Oreo, Once a Stray, Gets His Own Book to Help Other Cats

Originally published on Nov 10, 2014 and republished in remembrance of Oreo the cat.

The Oreo Cat may have had a rough start as a stray in Quebec, but since being rescued by children’s illustrator Tina Modugno and her husband, Christian Bedard, in August 2013, the handsome black-and-white kitty has become an Internet star — and even has his own book.

“Every day I post little jokes in a sort of photo comic strip form,” Modugno says of Oreo’s Facebook page. “People started commenting that I should write a book, so I started writing short stories and poems as told through Oreo’s eyes. Once I saw that this was really a hit, I decided to take the advice of his fans and write a book!”

Oreo’s book, Bacons and Other Stuff, was published in 2014. Modugno is donating a portion of the proceeds to the Paw Project, a nonprofit working to end the practice of declawing. The book is packed with jokes, poems, stories, and illustrations and the book’s title is an entertaining reference to Oreo’s obsession with his favorite food.

“The title was sort of a given seeing as Oreo is known on social media for his ‘bacons’ addiction,” Modugno says. “Garfield has his lasagna, Oreo has his bacons!”

Oreo is more than just a glutton, though. He’s also an excellent conversationalist, with many of the poems and stories in the book growing out of various “conversations with Mom” Modugno posts on Oreo’s Facebook page. Through social media, Oreo’s character has emerged as big-hearted, fun-loving, and always hungry for a snack — or several snacks. Like, entire bags of treats.

Okay, maybe he is a bit of a glutton, but what cat isn’t? Oreo is also a master of what Modugno calls “cat logic.”

“Cat logic is defined by the use of reasoning as expressed and displayed by a cat,” Modugno explains. “Cats have a very different thought process than we as humans do! It is much more simple and to the point. For example, ‘If I fits, I sits!’ This would be an example of cat logic.”

Cat logic also inspires poems like “Sing a Song of Bacons,” which Modugno shared with Catster:

Sing a song of bacons,
A pocket full of cheeses,
Ask your mommy for a sandwich
Don’t forget to say pleases.

When the sandwich is ready
Don’t forget to share —
Give a bite to your mommy
And show her that you care.

Pop is in his office,
Paying all the bills
Bring a bite to him too
And his boredom turns to thrills.

Outside in the garden,
Your brother and sisters play
Bring them all a bite
And you’ve made everyone’s day.

Sing a song of bacons,
A pocket full of cheeses,
Ask your mommy for a sandwich
Don’t forget to say pleases.

Another tenet of cat logic: Declawing is bad news. That’s why Modugno is donating a portion of the book’s proceeds to the Paw Project. She says the procedure is still commonly done in Quebec and that people are not aware of the side effects, which can include arthritis, infections, and behavioral problems. Modugno knows from personal experience.

“One of our cats, Besss, was declawed as a kitten,” Modugno says. “For years, she has had a crooked walk. When I last brought her to the vet, they said she had arthritis. Once I learned more and more about the side effects of the declaw, I realized that her problems were directly associated with the declaw. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources yet here to be able to help cats like Besss.”