Cats have long captivated the imaginations of writers and their readers. It’s time to paws, spend time with some captivating feline personalities in literature, then test your knowledge with an author quiz.
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág is a classic children’s picture book that tells the story of an old man and woman who desire to have a cat. The old man sets out to find the perfect cat for them but returns with millions of cats, each claiming to be the prettiest. The cats argue over their beauty until only one remains. This lone survivor is declared the prettiest and becomes the couple’s cherished pet.
The book, published in 1928, is renowned for its timeless theme of the value of individuality and its pioneering illustrations that revolutionized children’s literature of the time. It was an instant hit and received the Newbery Honor in 1929, securing its place as an influential work in the world of children’s books.
Millions of Cats remains the oldest American picture book still in print.
A number of works in literature claim to be the first novel ever published in English. It’s only fitting that one of them is Beware the Cat and features cats as the main characters. Clearly dogs are no match for this claim to fame!
Beware the Cat is a satirical and comedic novel that tells the story of a curious and superstitious man named Gregory Streamer who becomes obsessed with the idea that cats have the ability to speak and conspire against humans. Determined to prove this theory, Streamer embarks on a series of bizarre and often humorous adventures involving talking cats, witches, and other supernatural elements.
Written in early 1553 by printer’s assistant and poet William Baldwin (1515-1563), Beware the Cat remained unpublished for 8 years until 1561 due to the political climate in England under Mary Tudor. The book’s narrative explores the consequences of beliefs and actions driven by superstition. Much of the subtle anti-Catholic undercurrent in the plot was potentially inflammatory at that time.
A blend of folklore and satire, Beware the Cat is known for its unconventional and humorous style and its contribution to the early development of English fiction. The olde English version might be a bit challenging to read, but you could try the modern English version. Will you read it?
In this list of well-known literary cats, can you match the cat’s name with the title of the book it belongs to? Grab a pen and paper to list your responses. Need the answers? Look here.
- Cat
- Pluto
- Tabitha Twitchit
- Pangur Bán
- Macavity
- Crookshanks
- Ginger
- Mrs Norris
- Scarface Claw
- Tab
- Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats
- The Monk and His Cat
- Harry Potter series
- Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy
- The Last Battle
- The Black Cat
- Watership Down
- The Tale of Tom Kitten
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Harry Potter series
And now, for an extra challenge can you match these author’s names to their book titles above? Just to keep things interesting I’ve added 3 extra authors who should not be included this list.
- Lewis Carroll
- Lynley Dodd
- Truman Capote
- Paul Gallico
- T.S. Eliot
- Roald Dahl
- C.S. Lewis
- Beatrix Potter
- Edgar Allan Poe
- Richard Adams
- J.K. Rowling
- Sedulius Scottus; translated by W.H. Auden
Can you match the author to their own quote? Need the answers? Look here.
1. “The cat, an aristocrat, merits our esteem, while the dog is only a scurvy type who got his position by low flatteries.”
Alexandre Dumas -or- Mark Twain
2. “A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.”
Colette -or- Ernest Hemingway
3. “If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.”
Mark Twain -or- Hippolyte Taine
4. “The smallest feline is a masterpiece.”
James Herriot -or- Leonardo da Vinci
5. “Time spent with a cat is never wasted.”
Colette -or- L.M. Montgomery
6. “I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.”
Hippolyte Taine -or- Leonardo da Vinci
7. “Cats are connoisseurs of comfort.”
Emily Brontë -or- James Herriot
8. “I love them, they are so nice and selfish. Dogs are too good and unselfish. They make me feel uncomfortable. But cats are gloriously human.”
Ursula K. Le Guin -or- L.M. Montgomery
9. “Cats have no guilt and very little shame.”
James Herriot -or- Ursula K. Le Guin
10. “I can say with sincerity that I love cats; furthermore I am going to give very good reasons why those who hate them are wrong.”
Emily Brontë -or- Alexandre Dumas
There is a long recorded history of the love writers have for their cats. In fact, once you start making a list, you’ll be surprised at just how many there really are. The Writers Write website has collated such a comprehensive list that it should make you purr. You might even get a hint for some of the more difficult questions above…
The Relationship Between Famous Writers & Their Cats can be found here: https://www.writerswrite.co.za/the-relationship-between-writers-their-cats/
Cartoon by Katie Brookoff, see it online at: https://katiebcartoons.com/cartoon/cat-summer-reading/
“When in doubt – wash!” Sage guidance given by Jennie, in Paul Gallico’s touching tale, Jennie. Read an excerpt here.
It’s time you found a comfortable lap or a sunny spot and had a nap. You can check your answers here.
Do you know any fun facts about cats in literature? Let me know by leaving a comment.
Selected links for relevant websites, books, movies, videos, and more. Some of these links lead to protected content on this website, learn more about that here.
Watch a video of Millions of Cats being read
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág
Beware The Cat by William Baldwin A Modern English Version
Beware The Cat by William Baldwin – the incomplete, earliest known existing fragment, 1570
Beware The Cat by ‘G.B.’ – published by Edward Allde, London. This is the complete text of the 3rd edition dated 1584, missing title pages
Beware The Cat – Promo for a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2019
Writers Write: The Relationship Between Famous Writers & Their Cats
Katie B Cartoons
Susannah Fullerton: Cats in Books
Jennie by Paul Gallico
nyrbclassics: When in doubt – wash
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