Portico Signs "Simon's Cat"

"The Simon's Cat inbox is constantly bombarded with email requests for merchandise," says Simon Harrison, chairman of Portico Designs. "So I'm really happy that, with the enthusiasm and experience of Portico and RDF, we'll be able to satisfy the requests of dedicated fans."

RDF Rights, which was appointed by United Agents as the U.K. licensing agent for Simon's Cat earlier this year, is actively seeking other licensees to develop the range, including gifting plush and other soft lines.

"Simon's Cat" was created by English animator Simon Tofield. The animated series follows the humorous adventures of Simon's Cat and his relationship with Simon's cartoon alter ego. It has attracted 70.3 million views on YouTube to date. The first Simon's Cat book entered the U.K. Bookseller Top 50, Amazon Top 20 and Play.com's No. 1 spot for all books.