What’s this? A whole day dedicated to celebrating our favourite feline friends? We’re in 🤝

A fair few cat lovers can be found in the Exact Editions team — and clearly amongst our publishing partners as well! 🐈

We’re showcasing four purrrr-fect articles from ArabLit Quarterly, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Remus & Ancient Egypt that highlight why humans have been fascinated with these majestic creatures for centuries.

ArabLit Quarterly ‘Felines, Fellahin & Fortune Tellers’ (Fall 2020)

“Some [ancient Egyptians] chose to depict cats as protectors, drawing on the experiences of their ancestors, while others presented them as mystical creatures, mysterious companions, or as symbolic representations in politically charged works.” ✨

According to the Fall 2020 issue of ArabLit Quarterly, brutal ancient Egyptian myths about cats are poignant examples of the ferocious power and respect the ancient Egyptian civilisation accorded cats.

Read the full article, pages 106 – 155, here.

BBC Wildlife Magazine ‘The Lion in your Living Room’ (September 2012)

“The domestic cat and the lion are similar in many other ways — indeed, the obvious discrepancy in size is the only major difference between them.” 🦁 

Think your moggy has lost touch with its wild side? Think again! The September 2012 issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine outlines six behaviours that they share with big cats, from tactile greetings and playing with prey to caring for young and scratch-marking. 

Read the full article, pages 46 – 55, here.

Remus ‘Welcome to the British Mew-seum’ (Issue 56, Winter 2016)

Did you know that the British Museum used to be home to a large number of cats, who were first introduced as a pest control measure? 🐭

One of their particularly famous kitties (pictured below) was called Mike, who guarded the museum’s gate from 1909 to 1929 — a long old stint! 

When he died, both the Evening Standard & Time Magazine both wrote tributes to him. This article from Issue 56 of Remus suggests that if he had been alive now, he would have achieved Grumpy Cat levels of fame — and quite rightly too.

Read the full article, pages 16 – 21, here.

Ancient Egypt ‘A New Look at the Gayer-Anderson Cat’ (December 2007/January 2008)

“This bronze statue stands thirty-nine centimetres tall, depicting the cat in the pose typical in Egyptian sculpture: seated on its hind legs, tail drawn up by its right side and looking straight ahead.” 🐈‍⬛

We’re staying at the British Museum for this next article. You may know that one of its most popular exhibits is the Gayer-Anderson Cat, bequeathed to the museum by Major John Gayer-Anderson, an avid collector of ancient Egyptian artefacts.

The December 2007/January 2008 issue of Ancient Egypt takes a closer look at the history and potential origins of the statue that continues to fascinate visitors to this day.

Read the full article, pages 20 – 25, here.

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Access to the digital magazine issues included in this post will be active until the 8th September 2022.

Fully-searchable digital subscriptions to ArabLit Quarterly, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Remus & Ancient Egypt are all available in the Exact Editions individual and institutional shops.