Whidbey Island Residents Can Submit Cat Photos for New Local Book

Theodore, a cat from Clinton, may end up immortalized in print. So might Bruja, a kitten photographed in a fall-themed shoot with Remy Christenson, the son of Jackleen Leed. Both animals are early examples of what organizers hope will become a community-wide portrait of island life, one cat at a time, through an upcoming book called "Cats of Whidbey Island."

The project is now open for submissions from anyone on the island who wants their cat included. The goal, as described by the organizers, goes beyond simple pet photography: "not just to photograph cats, but to tell their stories in the places they inhabit: cozy homes, bustling bookstores, quiet shops and beyond."

To submit, email jeanne@jeannekohlwelles.com and jackleen.leed@gmail.com with your cat's name, the part of the island where you live, photos of your cat, and a brief fun description. The deadline is May 1.

The book aims to capture not just the island's felines but the character of the community they call home, framing neighborhood cats as windows into the distinct texture of life across Whidbey, from Clinton in the south to wherever the island's bookstore cats and shop cats reside farther north.

Leed, who is listed as one of the submission contacts, contributed at least one photograph to the project already, the image of her son Remy Christenson alongside Bruja. That photo signals the kind of storytelling the book is reaching for: cats embedded in family scenes and everyday island spaces, not posed studio portraits.

No publisher, print run, or release date has been announced. What is confirmed is the window to get your cat in: submissions close May 1.