Six Dinner Sid

A clever kitty manages to convince six different humans - all of them neighbors on Aristotle Street - that he is their cat, thereby obtaining six comfortable beds, six different forms of petting (all in pleasurable spots), and best of all - six dinners. Of course, our wily feline has to work hard at being six different kinds of cat, but all goes well until he gets a cold and is taken to the vet - six times! When his game is finally rumbled, and the Aristotle Street neighbors decide that Sid should be limited to one dinner(!), our redoubtable hero acts quickly, moving to Pythagoras Place, where he gets up to his old tricks. This time however, Six-Dinner Sid's humans are very much aware of his predilection for roaming, and take it in show more stride.

This adorable book had me chuckling on my morning commute. It is clear that Inga Moore knows cats, as her humorous story and lovely artwork both capture that essential feline charm. What cat wouldn't like to eat six dinners - judging from the cat companions I have ever known over the years, none - or to have six adoring humans waiting upon him? The illustrations are every bit as engaging as the story: expressive, humorous, and heartwarming. I particularly liked Sid's expressions of pleasure, as his six owners pet and scratch him; and his disgruntlement, as he is given six doses of medicine. Six-Dinner Sid is just a wonderful picture-book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to cat lovers young and old. I'll have to see if I can track down the sequel, Six Dinner Sid: A Highland Adventure. show less

I had never heard of this book until I came across the title online... It caught my eye and I laughed out loud because I feed a black alley cat who I named "Sid," and I am sure he picks up other meals on our street! The coincidence was too good to pass up and I gave the book a read. Very charming little book that often uses multiple panels per page (in the style of a comic or graphic novel) to show off the eponymous cat's various names, personalities, and of course his meals. Great concept and very well executed, a nice light humor that hints at a bigger set of issues (the street Sid lives on is Aristotle Place), with nicely done illustrations that are a good mix of cartoony and realistic (well-observed cat drawings here).

I also show more checked out the sequel [b:Six Dinner Sid: A Highland Adventure|9696537|Six Dinner Sid A Highland Adventure|Inga Moore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344606776l/9696537._SX50_.jpg|24119150] but it trades in the low-key domestic charms of this book for a rather silly adventure... Not my cup of tea but still fine, I suppose. show less

A true story of six cats and more than six dinners.

Sitty

Once upon a time, more than 20 years ago, my toddler introduced an imaginary friend: a cat called Sitty. She was a member of our family and our storytelling for several years - except one afternoon, when apparently she said she didn’t want to be my child’s friend any more! They made it up.

Image: Small child’s drawing of cat, similar to one my toddler drew (Source.)

Sitty had a strong personality and presence (like my child), and I sometimes found tins of real cat food in my supermarket trolley.

Sid

During Sitty’s time with us, we discovered Sid, and this book quickly became a favourite. We now had two fictional cats, being overfed.

Sid divides his time between six houses in show more Aristotle Street: six names, six personalities, and six dinners.

Because the residents don’t talk to each other, they don’t realise. But when they do find out, they’re furious. So Sid moves to Pythagoras Place, where people chat with their neighbours, so they know he’s a six-dinner cat,
“And, because everyone knew, nobody minded.”

Shia LaFluff

Years later, when my cat-loving child moved to a shared house with uni friends, a cat they dubbed Shia LaFluff often came in through the window. Wary of creating a Sid situation, they offered cuddles, play, and water, but never food.

Noodles

Three years later, in a different house, they were finally able to have their own cat, or rather, the cat has them. There isn’t a catflap, and is near a main road, so they chose a housecat. No chance of a Sid setup with Noodles.

Pippa and Katie Cat

And now, my father has died, and his widower returned to the land of his birth, leaving Pippa and Katie Cat needing a new home. Neighbours were popping in daily, but the cats were spending more time away from home, probably seeking human company.

We found friends who might offer the cats a new home, and took them round at time the cats were normally home. We knew Pippa had not been seen for a few days, but food was going, and Katie presumably wasn’t eating all of it.

We couldn’t find Pippa anywhere in or out, but Katie took an instant liking to her potential new humans, and they to her. She went home with them and settled very contentedly, immediately.

We left food for Pippa, with a note that if anyone caught her in the house, to lock the catflap and phone us, and we put posters on a few lampposts. A couple of days later, we had a call to collect her.

We took Pippa to be reunited with her sister, less than 72 hours after Katie had arrived there. What joy?

Sadly not. They were not pleased to see each other, nor even indifferent. They did everything short of fighting: snarling, wailing, pawing, and hiding to show their displeasure, discomfort, and distress. Fortunately, their new humans have had cats before, and over a couple of days, calmed, petted, and reassured each. Pippa and Katie are back to sharing a feeding bowl, and each has found her favourite spots in their new home. I’m sure they’ll live happily ever after.


Moral

Talk to your neighbours. Help each other out. Honesty is important.

Irony

My father was a vociferous atheist, but the cats’ new humans believe the coGod-incidence of my husband mentioning Pippa and Katie when they’d privately decided to home cats again was a Sign. My father would be very amused - and happy for them all.

Confession

I’ve never lived with a cat because I’m allergic. show less

Sid, the lovable and mischievous cat, manages to charm his way into receiving six dinners from six different households each day. However, when his secret is revealed, Sid's neighbors come together to devise a plan to ensure Sid gets the care and attention he needs.

Sid, the black cat, lived on Aristotle Street. But not at just one house, he lived at six different houses. And because Sid lived at six different houses on one street, that meant he had six different owners which then in turn meant that he had six different dinners, six different beds, six different names, and six different places he was scratched. However, Sid's various owners had no idea that he belonged to so many households. Sid loved being a six-dinner cat, that is, until he had to be taken to the vet. Sid had to be taken to the vet six different times, which also meant that he had to be given medicine six different times. Quickly, the vet figured out Sid's scheme and called up the various owners. Sid's owners were not impressed show more and made sure that Sid only had one dinner from then on. But, Sid was a six-dinner kind of cat, so he moved on to a different street, where he once again had six various owners and six dinners.
This book really reminded me of my cat, Samson. A few years ago my mom and I noticed that my cat was spending less and less time at home and he even started to gain a little weight. My mom figured that Samson had found an additional family to feed him and sure enough, we saw some neighbors feeding him! show less

Sid lives at six houses so that he can get six dinners every day. People in the neighborhood don't talk to each other, so no one knows... It works out well until Sid gets a cold and goes to the Vet six times. The Vet tells the six "owners" that they are sharing a cat and they get very angry. Sid solves the problem in a happy ending.

A funny story about a clever cat who tricks families in his neighborhood into believing he is each of their cats. They find out what he is up to when he gets sick.