Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines 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.

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.

Throughout history, cats have been revered and reviled and everything in between. Worshipped as divine, blamed for plague and pestilence, or labelled 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.

Today, mankind is no less under the feline thrall, with cat memes, videos and celebrity cat accounts numbering amongst the highest-ranking entertainment across the internet. Unknown to many, this cultural fascination has a deep and rich history that 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.

Willow Winsham is a cat-lover, folklorist and author of a number of books on folklore subjects including the Treasury of Folklore series and The Story of Witches. She is co-founder of #FolkloreThursday, a popular website and Twitter (X) account that brings fascinating tales and traditions from all corners of the globe to its followers every Thursday. She lives with feline friends, Hector and Jayfeather.