The Cats’ Contribution By: Ashley Lasko

Before going into the majority of my blog, there’s is a few things I need to make known. I have a love, almost an obsession, for cats, and love each one I happen to come across. I have a cat at home which I admire everyday, and I try to bring cats into every aspect of my life possible. My infatuation with cats is what largely what inspired this blog.

Many walks of life are embedded in famous works of literature, humans and animals alike. As evident by my opening paragraph, I choose to focus on one of the most influential animals (my personal opinion), cats. Cats have played significant roles in literature, including famous stories such as “The Cat in the Hat”, “Puss in Boots”, and the novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. There are also cats in other writings, such as book series like Warriors, Chronicles of Narnia, The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter. There are many other stories that at least mention cats, showing how cats have greatly impacted literature today.

Of course, there are a many other animals that have impacted literature, including the casts of “Winnie the Pooh”, Animal Farm, and Charlotte’s Web. Cats are one of the many creatures that have placed their mark in literature.

However, while some stories have felines playing major roles or even starring as the main characters, such as Warriors, other stories introduce cats for only a chapter or two, such as in The Hunger Games. Nevertheless, these cats can play important roles, whether through symbolism or an appealing characterization. Felines such as Aslan, Buttercup, Bluestar, are strong characters in their respective books; despite the difference of the size of the roles they play, they still guide the story along. The paw print cats have pressed into the world of literature will continue to deepen as the body of cats in literature continues to grow.

Admittedly, not everyone will change their lives or look at things in a new light because I pointed out what cats have done in literature. In fact, I’m sure a few readers despise cats and will disregard my blog post entirely. However, despite what animal is the superior species, the point stands that cats, as well as animals in general, have impacted literature on a scale that can arguably be compared to that of notable human characters.