nitpicking the originality factor. lol Happy New Year everyone!
December 14, 2012
While some of the letters were cute and a bit funny, I quickly got bored and never finished this book. I actually liked the illustrations by Paul Bacon the best. If you are looking for a holiday book for cat lovers, I recommend "Catmas Carols" by Laurie Loughlin and illustrated by Mary Ross.
December 29, 2007
Adorable
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews