Clients watched the video, ordered a cat drawing, and paid $1o. Then Gadlin drew it on paper and snail-mailed it to each customer. Just about the very definition of small-time.

Another added: 'Better than any cat I've ever drawn. This is really amazing stuff!' And one joked: 'Even though the cat drawing is pretty bad, it's fashionable to be a bad artist.' ...

Days before Richardson's death, A Kitten's Christmas Party - a drawing featuring 150 cats that took 11 days to create - appeared in the newspaper. "They became an overnight sensation," says Mr Gale.