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Cats: A History
A sweeping and fascinating history of cat-human relationships.
For more than 10,000 years, cats have prowled at the edges of human life. But, starting only a few decades ago, hundreds of millions of them became pets. In A History, historian Rod Phillips shares a sweeping cultural and social history of cats, tracing the shifting place of felines across societies and centuries,from ancient Egypt's revered hunters to Europe's suspected familiars of witches and from shipboard rodent controllers to cherished internet icons.
Phillips illustrates how cats have always occupied spaces both familiar and mysterious and how their perceived independence and disruptive nature—and their associations with women, the supernatural, and outsiders—have shaped humans' attitudes toward these fascinating creatures. Cats have been lauded as companions and vermin-killers, reviled as threats to moral and ecological order, and cherished for the very qualities that make them hard to control. This richly textured portrait of cats explores their significance in religion, politics, gender, literature, warfare, and pop culture. It also provides fascinating insights into our relationships with other animals, especially dogs and rodents.
The many roles that cats have played throughout history illuminate a variety of fascinating contradictions in humans' perceptions of as affectionate yet aloof, adorable and evil, ordinary and exceptional. A History is the definitive story of the feline presence in human history—an elegant study of how we live with animals whom we see as living by their own rules.
For more than 10,000 years, cats have prowled at the edges of human life. But, starting only a few decades ago, hundreds of millions of them became pets. In A History, historian Rod Phillips shares a sweeping cultural and social history of cats, tracing the shifting place of felines across societies and centuries,from ancient Egypt's revered hunters to Europe's suspected familiars of witches and from shipboard rodent controllers to cherished internet icons.
Phillips illustrates how cats have always occupied spaces both familiar and mysterious and how their perceived independence and disruptive nature—and their associations with women, the supernatural, and outsiders—have shaped humans' attitudes toward these fascinating creatures. Cats have been lauded as companions and vermin-killers, reviled as threats to moral and ecological order, and cherished for the very qualities that make them hard to control. This richly textured portrait of cats explores their significance in religion, politics, gender, literature, warfare, and pop culture. It also provides fascinating insights into our relationships with other animals, especially dogs and rodents.
The many roles that cats have played throughout history illuminate a variety of fascinating contradictions in humans' perceptions of as affectionate yet aloof, adorable and evil, ordinary and exceptional. A History is the definitive story of the feline presence in human history—an elegant study of how we live with animals whom we see as living by their own rules.
456 pages, Hardcover
Published June 2, 2026
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May 8, 2026Cats: A History by Rod Phillips is an engaging and wide ranging cultural history that explores the long and complicated relationship between humans and cats across more than ten thousand years. From ancient Egypt to modern internet culture, the book traces how cats have moved between roles as sacred creatures, working animals, feared symbols, and beloved companions.
Phillips presents a well researched and accessible narrative that highlights how cats have consistently occupied a unique space in human society. Their independence, unpredictability, and mystery have shaped the way they are perceived across different eras and cultures. The book thoughtfully examines how these traits have led to both admiration and suspicion, particularly in relation to religion, gender roles, superstition, and social attitudes.
One of the book’s strengths lies in its ability to connect historical patterns with contemporary culture, showing how modern affection for cats exists alongside older beliefs about their danger or otherness. The discussion of cats in literature, politics, warfare, and everyday life adds richness and variety to the narrative, making it both informative and entertaining.
Themes of companionship, symbolism, cultural perception, and human animal relationships are woven throughout the book, offering readers a deeper understanding of why cats continue to fascinate us. Readers who enjoy animal history, cultural studies, nonfiction storytelling, and explorations of human behavior will find Cats: A History insightful, enjoyable, and thoroughly readable.
Phillips presents a well researched and accessible narrative that highlights how cats have consistently occupied a unique space in human society. Their independence, unpredictability, and mystery have shaped the way they are perceived across different eras and cultures. The book thoughtfully examines how these traits have led to both admiration and suspicion, particularly in relation to religion, gender roles, superstition, and social attitudes.
One of the book’s strengths lies in its ability to connect historical patterns with contemporary culture, showing how modern affection for cats exists alongside older beliefs about their danger or otherness. The discussion of cats in literature, politics, warfare, and everyday life adds richness and variety to the narrative, making it both informative and entertaining.
Themes of companionship, symbolism, cultural perception, and human animal relationships are woven throughout the book, offering readers a deeper understanding of why cats continue to fascinate us. Readers who enjoy animal history, cultural studies, nonfiction storytelling, and explorations of human behavior will find Cats: A History insightful, enjoyable, and thoroughly readable.
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June 26, 2026quite an interesting read full of fun history!
my only criticism would be the lack of information when touching on the issue of outdoor cats at the end. i believe phillips was trying to stay neutral on the facts presented in this book, however, with cats killing MILLIONS of birds on top of other human threats like climate change and habitat loss, it seems imprudent to not take a stand. the fact of the matter is that cats are responsible for the extinction of far too many species and it is in human hands that the blame lay for introducing cats to those areas and not keeping them confined. i felt that his ending note of "well, but if we got rid of outdoor cats, wouldnt it be sad bc they've been outside for so many thousands of years?" to be sour indeed. we are responsible forever for what we have tamed, mr phillips, and cats ARE a domesticated species, differences from dogs aside. it strikes me as incredibly irresponsible to shrug at the threat of outdoor cats on wildlife just because thats how things have always been done. i also did not appreciate, as a cat lover, the glossing over of the harms that outdoor cats face while outside, like cars, other people, and local native predators.
my only criticism would be the lack of information when touching on the issue of outdoor cats at the end. i believe phillips was trying to stay neutral on the facts presented in this book, however, with cats killing MILLIONS of birds on top of other human threats like climate change and habitat loss, it seems imprudent to not take a stand. the fact of the matter is that cats are responsible for the extinction of far too many species and it is in human hands that the blame lay for introducing cats to those areas and not keeping them confined. i felt that his ending note of "well, but if we got rid of outdoor cats, wouldnt it be sad bc they've been outside for so many thousands of years?" to be sour indeed. we are responsible forever for what we have tamed, mr phillips, and cats ARE a domesticated species, differences from dogs aside. it strikes me as incredibly irresponsible to shrug at the threat of outdoor cats on wildlife just because thats how things have always been done. i also did not appreciate, as a cat lover, the glossing over of the harms that outdoor cats face while outside, like cars, other people, and local native predators.
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