Illustrator Heidi Moreno’s cat Peanut is more than just a pet — she’s a vital part of her business.

“I have always drawn cats,” Moreno said. “They’re mysterious, curious creatures and some of them are kind of evil. I don’t know why, but I like that.”  

The cat she draws most often is Peanut. “Peanut has this wild side to her,” she said. “She’s inspired me to draw cats with a little bit of attitude … so yeah, she’s the perfect muse for my art.”

Moreno’s new illustrated book called “Working from Home with a Cat” chronicles a day in her life at home with Peanut. 

Images from “Working From Home with a Cat,” courtesy of Chronicle books.

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The book shows Peanut taking up space on Moreno’s office chair, making a mess while she tries to paint and disrupting a video meeting. “She definitely runs the household here,” Moreno said.

Despite that, Moreno said she can’t imagine working without Peanut. “She’s so much of the inspiration of what I draw,” she said. “I don’t know if my art would be as cat-tastic if she wasn’t around, and it would probably be really sad.”

On Moreno’s website, she lists Peanut as a team member. “She makes sure that there’s a little bit of of her touch on every order with her hair,” she said. “So that’s where she pitches in with shipping and handling.”