Cat People: the feline answer to the werewolf genre
In the various cinematic monster universes, cats are a bit of a footnote, barely scratching their way onto the list. Werewolves, vampire bats, mummies, dinosaurs and various sorts of ghosts get all the love, going way back into the silent era. Cats didn’t saunter onto…
Japan’s supernatural cats: watch out for the evil bakeneko
The land of Hello Kitty is home to a bevy of cats that can transform into human shape. Do you know about Japan’s supernatural cats? Everyone is aware of werewolves and vampire bats, but evil supernatural cats seem rare. Except in Japan. That island nation has two…
Classic flip book Millions of Cats is now public domain
One of the most influential kids’ books has been in print for almost a century. While headlines worldwide have proclaimed that the early version of Mickey Mouse has entered the public domain, another work has sailed a bit under the radar. The 1928 illustrated children’s…
Iceland’s Yule Cat pounces on people who lack a new scarf
The legend of a cat who enforces the winter dress code has leapt beyond Iceland’s borders. A lot of people are now familiar with Krampus, a goat-like demon that comes around during the holiday season to punish bad children in Central Europe. But in Iceland, the Yule…
The amazing history of Puss in Boots, beloved for centuries.
When it comes to cats donning costumes, one feline–the splendid Puss in Boots –stands head and front paws above the rest. The birth of printing in the mid 15th century meant that illustrated stories became easily available to the average person, and fairytales very soon…
