Scott Metzger is the creator of Only Birders in the Building, a new collection of cat cartoons. His other books include 50 Ways to Wake Your Human. He lives in Northern California.
Q: How did you end up focusing on cats (and dogs) in your cartoons?
A: I love cats and dogs. They're great fodder for humor. I used to draw cat cartoons only occasionally — for every 10 cartoons I’d draw, maybe one would be about cats.
Then one day, a friend of mine said to me, “You should focus on cat cartoons.” I wasn't sure about doing that because I thought it would be too limiting.
But he kept suggesting it and I soon realized he was right. The cat (and dog) cartoons were the ones that readers liked the most. And they were the ones I enjoyed drawing the most. I actually dedicated Only Birders in the Building to my friend because he was spot-on.
Q: Were you inspired by any particular cartoonists?
A: The cartoonists I admired growing up were Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Gary Larson (The Far Side), Jim Davis (Garfield), Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), and Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County). I was particularly inspired by Schulz and Larson.
Q: Do you usually come up with the image first or the text first--or both simultaneously?
A: Most of the time, the text comes first. Occasionally I'll start drawing a cat or dog (or another character) in a certain situation or with a funny facial expression and an idea can come from that. This comic is one of my favorites where the illustration came first.
Q: Of the various cartoons in your new collection, do you have a couple of favorites?
A: These are three of my favorites from Only Birders in the Building:
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm working on an idea for a children’s book and I plan to put out a collection of dog cartoons next year.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I have a Patreon page, which gives people access to behind-the-scenes content and other perks. It’s a great way to support my comics and we have a nice community there. I also have a store where people can get my comics on T-shirts, stickers, mugs, and other merch.
People can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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