Physics for Cats

by Tom Gauld

What happens to a cat who goes through a wormhole?

Tom Gauld returns with Physics for Cats, his second collection of science-based cartoons for the New Scientist. Find out why every scientist worth his sodium chloride has a Tom Gauld cartoon taped to his electron microscope. This new batch of hilarious gags will be as important to every self-respecting scientist as a lab coat and goggles and oversize rubber gloves.

Find out what the hadron’s news alert about CERN says! Everyone asks, “What is dark matter?” and “Where is dark matter?” but do they ever take the time to ask, “How is dark matter?” Based all on previous data, we can predict with a 99,99% certainty that you will either laugh, guffaw, chortle or snort (we don’t have a large enough sample set to be able to say which particular type of mirth you will experience.)

Genres: Comics, Humor, Graphic Novels, Science, Bande Dessinée, Cats, Comedy

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2025

About the author

Tom Gauld is a cartoonist and illustrator. He draws weekly cartoons for the Guardian newspaper and New Scientist magazine. He has created eight covers for the New Yorker and a number of comic books. He lives and works in London.

Reviews

[Peter Landau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever jokes and drawings, could have used more cats.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing little cartoons about science and scientists. I laughed out loud several times and had to immediately text my wife and daughter a few of the best.


FOR REFERENCE:

Collecting cartoons that originally appeared in New Scientist magazine.

[Élise Massé · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Gauld restera Tom Gauld. Chacune de ses bandes dessinée est une vraie pépite. ❤️

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a little side distraction in reading and this book is brilliant for that. As the blurb says first published in the pages of New Scientist - this collection of short 1 page cartoons show the lighter and more humorous side of science.

The various pieces are absurd, irrovent and observational - however one thing they do not do is ridicule science or those that are interested in it - but rather plays with your perception and interpretation. A rare skill in deed and one that matches the contents of this book perfectly with its topic

I would highly recommend this book- it did the rounds at my office where it seemed everyone who read it came away with a different favorite piece.

[Marie Labrousse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom. Gauld. Est. Un. Génie.
Point final.

[Noémie Courtois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pas mon préféré de Tom Gauld, mais tout de même quelques planches m’ont fait sourire!

[Andrés Zelada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divertidas tiras cómicas con temática científica. Muy bien, la verdad.

[Catherine veut lire trop de livres · Rating 4 out of 5]

« Il faut demander au superordinateur de nous aider à résoudre la crise climatique, mais formulons la question de manière à suggérer que nous n’en sommes pas responsables. » (Gauld, Tom. La physique pour les chats)

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabuleux 👌

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this for "I've just finished a fantasy book and the adrenaline won't let me sleep" moments. Lots of funny science strips 😺

[Canavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

✭✭✭✭✭

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

goofily funny
I'm an illustrator and found the comics very inspiring. Simple yet effective

[Christopher Dicaire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un livre drôle pour les scientifiques! 😉

[Jack Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, but not enough cats. An amusing set of science cartoons by Tom Gauld, covering everything from quantum physics to the behavior of scientists to fantasy. A nice morning amusement!

[Nick Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent accompaniment with your Sunday morning coffee. Not too many cartoonists (or humorists) have the ability to make jokes that ridicule the everyday absurdities that make smart people believe that they are smart, and get them to laugh at themselves via simplified yet stylized graphics and a wonderful command of the English language.

The OCD archivist in me just wishes that there could have been an index to note the dates that these cartoons appeared in The New Scientist. Otherwise, D&Q have done another wonderful job with the production values of this collection.

[Diana Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher (Drawn & Quarterly) and Edelweiss.

I like Tom Gauld's cartoons - especially those about books / libraries / librarians. This set of science comics would be my next-favorite of Tom Gauld's work. Being titled Physics for Cats, the only thing missing is more cats!

To be published October 7, 2025.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of Tom Gauld's best comics yet.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I picked up solely because I liked the title and coover, and I am so glad I did! This beautifully designed little book is chock full of fantastic science-based cartoons. The illustrations and humour are reminiscent of a super sciency version of Gary Larsen's The Far Side cartoons. This would make an especially good gift for anyone who considers themselves a nerd.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of comics featuring the hazards of scientific work, perils of the human existence, and other ridiculous scenarios.

This collection of comics by Tom Gauld was definitely aimed at the scientists or science nerds. The former science teacher in me and the ongoing nerd really enjoys these. Hand this to your favorite sciency nerd.

Notes on content:
Language: I think just 1 or 2 minor swears. Maybe none.
Sexual content: There’s 1 mostly innocuous line in the Scientific Method Flow Chart about engaging in sexual activity.
Violence: There are some fantasy/scifi scenarios where people or characters or particles get beat up/exploded/other. It isn’t gory and it is usually absurd.
Ethnic diversity: The humans drawn have a variety of skin tones.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: There was one comic about engaging in occult practices (again, more absurd than serious).

[LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's not really much of a focus to this volume. It's all humorous stuff, a good chunk of it science-related. Unlike what the title may lead you to believe, there aren't many cats.

As with Gauld's other collections, I enjoyed this but don't really have much to say about it.

[Antoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celui sur les libraires était top, et celui-ci est génial

[Mimie Be · Rating 5 out of 5]

La BD parfait pour survivre à un soir de pluie et de déprime.
Comme toujours l’humour de Tom Gauld fait mouche, j’ai eu le sourire pendant toute la lecture !

[Aurore · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟🌟🌟✨

[Gab · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Tom Gauld's comics are witty and the illustrations are eye-catching in the best way. If you haven't checked out his books (or his accounts online), you are missing out.

[Allison]

Hilarious!

[Gowitheflo_0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25/5★ StoryGraph

[Alyssa]

expected more cats

[alma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
Clever jokes and drawings, could have used more cats.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Larakaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smiled, chuckled and/or laughed on every page.