Orlando (fictional cat) facts for kids

Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) is a famous character from a series of 19 illustrated children's books. These books were written by Kathleen Hale between 1938 and 1972. Orlando is a brave marmalade-colored cat. He goes on many exciting adventures with his family, including his wife, Grace.

Meet Orlando and His Creator

The Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) books were first created by Kathleen Hale. She wrote them for her two children. The real-life cat named Orlando, who lived with her family, inspired the character.

When the first book, Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): A Camping Holiday, was published in 1938, it became very popular right away. Kathleen Hale continued writing the series for many years. In 1958, Orlando even got a magic carpet! The last book in the series was Orlando and the Water Cats, published in 1972.

Orlando's Family and Adventures

Orlando's family is very important in his stories. His wife is named Grace. They have three kittens: Blanche, who is pure white; Pansy, who is a tortoiseshell cat; and Tinkle, who is a black cat.

The whole family, especially Orlando, often finds themselves in exciting situations. They make new friends during their adventures. These adventures can be very different. For example, they might travel to the moon in Orlando Goes to the Moon. Orlando might even become a judge in Orlando the Judge. Sometimes, they even keep a large black poodle dog, as in Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): Keeps a Dog.

Main Characters in Orlando's World

Many characters appear in the Orlando series. Some minor characters show up in different books, like Mr. Cattermole. Others appear only once.

Orlando's Close Family and Friends

• Blanche - She is one of Orlando and Grace's three kittens. Blanche is known for being pure white.
• Grace - She is Orlando's wife. Grace and the kittens almost always join Orlando on his adventures. She often wears big hats and skirts. Once, she even wore a wedding dress made of fish!
• Orlando - He is the main hero of the series. Orlando is a marmalade-colored cat with bright green eyes, like two gooseberries. He sometimes keeps his watch on his tail. Later in the series, he becomes friends with a living magic carpet named Fatima.
• Pansy - Pansy is another one of Orlando and Grace's kittens. She is a tortoiseshell cat.
• Tinkle - He is the most playful and sometimes mischievous of the kittens. Tinkle is a black cat and even has a pet spider. He caused the events in Orlando and the Three Graces. Tinkle is also good friends with Cupid, a brown foal.
• Vulcan - Vulcan is a horse who first appeared in Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): Buys a Farm with his wife, Venus. He helped Orlando's family find a place to stay in Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): A Seaside Holiday. Vulcan also helped pull Orlando's moon rocket in Orlando Goes to the Moon.

Other Interesting Characters

• Cattermole - Mr. Cattermole owns a special shop for cats that opens only after midnight. He helps Orlando and Grace sell their inventions to earn money. He also gives Orlando his moon rocket and space suits for his trip to the moon.
• Cupid - Cupid is the foal of Vulcan and Venus. He appeared in Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): A Seaside Holiday. He is known for eating a lot of things, including flowers and a hat! Cupid also helped pull Orlando's moon rocket.
• Fluffy - Fluffy is Judge Wiggin's pet cat. He was the "villain" in Orlando the Judge because he stole cheese. As a punishment, he became a guard for the Old Mice's Home.
• Wiggins - Wiggins is a judge who owns Fluffy the cat. He appears in Orlando the Judge when he has a cold.

Orlando's Book Adventures

Here are some of the books in the Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) series:

• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): A Camping Holiday (1938)
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): A Trip Abroad (1939)
• Orlando's Evening Out (1941)
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): Buys a Farm (1942)
• Orlando's Home Life (1942) - In this book, Orlando and Grace need money to send their kittens to school. They invent special items and sell them to Mr. Cattermole. The kittens hate school and try to get expelled! Later, they get private tutors and learn different skills. The kittens then surprise Orlando and Grace with a special play.
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): His Silver Wedding (1944) - This book tells the story of Orlando and Grace's marriage.
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): Becomes a Doctor (1944)
• Orlando's Invisible Pyjamas (1947)
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): Keeps a Dog (1949)
• Orlando the Judge (1950) - Orlando helps solve a mystery about missing cheese. He even takes the place of Judge Wiggins, who is sick. It turns out Fluffy the cat stole the cheese because he was scared of mice!
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): A Seaside Holiday (1952) - The family goes on a holiday to a town called 'Owlbarrow'. They fly a kite, find a "mermaid", and rescue people from a shipwreck.
• Orlando's Zoo (1954)
• Orlando (the Marmalade Cat): The Frisky Housewife (1956)
• Orlando's Magic Carpet (1958)
• Orlando's Country Peepshow (1959) - This was a special "gimmick" book. It opened up like a merry-go-round and showed scenes from Orlando's farm during the four seasons.
• Orlando, the Marmalade Cat, Buys a Cottage (1963)
• Orlando and the Three Graces (1965) - Tinkle uses a magic kit, and accidentally makes two extra Graces appear! The family has to find Father Christmas to fix the spell.
• Orlando Goes to the Moon (1968)
• Orlando and the Water Cats (1972)

Orlando's Lasting Impact

Orlando the Marmalade Cat is still remembered today. In 1994, a stamp featuring Orlando was released. It was a one-penny stamp. The stamp showed Orlando writing with a quill pen.