This year’s Halloween cartoon is another one inspired by that weird cat calendar on my desk at work. This is one of those facts that the calendar throws at you, but worded in such a peculiar way that this was the first thing I thought of. I think what they mean is that cats have the power to see ghosts, rather than identify them.

So, who are the cats Jones mentions in this strip?

Humphrey – the Downing Street cat, chief mouser under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. Named after Sir Humphrey Appleby, the leading civil servant in the TV series “Yes, Minister”.

Skimbleshanks – the railway cat, from TS Eliot’s, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. You’ll find him in act II of the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical.

Custard – a pink cat who lived next door to a green dog called Roobarb. Appeared in a show with the best theme tune ever.

Thomas – the full name of Tom, the antihero of the Tom and Jerry cartoons, though only the housekeeper ever called him that.

Mr Jinks – a later Hanna Barbera cat, this one starred with two mice called Pixie and Dixie. Mr Jinks and Pixie wore bow ties, while Dixie had a waistcoat. Why?

Prudence Kitten – a forgotten British Children’s TV puppet from the 1950s. It predates me but I remember my sister having a Prudence Kitten book. She was a glove puppet of a kitten who wore a voluminous flowery dress, and I think she was a spin off from the Muffin the Mule show.

Felix – a black and white cartoon cat from the silent movies. (This ones from 1919).

Angus – an eccentric persian domestic cat from the movie ‘Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging’, a British teen movie filmed down the road in Eastbourne and Brighton. Recommended.

Michael – of What’s Michael by Makoto Kobayashi, the best cat comic ever.