The British Museum Book of Cats

"Cat lovers will, no doubt, find this fascinating... an ideal book to dip into". -RSPCA

"Anyone who is interested in cats will love [this] book... lavishly illustrated and packed with details about cats in art and nature, past and present, repute and disrepute". -Animal World

"This beautifully illustrated book provides a unique combination of a biological history of the domestic cat with a careful selection of some of the best and most interesting pictures of cats to be found in the historical collections of the British Museum and Natural History Museum as well as with photographs of many living breeds" -Cat World

"Ideally suited to a cat lover... a learned and fascinating zoological study on the genus down the ages". -East Anglian Daily Times

"Traces the domestication of the cat from earliest times; the product of a lifetime's research into domesticated animals and an authoritative zoological study, this is a must for all those interested in cats". ---The Cat

A long history of myth and superstition surrounds the domestication of the cat whose solitary nature, demanding personality and secret nightlife set it apart from all other domestic animals. The beauty, charm and beguiling character of cats have secured them a very special relationship with human beings over the centuries. This engaging book explores the place of the cat in cultures around the world, from ancient times to the present. It uniquely combines the natural history of the feline with the history of cats in the ancient, medieval and recent past, and reveals why the cat has become the much-loved creature it is today. Richly illustrated with images from ancient Egypt, Greece, China and Japan, rich medieval manuscripts and modern drawings and photographs, the book links cats in art with their real contemporaries and is a must-have for anyone who loves cats.