Jeoffry: The Poet’s Cat

This inventive biography chronicles the life of an extraordinary, real-life feline who lived 250 years ago. Jeoffry famously became the loyal companion to the eccentric, visionary 18th-century poet Christopher Smart while Smart was confined to an asylum. In return for the cat’s steadfast affection and comfort during dark times, the poet immortalized him in the famous poem Jubilate Agno—creating what many consider the greatest written tribute to a cat in the English language. Using a masterful mix of rigorous historical facts and imaginative storytelling, the author traces Jeoffry’s adventures through the bustling streets of Georgian London, his time in the asylum, and his enduring legacy as a literary muse.