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Medieval Cats by Catherine Nappington

Medieval Cats

Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore

Catherine Nappington

Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed · Print & ebook · March 4, 2025

A hilarious celebration of cats in artwork from medieval times.

CatsAnimal HumorMedieval Art History
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Who it’s for
Medieval art gives cats a mischievous, unexpectedly funny history.
Themes
Cats in medieval art, Humorous cats behaving badly, Medieval cat lore and literature
Genres
Cats, Animal Humor, Medieval Art History

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  6. Catphabet: a Whimsical Celebration of Our Favourite Feline Friends, for Fans of Grumpy Cat and What Cats WantHarper by Design60% match
  7. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, Illustrated EditionT. S. Eliot, Edward Gorey58% match
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For younger readers: Stephen Biesty's Cross-sections Castle, How to Speak Cat, Science Comics: Cats

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About this book

A hilarious celebration of cats in artwork from medieval times. Look what the cat dragged in from the Middle Ages—a curious compendium of cats unlike any you’ve ever lapped up before. For more than a millennium, a myriad of medieval manuscripts and artworks painted a picture of cats as playful and curious but also lazy, selfish, and vicious. Today, these masterpieces live on, shining a bright light on the dark age of cats and telling a hilarious story of their paw-some glory.

Continue reading

From bum-licking to cat-fighting to mouse-tricking, Medieval Cats is a hilarious celebration of cats who are up to no good. Learn cat facts from the Middle Ages and the origins of cat proverbs, and discover poems and excerpts from literature that mention cats. Both humor book and peek into medieval art, Medieval Cats is for cat lovers—and haters—everywhere!

Cats Through Time

Medieval art gives cats a mischievous, unexpectedly funny history.

Come here for

  • Cats behaving badly in medieval artwork
  • The origins of cat proverbs and poems about cats

Expect

  • A playful peek into medieval art
  • Cat facts alongside literary excerpts

Where it sits

Medieval Art History72%
Animal Humor57%
Cats36%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Medieval Art History
  • Animal Humor
  • Cats
Authors
Catherine Nappington
Publisher
Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Published
March 4, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Cats in medieval art · Humorous cats behaving badly · Medieval cat lore and literature
Reading lane
Medieval Art History