The symbolic cat

‘A stroke of kindness’ illustration by Victoria Hall

Today is International Cat Day – the one day a year when I can publicly declare my love for cats without someone pointing out, with glee, that I’m allergic to them.

Yes, I adore cats. Yes, if I so much as pat one, my eyes swell up like a Jane Austen heroine mid-faint. Life is cruel.

Cats, of course, have always known their worth.

In ancient Egypt, they were worshipped as divine, sleek embodiments of grace. Killing one – even by accident – could get you into a great deal of trouble.

In Japan, the beckoning maneki-neko sits in shop windows, paw aloft, ushering in good fortune.

In medieval Europe, black cats were unlucky, unless you were a witch, in which case they were your familiar – part pet, part PA.

Artists have long been besotted.

The Renaissance adored them as domestic companions, draped across laps in oil paintings.

Impressionists caught their languid stretches in sunlight.

In modern art, they’ve been reduced to bold silhouettes, all arched backs and knowing tails, because really, the mystery is the point.

Symbolically, cats have carried it all: Independence, sensuality, mystery, laziness, rebellion, curiosity.

They slink between worlds – tame enough to share your bed, wild enough to keep a part of themselves utterly unreachable. They’re the flatmates who never pay rent yet somehow dictate the household schedule.

So, this International Cat Day, I will raise a toast (from a safe, hypoallergenic distance) to the world’s cats. May they continue to inspire artists, writers, and hapless humans who fall for their charms despite the sneezing fits. And may they never, ever forget that while dogs have owners, cats have staff – and some of us are queuing up for the job, antihistamines in hand.

x Victoria

About Victoria Hall

Victoria Hall is an English-born, Australian-based writer and illustrator. She is the creator of three picture books for children, Penny Prickles at Coogee Beach, Eggy Peggy Has Lost Her Leggy and The Fairy Beasts. For more updates, follow Victoria on Instagram or check out her bio here