Chels

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been obsessed with cats. And by obsessed, I mean that the first ever non-fiction book I owned was a guide to look after your kitten. We didn’t own a kitten, and we still haven’t, but I loved reading the book. Much to my distress, last year I discovered that I’m quite allergic to cats when I spend more than a few minutes with them. I was heartbroken.

That doesn’t stop me from loving cats (nor does it stop me from cat sitting my feline cousins), so today I want to celebrate some of my favourite literary cats.

Most of my choices come from children’s literature – that’s where the real iconic kitties seem to be. When it comes to adult literature, we tend to see more canine than feline companions. I’m not sure why that is. I’ve come across a lot of Japanese translated fiction that features cats as companions – I wonder if it represents our differing cultural attitudes – in Japanese literature, cats are a source of comfort and company, whereas in western literature, they tend to be agents of chaos and mischief.

Cheshire Cat 

The Cheshire Cat is the oldest literary cat on my list – and possibly the most iconic. He really set the scene for the portrayals of cats to come – he was intelligent and mischievous, but cool and level-headed, a pretty perfect depiction of a cat. Plus, his ability to disappear at will was surely based in truth – cats are able to disappear from under one’s feet and reappear across the room. 

Tom Kitten

Tom Kitten and his two sisters Mittens and Moppet are Beatrix Potter’s cosy take on mischievous Kittens, first introduced in The Tale of Tom Kitten. Their mother, Tabitha Twitchit, invites friends over for tea, and dresses her kittens nicely, instructing them not to get dirty. Of course, they’re kittens, so they end up so dirty that they have to be put to bed. Tabitha tells her friends that the kittens have measles, but they’re still feeling playful, and they cause a commotion that can be heard from the party downstairs.

Mog (Judith Kerr)

Mog is a mischievous tabby cat first introduced over 50 years ago in 1970. She was forgetful but loveable, and an icon of British children’s literature. I have to say was, because in the final book of the Mog series, Mog dies. I’ve read plenty on why Kerr chose to kill off the beloved character (although it feels wrong to say it so plainly), and the story is helpful for children experiencing loss, but still – it makes me sad to think about, even if Mog was only ever a cat on a page.

Scarface Claw

Scarface Claw is the antagonist of the Hairy Maclary series, and a personal favourite of mine. We’re first introduced to Scarface hiding in the shadows, waiting for Hairy Maclary and the other dogs to walk past so he can scare them. Eventually, Scarface got his own book in the Hairy Maclary series, and in it we see that he’s not scared of anything… except for his own reflection. 

Also – his name is Scarface Claw. What’s not to love?

The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat is another chaotic feline – this time depicted in rhyme by Dr Seuss. The book was written as a primer – an introduction to reading for young children – so the story is told in simple language. The Cat in the Hat has become iconic, as has much of Dr Seuss’ work, and in this case, it’s down to the antics caused by the eponymous cat. Like most literary cats, he’s mischievous, to the point of wrecking the family’s house, but this cat has a machine to reverse all his damage, as if he was never there.

Puss in Boots

Before he was a film icon, Puss in Boots was a fairy tale cat whose main trait was his cleverness. He’s owned by a miller’s son, and through Puss’ intelligence, they become rich and end up marrying a princess. Puss is witty and quick – though he’s not quite the suave and charming Zorro parody that we’ve come to know him as through his portrayal in the Shrek franchise.

Garfield

Some people don’t count comics as literature. I happened to spend about a week researching comics for my dissertation, so to me, they count. Garfield is the comic cat. He’s grumpy and lazy – quite different from the typical literary cat, but he still acts mischievous on occasion. He antagonises John, his owner, but there are also some lovely strips that show the bond between them.

It’s very funny to think that all the iconic literary cats are so mischievous. It makes sense, though, because every cat I’ve known has had a naughty streak, no matter how sweet they usually are.