Cat [Paperback]

Cattraces the relationship between humans and the cat from its original domestication in ancient Egypt circa 2000 BC, through centuries as a utilitarian rodent catcher, its gradual acceptance as a charming and amiable pet, and on to its present status as a companion on a par with the dog—and the subject of infinite online videos and memes.

Long before people placed such value on cats, however, we recognized something special about them. Their graceful, fluid movements, and their self-detachment even as they live in our homes, seems to indicate strange, even supernatural powers. Indeed, our peculiar fascination with the cat seems rooted in the diversity of images it projects—at once sweet and ferocious, affectionate and independent, elegant and earthy, cozily domestic and eerie.

Offering substantial and accurate information about the history of cats and their presentation in literature and art, this highly illustrated book will give cat lovers of all stripes and spots something to purr over.

Katharine M. Rogersis a freelance writer living in Bethesda, Maryland. She is the author or editor of numerous books and anthologies includingPork: A Global History, also published by Reaktion Books.

“Beautifully illustrated history. . . . A perfect read for ailurophiles.”

“Catunites a typically broad and fascinating set of images with Rogers’s elegant survey of the way humans have seen and thought of home-based felines. . . . Incisive and erudite.”

"It requires a wealth of knowledge and some ingenuity to write a book about cats that has a fresh approach and provides unusual information, which has not been repeated from innumerable previous publications. But, as with all the books I have in the this fine new series, this is what Rogers has achieved inCat.. . . [This] book has a very balanced approach and is written with great empathylSQ