This collection of writings from fiction, poetry, memoirs and drama contains entries from 5th-century Japan to Baudelaire, Medieval Italy to Vikram Seth. It brings out the various qualities of cats, and is divided into sections on kittenhood, names, eating, voices, wisdom, magic, hatred, love, fellow creatures and death. Francis Wheen is the author of "The Sixties", "Television", "The Battle for London" and "Tom Driberg", which was shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize.