Introduction

Fascination
withFelines

Our relationship with cats has lasted for at least 5,000 years—and possibly much longer. At the outset, in ancient Egypt, it was based on mutual benefit. The growth of agriculture meant that large quantities of grain and other food was stored in one place, and this soon attracted rodents. The hunting abilities of the wildcat helped to control the threat of rodents and so, in turn, the presence of the cats was tolerated. Gradually, the wildcat’s natural caution of people was overcome, and domestication took root as cats started to move into homes in search of shelter.

The bond in those early days was probably every bit as strong as it is today—cat-owners would even shave off their eyebrows as a sign of respect and mourning when a cherished pet died. A cult worshiping cats in all their guises became established in ancient Egypt and lasted for some 2,000 years.

The subsequent relationship between cats and people was not always so straightforward, since the nocturnal nature of the cat led to links with the occult in the fifteenth century. However, by the 1700s the cat’s rehabilitation was largely complete. Cats have since provided inspiration for both artists and writers, fascinated by the form and character of these remarkable creatures. On a basic level, domestic cats retain many of the attributes that make their wild relatives such effective hunters. They possess a formidable array of senses, combined with natural athletic prowess and remarkable coordination. Despite this, they are quite content to share our homes—and the fact that we know they could survive quite well on their own without us, but actively choose to remain, makes the relationship more meaningful.

In the past, domestic cats regularly had to roam and hunt for their own food outdoors. Prepared cat foods are a relatively recent development, dating back less than a century.

The Image Of The Cat

The resourceful, adaptable, and intelligent nature of cats was appreciated at an early stage in history. It is perhaps best summarized in the popular European fairy tale Puss in Boots—also sometimes known as The Master Cat. This formed one of eight popular children’s tales (also including Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood) that together were published in France in a book entitled Stories or Tales from Times Past, with Morals. Even then—in 1697—these stories were well-known in Europe, but Charles Perrault’s retelling of them in this form struck a sympathetic chord with readers. It is rather ironic, perhaps, that Perrault—who lived from 1628 until 1703—is best-known for these stories today, although he was a leading academic of the period, and published this volume originally under the name of his son, Pierre.

The colorpoint pattern was established in Asia centuries ago.

The Story Of Puss In Boots

A miller had three sons and when he died, his eldest son inherited the mill, while his second son was left the donkey. The miller’s cat was given to the youngest son, who felt rather let down by this considering the value of what his brothers had received. Nevertheless, the cat was able to talk, and reassured the young man. He asked for a hat, cloak, and boots, as well as a bag, and before setting off to hunt he promised to help his new master become rich.

The cat soon caught a fat rabbit and—unbeknown to his owner—headed off to the nearby King’s castle where he left the rabbit as a gift. Each day he returned with a similar offering, which he gave to the King saying they were from his master, the Marquis of Carabas. Before long, the Marquis’s reputation as a man of generosity had spread, but no one knew who he was.

One day, the Queen summoned his messenger and asked if the Marquis was young and handsome, to which the cat replied that he was, adding that he was also a very wealthy man. The cat then invited the King and Queen to visit the Marquis at his castle. When he told the miller’s son what had been arranged the poor young man was horrified, but the cunning cat knew what he doing. He arranged for his master to strip off and swim in the river, just as the royal coach was approaching. It seemed that this would be a disaster because the miller’s son was unable to swim, but as the royal coach came near the cat called out that the Marquis was drowning. The King’s men rushed to rescue him, and fine new clothes were brought for him to wear. It was love at first sight for the Princess, who was traveling with her parents. She wanted to marry the eligible young Marquis immediately, but first the courtiers determined to find out his true wealth.

In the seventeenth century, the tale of Puss in Boots was already well known in Europe.

Cats can form a strong bond with their owners, particularly if they are obtained as kittens.

The cat then rushed off through the surrounding fields, telling the workers that—on pain of death—they were to say that the Marquis of Carabas owned all the land. Soon the cat reached a nearby castle, the home of an ogre. The ogre could change form and immediately became a fearsome lion to scare his visitor. The cat responded by saying he had heard the ogre was unable to make himself smaller, suggesting that he should change himself into a rat or mouse to prove this was untrue. When the ogre foolishly did so, the cat pounced and ate the rodent, just before the royal procession reached the castle. The cat welcomed the royal party to the Marquis’s castle, and the Marquis and the Princess were married and lived happily ever after.

Truth And Legend

Another well-known tale involving the cat’s hunting ability is the story of Dick Whittington—although in this case, the legend is built on a true story. Richard Whittington was the second son of Sir William Whittington, who owned a large estate in the English county of Gloucestershire. When his father died in 1358, the young man traveled to London seeking work. He became an apprentice to a mercer, learning about the trade in precious materials, such as silk, which were imported for wealthy patrons and sold largely in royal circles.

Richard Whittington built up a valuable network of contacts, and once he became a mercer himself he soon became very wealthy—he even lent money to the Crown. He became a City Alderman in 1393 and was subsequently chosen as Lord Mayor of London by Richard II in 1399. He was re-elected to this post on three further occasions, and held it until his death in 1423. Whittington left his fortune to be used to help improve London, and to benefit the poorer people of the city in particular. An almshouse was built for them, and the water supply was improved.

As the years passed, stories began to grow about how Whittington had obtained his fortune—and the story of Dick Whittington and his cat developed. A typical version sees the young man leaving Gloucestershire as a poor boy, and walking to London. Here he finds employment in the home of a wealthy merchant and falls in love with the merchant’s beautiful daughter, who was called Alice.

Dick shares his attic lodgings with his cat, who is an excellent mouser. When the merchant asks all his servants if they want to invest in a trading expedition to far-off lands, the only thing that Dick could contribute to the voyage was his cat. After sending his cat away, Dick decides to travel back to Gloucester—but as he pauses on his way out of London, he thinks he hears the city’s church bells telling him to turn round and go back. Three times the bells tell him that he will be Lord Mayor of London.

On his return to his former lodgings, he learns that the voyage has been a great success. A great King overseas was so impressed by the rodent-catching skills of his cat that he has paid a very large sum of money to buy the animal—which means that Dick himself is now a very rich man. He marries Alice and becomes Lord Mayor, just as the bells had predicted.

This story became increasingly embellished over time, and has since been performed on stage—usually as a pantomime—with fact and fantasy blended to commemorate one of London’s most famous benefactors. Even today, some 600 years later, Whittington’s legacy is still evident in the capital through the charity known as the Whittington Trust—even if he never owned a cat!

A traditional representation of Dick Whittington and his cat—this tale is based on a combination of fact and fantasy.

A non-pedigree kitty is a rewarding and self-reliant friend.

The athletic nature of cats is a subject that has long appealed to artists—not only in the West but also across the East.

Changing Times

Although Puss in Boots and Dick Whittington are quite separate stories, the common themes in each give a clear insight into how cats were popularly perceived in medieval Europe. Whereas the Church often inspired their persecution during this time, clearly not everyone was convinced that cats were agents of evil. Instead they were seen in a similar way to how we perceive them today—as both valued companions and resourceful hunters.

As the Renaissance dawned, followed by an age of Enlightenment, the active persecution of cats by the authorities began to cease in Europe. Cats were once again seen only as members of the animal kingdom with adept senses, rather than being regarded as the possessors of supernatural powers. This becomes clear from portrayals of cats in art during this period. As early as the 1500s, the famous Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci drew amazing behavioral studies of cats, showing them grooming themselves and playing naturally—rather than using the image of a cat as a symbol. Gradually, across Europe, artists began to incorporate cats into scenes of domestic life, confirming the cat’s public rehabilitation.

The era of the specialist cat painter dawned in 1800s. Typical of this genre is the work of Swiss feline artists Gottfried Mind and Henriette Ronner. Ronner’s work was especially realistic, because she placed great emphasis on the anatomical characteristics of her subject, developing a photo-realistic approach.

Cats soon became popular subjects on calendars and greetings cards, and cute cats appeared on chocolate box lids. This gave rise to an increasingly anthropomorphic view of cats in art as the century drew to a close, which is best seen in the rise of the Catland movement.

As the postal service developed, picture post cards became the fashionable way to communicate and Catland cards provided a novel and amusing way for people to keep in touch. Catland was a world populated entirely by cats, with human characteristics and dress sense—this style of greeting card, in which cats are shown as people, can still be found today. The first artist to draw in this style for card publishers Raphael Tuck and Sons was Helen Maguire. Initially, her cats were portrayed wearing bows, but gradually they started to wear clothes and parody human activities.

The artist who became most closely-associated with the Catland theme was Louis Wain, who began drawing cats while his wife was bedridden with cancer. His illustrations were based on his own blackand-white non-pedigree cat, Peter, and later appeared in books of children’s stories.

Wain became the second president of the United Kingdom’s National Cat Club during the 1890s. He began working for Raphael Tuck and Sons in 1902, developing the Catland theme. Its popularity lasted until the 1920s; these cards are in great demand today amongst collectors. Unfortunately, Louis Wain obtained little benefit from the massive industry that he had helped to establish, suffering increasingly desperate financial circumstances.

While the end of the Catland era marked a change in taste, it was not an indication that cats were falling out of favor as pets. By the latter half of the twentieth century, cats had usurped the dog’s traditional role of most popular companion. Today, the cat’s popularity with pet-seekers is higher than ever, as increasing numbers of would-be owners are now attracted by the appeal of purebred felines. And, of course, our need to communicate and bond with with our cats will always be part of our nature.

Looking at this cute kitten it is very easy to see how the Catland cards, based on an anthropomorphic view of cats, became so popular at the end of the nineteenth century.