Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines

Name: Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines
Price: 40 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781849949736

Cats in folklore, myth and legend

Willow Winsham

$40

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Batsford
14 April 2026

Social & political philosophy; Folklore, myths & legends; Monsters & legendary beings; Cats as pets

Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines gives an intriguing insight into the historical relationship between cats and humans by exploring the folklore, myths and legends that relate to cats from around the globe.

For thousands of years, cats and humankind have been inextricably intertwined. From the Ancient Egyptian Goddess Bastet to the cat demon Yokai of Japan, people have been fascinated, enthralled and horrified in equal measure by everything feline-related.

Throughout history, cats have been revered and reviled and everything in between. Worshipped as divine, blamed for plague and pestilence, or labelled as the demonic companions of witches - whether fair or foul, no other animal has attracted such consistent attention, a fact strongly illustrated by the vast number of myths, legends, sayings, superstitions and tales that exist regarding these enigmatic creatures.

Today, mankind is no less under the feline thrall, with cat memes, videos and celebrity cat accounts numbering amongst the highest-ranking entertainment across the internet. Unknown to many, this cultural fascination has a deep and rich history that spans continents and millennia. Discover the roots of this age-old captivation with our feline counterparts and why they have been loved - or otherwise - by so many.

By: Willow Winsham
Imprint: Batsford
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781849949736
ISBN 10: 1849949735
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 14 April 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Willow Winsham is an historian of witchcraft, specialising in English witchcraft cases. She is author of Accused: British Witches Throughout History andEngland's Witchcraft Trials from Pen and Sword Books. She is co-founder of #FolkloreThursday, a popular website and Twitter account that brings fascinating tales and traditions from all corners of the globe to its followers every Thursday.