Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines The Cat in Folklore, Myth, and Legend

By: Willow Winsham

Published by Rizzoli International Publications, 2026-04-07

<b><i>Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines </i>gives an intriguing insight into the historical relationship between cats and humans by exploring the folklore, myths, and legends that relate to cats from around the globe.</b><br><br>For thousands of years, cats and humankind have been inextricably intertwined. From the Ancient Egyptian Goddess Bastet to the cat demon Yokai of Japan, people have been fascinated, enthralled, and horrified in equal measure by everything feline-related.<br><br>Throughout history, cats have been revered and reviled and everything in between.<br><br>Worshipped as divine, blamed for plague and pestilence, or labeled as the demonic companions of witches—whether fair or foul, no other animal has attracted such consistent attention, a fact strongly illustrated by the vast number of myths, legends, sayings, superstitions, and tales that exist regarding these enigmatic creatures.<br><br>Today, mankind is no less under the feline thrall, with cat memes, videos, and celebrity cat accounts numbering among the highest-ranking entertainment across the internet. Unknown to many, this cultural fascination has a deep and rich history than spans continents and millennia. Discover the roots of this age-old captivation with our feline counterparts and why they have been loved—or otherwise—by so many.