CAT by B. Kliban (Workman: $7.95)....

CAT by B. Kliban (Workman: $7.95). It’s hard to believe that 17 years have passed since Kliban’s drawings began appearing on T-shirts, calendars, coffee mugs and countless other products. This new edition of the book that sparked the craze (with an additional 16 pages of color taken from the calendars) confirms that Kliban was an accomplished observer with pen and ink, as well as one of the first absurdist cartoonists. Unlike Garfield and Heathcliff--who are just obnoxious little men in cat suits--Kliban’s cats are the genuine articles: His drawings showcase his knowledge of feline attitudes and anatomy. These cats do occasionally go off the deep end, singing folk songs about “eating mousies” or giving out a “wacka-wacka,” but these moments of insanity only add to the pleasures the book offers America’s many cat lovers.