Happy Garfield Day, fellow fans of the feline species! In honor of today’s holiday, I wanted to share a few of my personal favorite fairy tales with cats in them—because let’s face it, one can never read too many stories about cats.
(I am aware the Garfield comic strip doesn’t exactly qualify as a fairy tale, but comic strips aren’t really my area of expertise. And besides, I think we could all use a little more magic in our lives, too—especially the way this year is progressing so far!)
A Few of My Favorite Fairy Tales with Cats in Them
This is not an ultimate list of every fairy tale with a cat in it that ever existed—such a list would require a book all of its own. These are just a few fabulous fairy tales for cat lovers and fairy tale fiends alike. Enjoy!
#1. “Puss in Boots”
Which version, you ask? All of them. Also known as “Master Cat,” or “The Booted Cat,” I grew up loving this story—and this cat—in every incarnation I encountered. The original clever-clogged cat, Puss has appeared in a number of fairy tale collections, including Giovanni Straparola’s The Facetious Nights of Straparola, Giambattista Basile’s Cagliuso, and is perhaps best-known in its Charles Perrault telling. There’s just something so satisfying about a cat in boots outwitting royal humans and ravenous giants alike, all for the sake of his beloved (if slower-witted) human companion.
#2. “Kisa the Cat”
A Scandinavian fairy tale from Andrew Lang’s Brown Fairy Book in which a cat is also a sister, a giant-slayer, and a princess. Things which are lost are later found or regained, and sometimes the simplest kindness produces the most surprisingly wonderful results.
#3. “The Poor Miller’s Boy and the Cat”
A very Puss in Boots reminiscent fairy tale, this Brother’s Grimm classic pits a poor underdog and a clever cat against a rather demanding miller. One good turn deserves—and is returned with—another.
#4. “How Cats Got Their Purr”
In this traditional British fairy tale, a royal family goes to extremes to protect their beloved princess (don’t they always?) and three little kittens become three heroic cats who come to her rescue when they’re needed most. Cat purrs are the best reward.
#5. “The White Cat”
Somewhat similar to “The Poor Miller’s Boy and the Cat,” this tale penned by Madame d’Aulnoy
casts a certain clowder of cats as fae-like creatures to whom a (lucky) young man pledges himself as servant when he inadvertently wanders into their queen’s domain. As the young man learns, a cat well served will always serve you well in turn.
#6. “The King of the Cats”
Speaking of royal cats, I adore “King of the Cats” stories. Like “Puss in Boots,” this one has been adapted many times, often with name changes and slight story variations, but all of them follow pretty much the same pattern. Arguably, this one is technically a folk tale rather than a fairy tale, but I’m including it as an honorable mention here because I have seen some pretty fantastical adaptations that have revised the story to great effect (most notably, the King of the Cats story arc from The Ancient Magus’s Bride). But even the original incarnations, usually only a couple of pages long at most, are pretty amusing. (The image of a cat shouting at people and then running up a chimney is just too damn funny.)
Looking for More Fairy Tales (or Cats)?
This list of fairy tales with cats in them only scratches the surface of feline-centric literature, especially if you’re not limiting yourself to fairy tales specifically. There are so many cat stories out there, many of them very good, so go ahead and enjoy one in honor of one of the most classic cats of all time—or at least in comic strip history. Whether you need a “sick day” book for comfort while recovering from a cold (or worse), or simply a bit of reading or writing inspiration, there’s a cat story out there waiting for you to toss it a fish. Who knows? It might make you a king or queen one day.
You could also just go back and read your favorite Garfield comics, if you’re a fan. I’ve got a few collections, myself, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. 😛
Still not satisfied? While I don’t have any published fairy tales about cats of my own to share (yet… keep your eyes open), if you’re into Irish fairy tales, you could always check out The Harbinger’s Head. Or, if dragons are more your thing, you can go ahead and download the free demo for The Dragon’s Last Flight today!
