Cute or disturbing? Maybe both? You tell me. It's on ebay and the current bid is $9.95. (If you adopt this catphone, would you please send me a photo?)

I rarely dive into the fetid world of novelty objects for the simple reason that that branch on the novelty tree contains far more vulgarity than I can tolerate. To paraphrase Blanche Dubois, I cannot stand a naked lightbulb or a vulgar novelty item.

For some reason or other, I could not resist this catphone. Perhaps it's because I was looking through House & Garden today and was horrified to see large ceramic dogs and zebras perched on lucite occasional tables in rich people's homes.

I remember these ceramics from the 70s. One of my aunts had had a pair of tall white ceramic whippets guarding her fireplace. And even as a little kid I thought they were tacky, but kinda funny. Of course I love tchotchkes as much as the next person, but if they are too big to fit in a curio cabinet, they better serve another function as well. The dogs' heads should open up so you can use them for ice buckets or something.

If you are a young little gosling who has no idea what I'm talking about, click here and scroll along a bit to see what I mean. I do like Jonathan Adler's verve (and manifesto--especially where he says: Minimalism is a Bummer), and I do appreciate his needlepoint yarmulkes. I don't mean to single him out. Every designer who is doing something interesting has resurrected these big dustcatchers.

This catphone is the same kinda tacky, but at least it is functional. Doesn't this kitty have a concerned expression on it's face? It's just worried you might miss a call. If it were truly functional it would have an outlet to charge your cell phone too.