...to ask you all for help in remembering what this book was called?

[allofthelights]

I have exhausted Google and still can't find it. It was a children's book that I read probably in the late 1980s/early 1990s about a cat that died, and his owner (a little boy I think) was sad. I think he actually says "he's gone now, and I'm sad about that" or something like that. Anyway, the boy comes across the whole neighbourhood's cats in mourning and comes to find out that actually, the cat led a whole secret double life in the night-time and was some sort of famous singer cat. It is driving me insane, WHAT WAS IT CALLED?!

Fred by Posy Simmonds?

www.goodreads.com/book/show/4824472-fred

??

Is it this?
Fred

Fred! They made a tv cartoon of it as well it was ace

I know the one you mean, but I saw a short film of it, shown over the Christmas period just passed, on iPlayer. I can't remember the title but will try a search.

Ah, you got it anyway!

Amazing! Thank you all so much. I have googled so many permutations of "children's story about cat who's secretly famous" and got nowhere. I should have just come here first!

Ohh yeah I remember this!!! Amazing!

The cartoon is called Famous Fred liz70 but it is based on the book Fred.

Yes, thanks, Peggy. DD3, 8, enjoyed it very much.

I remember this, for some reason it massively disturbed me but I could never figure out why

I've also been hammering google, searching for a book about a farmer who has a corn pipe, I think he's a bear? There's a tug boat in the book too but given that I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday.... I've been searching for about 4 years now, on and off whenever something reminds me about it but I'm none the wiser

Teddy bear farmer by phoebe and joan worthington?

allofthelights
Oh my go OP, I think this is the book I have been trying to remember for the last 5 years or so and I can not find it anywhere on Google. My mum can't remember what it's called either. This is so weird! I clicked on your post thinking, imagine it was the same book I've been trying to remember 😂

Timeisslippingaway amazing! I'm glad I'm not the only one with a total void in my brain where the title of this book should have been!

@Omzlas It isn't a bear and there isn't a tug boat but there is a pipe and a boy and fishing.
Mister Dog