About Georgia Dunn
I’m the one on the left….
I’ve just written so much about our cats, and now I don’t really know what to say about myself! I’ll start with the basics. My name is Georgia Dunn, and I’m an illustrator. Usually I’m a children’s illustrator and I sell my watercolor and ink illustrations online in my Etsy shop, in brick and mortar shops, and to whomever will publish me, which is most often educational magazines or independent publications.
I was born and raised in Rhode Island, by the sea, in the forest… It was a very lovely way to grow up, and greatly influenced everything I like to draw. I graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, and I’ve been illustrating since then, with most of my “success” (and by “success” I meaning “paying some of the bills, but usually not all”) starting in 2010 when I left my day job at a bank to focus on illustrating full time. When I’m not painting, I like to work on webcomics. Reading and writing comics is how I like to unwind, and BREAKING CAT NEWS came about one night when I tweeted a few jokes as our cat Lupin playing a newscaster. Friends thought it was funny, I decided to draw it, and when I posted it the response was so great I drew a few more strips. It went from there.
BREAKING CAT NEWS is based on our real cats Elvis, Puck, and Lupin and how they react to our day to day life. In 2010 I began dating “the Man” you see in BREAKING CAT NEWS, my husband Ryan. We had been friends for years, when five days after our first date he asked me to move 3,000 miles to live in Seattle with him. Kinda crazy, but love makes us do crazy things, and so Elvis and I packed up our apartment and hit the road with Ryan. We were married a little over a year later, and adopted Puck and Lupin in 2011 and 2012 respectively. We had our first child in 2013, a little boy named Luke. In 2015 we had our daughter Gwen. They eventually joined the comic has “the Toddler” and “the Baby.” We spent a couple of years bouncing around the country as Ryan’s job took us to Rhode Island again, then to California, and finally back to Washington. We’re back where we started, and pretty delighted to be in the Pacific Northwest!
You can find my Facebook, blog, Twitter and all that good stuff in the links below:
If you have any questions for me, on how I put the comic together, write it, draw it, or about the cats, about myself, anything, check out the F.A.Q. page! If your question isn’t addressed there, please feel free to email me at breakingcatnews@gmail.com !
Likes: Painting, writing, comics, antiques, flea markets, British mystery shows. Dislikes: Mayo, humidity
Puck assisting me in updating the comic.
In Hollywood a couple of years ago.
Puck and I share a love of food.
I have the privilege of being pretty much the only person Elvis allows near him.
Brilliant. 4 cats here, all wonderful, all rescues & all lunatics.
You should call your site “Breaking Mews” if it isn’t too late! I love your site!
I waited, with bated breath, for Tommy to get reunited with his owners for the Christmas finale! It was the penultimate gift that Elvis could give Tommy. The series tugged at my heartstrings! My family and I (and Nigel, our cat) continue to enjoy the tale (or should I say ‘tail?’) of your 3 cats, and Tommy, and read every new episode. Happy New Year to you and your family; that includes Elvis, Lupin, and Puck!
With Best Wishes,
Margo and Dan and Nigel LaCosse
So very glad our daughter clued me in to your comic – 3 rescues currently run our lives, and I love each one. Eager for the return of your trio to The News!
It been a while since I’ve seen a new Breaking Cat News. What’s happened? We love Breaking Cat News!
Best Wishes,
Margo LaCosse
Hello Margo! I have been on a short maternity leave, but the comic will be returning on June 15!
Congratulations! It will be interesting how the cats adjust to the new arrival. I wish you the best of luck!
Margo LaCosse
Would you consider making a book of your comic strips, background story of your boys and a little history of your career development? It’s already all done…just collect together all the info you’ve been kind enough to post for us, maybe add a Christmas thread, and sell it in time for Xmas 2015? I know I’d buy probably 15 copies no matter what the price (because I’m sure it’ll be more than fair)…I’d also buy extra copies for the waiting rooms at local shelters and vets offices..that’d be ten or twelve more. Anyway, if you could email me your thoughts about this possibility, I’d appreciate it, and thank you for my FAVORITE comic strip EVER, from polly3yr@aol.com. Thank you
Hello Deb!
I’m happy to tell you that a book is in the works right now! I’m about halfway through the process with my publisher & editor, and it looks as though it will be published sometime in the spring or fall of 2016. 🙂
And thank you so much for your kind words! I am delighted yoy enjoy the comic, Deb! 🙂
Well then, shall we start conducting the hype train?
Georgia, thank you for your awesome comic, I love it! Best wishes to you and your family including the boys 🙂
Thank you, Tatiana!!
I enjoyed the article on you in the URI Quadangles Will be watching my local newspaper for Breaking Cat News
Thank you, James!
Discovered BCN at work and am HOOKED!!! Neighbor Cat make me think so much of John Candy I hear his voice in my head. Splendid art and HILARIOUS jokes. Have shared with my fellow cat-lovers. The Special Report on shelter cats made me tear up at work.
Holy smokes. A friend shared your Special Report: Shelter Cats link on Facebook and when I read it, it felt like the whole universe stopped for a moment – seriously, it is so utterly gorgeous and moving and amazing – I was practically in tears. I’ve done cat rescue work in Brooklyn for the past decade, and I’m a vet tech…so I have seen my fair share of cats in all of the situations you so beautifully depicted. You absolutely nailed it, and I so love that this comes from the perspective of the cats – it’s so touching and drives the message home without being nasty regarding people who are often the cause of a cat winding up homeless. Just masterful. I honestly wish this could be a mural in every large city in this country so that people could hear / see this terribly important message in such an honest, loving way. THANK YOU for making this and for caring about cats! I have barely touched the surface of your past news reports and I already see hours and hours of total enjoyment ahead. Please keep doing what you do so brilliantly! xox Aimee (and Rufus, Rico, and Telly – my own three newscasters.) 😉
This may have made me a little misty eyed… Thank you so much, Aimee! 🙂
Hi! Your kitties are awesome!
I wonder if the “only accepts one human near them” is a Siamese cat thing. My Mirielle is part Siamese, and only lets me hold her. I’ve only seen her let someone else pet her twice, and both times were very brief. Then again, all my other furbabies are part Siamese, and they are varying degrees of sociable to my guests, with mama cat and her son being the friendliest. The cats are all part Siamese and Turkish Angora thanks to their mom and the offspring (eldest son from one litter and three younger daughters from another) have Bombay in the mix thanks to their dad (who passed away in 2013.) My cats are all very loving toward me. In return, I spoil them and love them back.
It’s a joy to find sonoeme who can think like that
Love to see a desk calendar. Always give a cats calendar to my wife as a stocking stuffer at Christmas. Breaking Cat News would be a sure a.m. smile starter. The book idea is a winner too.
Just found you on gocomics.com and working through the year and half of back reading. Enjoying it.
I also have a “Puck”, his name is Nightcrawler (after a Marvel comics character) and he also looks like Toothless the dragon from how to Train Your Dragon. Your illustrations are fabulous and the comic 9introduced to me by friends) is wonderful. Carry on!
Which web site has the Cat Shelter art work? I saw it here once but now can’t find it. The site has an unusual name.
Topatoco! 😀
Thanks for the speedy answer!
Georgia, we all would hate to see you stop making this comic if you don’t get syndicated. Have you considered setting up a Patreon? A lot of comic artists successfully use this to earn their income.
I miss my daily dose of BCN. Meanwhile, I thought Tommy would occasionally be providing us with reruns from the archives or from “Our IX Lives.” Come on, Tommy, do your job.
More, more.More. I was following the boys on comics.com and was hoping for more content, esp Tommy’s story. Coming soon? All my kids have been rescues and more loving than I can say. Will keep an eye out Amazon for more
Love that you are syndicated but just to be a pain I prefer your old artwork. I turn everybody that will listen on to your strip, but Yours are the real thing! If I tried to change my terrible trios kibble there wouldn’t be a dry shoe in the house.
Our paper just started carrying you strip and I love it. I have three cats. Ginger, Ruby, and Syd. Their personalities (and colors too) are a match for Elvis ,Lupin,and Puck! Especially Ginger, like your Elvis, does not like change and I am pretty much the only one who can mess with her. Although shes a bit more mellow at 20 now.
“… and to whomever will publish me…” Georgia, it should be “to WHOEVER will publish me.” What comes after the preposition “to” is a clause, with a subject, “whoever,” and a verb, “will publish.” The entire clause is the object of the preposition.
My paper, The Kingsport News has just started your comics. I just LOVE them. I wish I had seen the beginning of your NEWS. If anyone has cats, they will appreciate those comics. I have three adopted outside and one older one , insider and out. Keep up the good work!!!
Thank you, Lynn! This made my night! I’m happy The Kingsport News started running the comic, and I’m delighted you like it enough to reach out and let me know! 😀
Georgia, I wanted to let you know that my wife and I enjoy your comic series very much. We have 4 cats of our own, Puck, Carl, Shadow and Cobweb. Puck is the oldest at 13 years. He was a rescue cat too, a lady was following a van down the road near Lancaster, CA and saw them throw a bag from the vehicle. She stopped to pick it up thinking it was just trash, you can imagine her shock when she opened it and found 5 cats inside. One was the mother and the other 4 were were kittens that were about a week old, she took the kittens and was giving them away at a mall in town a a friend of my wife’s got one of them and brought him to my wife for her birthday. He bonded to me even though my wife fed him and everything else needed to raise a one week old kitten. He looks a lot like your Elvis.
Thank you, Robert!! People can be so unbelievably cruel, I’m so glad Puck found a home with you and your wife! Such a rough start, I’m so happy he could loved in a home with his own People! Thank you for enjoying the comic. 🙂
We are enjoying BCN in the Wichita KS Eagle. There has been a lot of printed opinion line discussion about the merits of BCN over whatever now-forgotten comic strip it replaced a couple of months ago. It seems to be “dog people” trying to beat up on us much more highly intelligent “cat people”. Anyone who has spent any time with cats has to know BCN is not only funny, but in many cases, TRUE. Thank you for bringing Lupin, Puck, and Elvis into our house with Ringo, Paul, Nash, Flash, (AKA Spotted cat) and Cash (AKA Little Black Cat). All are rescue cats, Paul and Ringo, a mother and kitten son from the local humane society, and the other three who who were born to a feral mother. I had to borrow a trap from the humane society to catch them at 10 to 12 weeks. They took a while to tame, but are now GREAT.
Thank you so much!! …I confess, I had some links to those discussions sent my way. I have a deep gratitude for all of the readers who defended BCN, thank you! It’s hard to put your work out there, all work becomes personal when you put a lot of yourself into it and have a pride for what you’re doing. I can’t tell you what a comfort the kind comments on the opinion line were! I try my best to avoid comments off this site or GoComics, but those ones kept finding their way to my eyes on Twitter. The kind, supportive readers in Wichita like yourself make me very happy! Thank you for enjoying the comic, and for taking the time to let me know you do! (I love your cats’ names!)
I absolutely adore your kiddos. Usually I save the best cartoons for last; I begin & end with yours. Your kids (2 &4 legged are lucky to have you two as parents. I am interested in purchasing some of your mentioned work.
I love BCN, it is now my favorite comic strip in the Miami Herald and Elvis personality (catonality?) is similar to that of my kitty Gigi, she was born in my backyard 13 years ago and we (my husband, and me) adore her but although I know she loves my husband too, she only trusts me. I want to express my admiration for your understanding of cats and (obviously) love. You have captured their behaviors so well that is amazing. Breaking Cat News (or Mews?) is the first thing I read in the Herald these days. Keep up the love and I hope to continue admiring your work for many, many years to come!
Thank you so much, Margarita! I’m delighted you are reading the comic in the Miami Herald! My grandparents spent their last thirty years in Miami, and my aunt lived there during that time as well. Our family has enjoyed many wonderful stories of your city for many years!
Georgia; Been a tremendous fan of BCN since I stumbled onto it a year or sons ago, and now am a fan of your feline family forever. If it’s OK, I’d like to tell you Tre-C’s story. Her mom came to the back door of our house and I started to feed her regularly. My wife named her Yenta because she was always getting into other people’s business (she’s Jewish- my wife, not the cat). Over the months Yenta started to put on weight and I, being a man, simply thought she liked the kibble I was giving her. Not the case,my wife advised, so I watched her closely and sure enough one morning as I was leaving for work I heard a chorus of tiny voices from our back yard and saw Yenta had given us 3 tiny blessings. I told my wife she was a grandmother and went off to work, but when I came back they were gone! Yenta, being a first time mom, had moved them and by the time I found them, sadly, two of the little angels had passed on. This is why I named that kitten Tre-C’s (3rd cat). And although it was touch and go at first (momma would have nothing to do with her) my wife bottle fed her, taught her to potty and we kept her with us. At 4months we adopted a female Tuxedo (Megan) and our house is overflowing with love and affection. We have also bought a professional trap and have caught and had five neighborhood feral cats neutered and released, and are soon going to start fostering. Your guys speak to us and we love them, and your stories always ring true. Long may you run… Hugs. -Gil and Jeanne
Hello Gil and Jeanne! Thank you for sharing Tre-C’s story here, and for all the kindness you have shown your local kitties!
I would just like to say that your comic strip is awesome and sooo spot on! We have 3 cats, Rocky, Tyler (they are sisters) and Talking Kitty (our oldest and most vocal) all found by one way or another, and they all have different personalities. You have depicted each of them in your comic strip. My husband reads the comics and then always points your strip out and says “And who does this remind you of?” I just read your comic strip today 2/11/18 with the cat who likes to smell the flowers, eat the flowers and then throw up the flowers. That’s our Rocky to a tee. The one waiting for the steak is our Tyler. We can tell you interpret cat behavior with humor and affection. It’s is so nice to know that there are other people out there that recognize animal’s personalities and don’t dismiss them and “just animals”. They are so much more! Thank you for your comic strip and know that you are connecting with so many people (and cats!).
Thank you, Catherine! Trying to capture the personalities of our boys and the other cats in the comic is one of the best parts about writing ‘Breaking Cat News’ for me–it’s so much fun! It is nice to hear that it is appreciated! 🙂
Georgia, When ‘ese’ is used as a pronoun (without a noun following it), it has an accent, to differentiate it from when it’s used as an adjective (WITH a noun following). ése vs. ese
Georgia, I want to thank you again for your work getting the boys “on the air”. But even more, I want to thank you- from the bottom of my heart- for your clear love of cats. I just read “Shelter Cats” for the first time; I laughed, I cried.. I purred. I still get weepy over the image of the senior catizen sitting at his late owners graveside. You have great talent, Georgia, but also a great heart. I just wish there was a link to send you a pic of my girls Tre-C and Megan. I’m sure they’d get along well with the boys… even Elvis (just don’t tell them the girls are Private detectives😎). Be ye well, and love to you all (including “the man”). -Gil, Jeanne, Tre-C and Megan
Hello, Georgia…. You seem to be a nice person and a true cat lover. I appreciate the problems you have encountered. That is the way of BFE people. I have a BFE in Industrial Design and am now a published author after my retirement from Boeing. Now, the bad news…. Your web site doesn’t work very well. It wouldn’t allow me to see any comic strips and wouldn’t transfer to where it was supposed to go. I have been reading your strip since it started in the Seattle Times and I just don’t get it. It isn’t funny and doesn’t “go” anywhere. I prefer continuing stories, great jokes, and social statements. Some of my favorites are Edison, Dilbert, and similar strips.
Hello Jerry, I’m sorry you feel that way! I’m not certain what the trouble with the website could be, there were a few comments approved in this batch so it does seem to be working for others. I hope that you’re able to check back another time. Many of the strips on this website are part of continuing stories. If they’re not your cup of tea, that’s fine, but I’m surprised because that is one of the things I’m known for. I’m thrilled to be in The Seattle Times, it has only been a month, but I hope that you can give me a little time because we have a new special coming up actually, and that will be a continuing story!
Again, if my work is just not to your taste, I understand. I try my best, but I can’t be what everyone loves to read and I get that. Thank you for checking in and speaking your piece, and I hope that if you do come across some of my longer stories in the comic one day that I might just win you over. If I don’t, have no worries, and thanks for giving me the chance when you did read it.
I just love Elvis, Lupin, and Puck…reading your comic strip makes my day!! They remind me so much of my boys, Archie and Jack, who we lost 2 years ago. Miss them so much.
Breaking Cat News is my new very favorite of a long list of comics (34) I read daily. I share your strips with a coworker who is also a “Crazy Cat Lady,” and we laugh and laugh at the boys’ antics! It is so abundantly clear that you are owned by actual cats, I already knew it before I read your bio. Keep up the fantastic work! And where or how can I suggest T-shirt ideas? Your strips from the last two days featured two great slogans for cat-lover T-shirts: “Cat hair, we care”; and “We can’t defeat plaid.” My friend and I were just rolling on the floor over both of those! Love, love, love your work!
Thank you, Edie!! I’m delighted you are both enjoying the comic. Never fear, I’m planning a few shirts around the cat hair strip!
Oh, my gosh!! Yesterday’s strip was TOO funny!! “It’s important to remember toddlers are mostly just peanut butter and germs. …” That is hysterical! Is that your original comment, Georgia, or did you read it elsewhere? If original, you are even more brilliantly funny than I already thought you were! We were all laughing until tears ran down our faces over that one, and those who have kids agreed, with one woman saying that comment was “disturbingly true.” LOL
Thank you, Edie! It’s my own original comment, I write all the material here. 🙂
Our paper picked you up awhile back, and as a family that includes 2.5 cats (our 13 y/o cat decided to live with the elderly neighbor next door 3 years ago) your strip is one of our favorites. We too have a white mischievous cat that we have now nicknamed Lupine and his fickle sister (who is black but is a lot like Elvis). I have read that CN is in reruns, so to speak, and am trying to figure out if that is true or if we are caught up and watching the latest news?
I’m delighted you enjoy ‘Breaking Cat News’, thank you! The comic relaunched and began again when we came to newspapers, and now the current strips are a mix of “classic” broadcasts redrawn and recreated for newspapers and new material.
I love reading your comics! I read them in the paper every week. Its by far the best one out there and always gives me a smile to brighten up the day. I just want you to know that you should never stop writing these because they bring joy to many people.
Thank you!!! <3
I’ve been enjoying BCN since it came to The Seattle Times. This week’s story-line with Sophie, the artist, brings to mind a book titled “Why Cats Paint” by Heather Busch and Burton Silver. There are some fun ideas in there! Thanks, and keep “em coming!
Thank you, CK!
You’ve given me so many moments of recognition and delight since a friend introduced me to you via GoComics. You haven’t hit the papers in Canada yet. Soon? My birthday is Nov 3 and the strip that day had Freddie loving up the rescued Puck. If the original is ever for sale please give me a shout. Today is the first day I’ve explored your blog…Im a boomer dinosaur and don’t socially mediate so I wouldn’t find out otherwise. My rescued cat is Hypatia (Roman academic in 350 AD Alexandria, she has a plate in Judy Chicago’s “Dinner Party”, if you know it). Patia can start sleeping on my one hip and, if I move slowly enough, log roll with me to my bottom and then to my other hip. Not bad for a cat who spent the first 3 months, after she was rescued, in the badement. I look forward to the next book appearing. Do you have a date yet. I’ve read the first one several times and am still trying to keep the various story lines and characters, those I’ve missed over the past 4 years, untangled. You bring my 96 year old stepmother joy too. Have a happy holiday season, with thanks.
Hello Sarah, thank you so much! I don’t believe we are in Canada yet, if you ask your local newspaper editor, they may add us! We are available to be syndicated there. Our next book will be called ‘Lupin Leaps In’ and it comes out March 5th, 2019. I’m delighted you and your stepmother enjoy the comic, thank you!
Such a joyful comic strip and beautiful as well! My 9 year old nephew will be receiving your first book for Christmas. He loves comics (Calvin and Hobbes and Peanuts) and since the loss of the family cat – I feel he has been a bit sad. He even requested a picture of Thumbs to be included on his birthday cake! The artist is society’s way to stay in touch with humanity! Thank you for sharing your gift.
Thank you, Jeanne! I hope so much that he enjoys it, and that it can bring him a smile right now and warm memories of his cat Thumbs. Please let him know he has our sympathies, and wishes for comfort!