The cat has symbolized a host of concepts: good and evil, light and darkness, religion and black magic. This intriguing book traces the history of these fascinating creatures — from vampire and clairvoyant cats to cats in heraldry, as sacrificial objects, and idols of secret sects. Includes 50 black-and-white illustrations.

Provides a variety of photographs and information about cats, examining the origin of domestic species; looking at cat anatomy and senses; and discussing cat myths and fables, the persecution of cats during fifteenth-century witch hunts, famous felines and their owners, and cat depictions in art.

Millions and millions of people - including even people who don't own cats - have been fascinated by the mysterious aura surrounding cats and their history. Whether it's being worshipped or persecuted, the cat makes an excellent subject to read about, and this excellent book reveals fascinating new material that will appeal to ailurophiles and ailurophobes alike.

• A fascinating, illustrated exploration of the integral roles cats have played in our myths, legends, and history. • By the highly acclaimed author of over 30 books on magic and folklore, including the bestselling Goddess in My Pocket. • Examines the mythological significance of cats in our legends and folklore, and provides an overview of cats and feline imagery in spiritual traditions around the world. • Presents the feline connection to magic, including amulets, charms, spells, and rituals. In German they are called ket, in French, chat, in Arabic, quttah--but with little concern for what name we've assigned them, cats have sauntered into almost every corner of human society and history. In ancient Egypt a cat-faced goddess was worshiped and immortalized in the art of Egyptian tombs. In Scandinavian lore, Freyja, a goddess of the night, rode in a cart drawn by cats. Cats appear in our folktales and in our literature, even in our everyday speech. In Cat Magic, Patricia Telesco takes us on a fascinating tour of the different roles cats have played in human experience, with over 150 illustrations documenting the appearance and importance of cats in our mythology, in the spiritual teachings and religious practices of our ancestors, and in totems, spells, and other rituals of magic. Cat Magic tells of cat ginii and of charms of protection. It explains astrology for determining your cat's personality, creating magical blessings, and using crystal and color therapy for the feline in the house. Mysterious and independent, cunning and fierce, gentle and affectionate, cats continue to win our hearts and imaginations, providing a link to our past and present, and to ourselves.

Cats have always held a special place in the human imagination, generating more myths, legends and superstitions than any other animal. Now those fascinating traditions have been gathered together from around the world by Britain's top cat expert Joan Moore.

"An exploration of the untamed crossroads where 'the feline' and 'the feminine' mingle and make magic. From ancient Egypt to early modern Venice to Edo Japan, the witch trials to the Women's March, Catwoman to cat ladies, kitten play to cat conventions, this book tracks the cat's circuitous connection to women and femininity through a magical lens. By combining historical research, pop culture and art analyses, and original interviews, this book uncovers what the 'feral feminine' might mean to witches, sluts, feminists, artists, historians, philosophers, cat ladies, and cat lovers today"--

If a black cat crosses your path, you will have good luck.—England If a black cat crosses your path, you will have bad luck.—America The Magick of Claw and Whisker Very few animals have evoked such extremes in emotions—from admiration to fear—as the feline family. Cats are mysterious, mystical creatures who can do anything from predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to reacting to haunted buildings and following the movement of things you can't see. We are fascinated by cats and their behavior, their regal bearing, and their intelligence, yet we are unnerved by their inscrutable stare and savage natural instincts. In The Mysterious, Magickal Cat you will discover: The origins of cats, big and small Little-known details about cat anatomy and behavior How to read a cat's verbal and non-verbal communication The cat in ancient history and superstition Feline deities from around the world Sacred breeds and temple lore Felines in folklore, literature, and art Cat spells for healing animals or humans, finding a true love, attracting prosperity, seeking protection, building courage, and more Gain a complete look at this beguiling creature: from what it means when a cat flicks its tail to how you can use discarded whiskers for magickal spells. Explore the lore of cats big and small, and discover how other cultures have honored cats throughout the ages.

Gathered together for the very first time between the covers of a single volume, be prepared to be thoroughly amazed and totally captivated by a spellbinding array of truly extraordinary, exceptional cats of every imaginable - and unimaginable - variety. Surveying an eclectic spectrum of feline anomalies existing both within and far beyond the perimeters of cryptozoology, here are homing cats and demon cats, king cheetahs and woolly cheetahs, ligers and leopons, winged cats and horned cats, belligerent nundas and evanescent marozis, the mythology of the tailless Manx cat and the origins of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat, latter-day sabre-tooths and feline deities from around the world, dream cats, snow cats, and psychic cats, displaced panthers and out-of-place pumas, Janus cats of the double visage and the lost constellation of Felis, marsupial lions and Queensland tigers, green kittens and Runcible Cats, albinistic leopards and melanistic tigers, servalines, cheetalines, aquatic yaquarus, even a cat-headed serpent or two - and much, much else besides.

A "cat-ivating" collection of over fifty tales that celebrate the spiritual, mythological and historical magic of our feline friends . . . read this book and you will learn why cats have always been associated with otherworldly powers. They come by it naturally and there is evidence that cats have been with us longer than have dogs. Read about the cat who worked as a maitre'd, the cat who traveled across Persia, the cat who inspired Hemingway and many more fascinating felines.