Let Us Now Praise Cats

Happy International Cat Day, everybody! 

There is much to celebrate. The world as we know it would not exist without cats. Seriously—not just the Internet. 

In ancient times, cats made meals of the rodents making meals of humans’ grain stores. And, as obligate carnivores, they wouldn’t have been tempted by the grain themselves! Small wonder they were subsequently worshipped as gods! Cats’ natural inclination to kill mice and rats vastly improved human public health by eliminating disease-carrying vermin and improving access to food.  

It turns out rodents (and other pests—like moths) don't have the most persnickety palates. They'll eat all kinds of organic matter. Papyrus, vellum, paper made from linen rags and wood pulp alike were and are fair game. A major bummer for print-centric places like libraries, scriptoria, and bookstores. But as Chicago-bred comedian Tony Baker says in his very aptly named comedy special Scaredy Cat, opens a new window, “Cats will kill anything smaller than them.” The places in which we love to read books and learn would not exist without this "well-known carnivorous quadruped."  

Given their long history of saving humans' bacon, it's unsurprising to find kitties in the (special) collections. Compact, sure-footed, and graceful, Felis domesticus is in the house. Below are cats who found a home in Chicago Public Library's archives...for posterity. All images are from the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection, opens a new window. 

Have you read any books with a cat-centric plot or cat characters that you particularly enjoyed lately? Please share the title and how you plan to celebrate International Cat Day in the comments.