A lot of married people certainly have wonderful relationships with their dogs but when you're single and your dog is the only other living thing in your house it's a really special relationship which I wanted CATHY to have.

A lot of married people certainly have wonderful relationships with their dogs but when you're single and your dog is the only other living thing in your house it's a really special relationship which I wanted CATHY to have.

The relationship between Cathy and Mom in the strip is the one relationship drawn from real life that I have proudly never even tried to disguise.

The relationship between Cathy and Mom in the strip is the one relationship drawn from real life that I have proudly never even tried to disguise.

Mothers send strips to daughters to make a point. Daughters smack strips down on the breakfast table to make a point. My own mom sometimes cuts a strip out and sends it to me to make sure I understand her.

Mothers send strips to daughters to make a point. Daughters smack strips down on the breakfast table to make a point. My own mom sometimes cuts a strip out and sends it to me to make sure I understand her.

Imagine my surprise when after a lifetime of teaching me to keep personal things to myself Mom insisted my drawings were the start of a comic strip for millions of people to enjoy.

Imagine my surprise when after a lifetime of teaching me to keep personal things to myself Mom insisted my drawings were the start of a comic strip for millions of people to enjoy.

Cathy was the first widely syndicated humor strip created by a woman. The strip was pretty revolutionary at the time not only because it starred a female but also because it was so emotionally honest about all the conflicting feelings many women had in 1976.

Cathy was the first widely syndicated humor strip created by a woman. The strip was pretty revolutionary at the time not only because it starred a female but also because it was so emotionally honest about all the conflicting feelings many women had in 1976.

Cartooning is a wonderful career and I'd like more women to get to have it. I can't think of any reason why we won't see more syndicated female cartoonists in the future.

Cartooning is a wonderful career and I'd like more women to get to have it. I can't think of any reason why we won't see more syndicated female cartoonists in the future.

I had such a close relationship with my dog and my dog so filled the need in my life to have children that I just wanted Cathy to have that experience.

I had such a close relationship with my dog and my dog so filled the need in my life to have children that I just wanted Cathy to have that experience.

I'm lucky that my real-life Mom has both a great sense of humor about herself and an amazing ability to slip into complete denial if the subject matter gets a little too close to home.

I'm lucky that my real-life Mom has both a great sense of humor about herself and an amazing ability to slip into complete denial if the subject matter gets a little too close to home.