The cat has symbolized a host of concepts: good and evil, light and darkness, religion and black magic. This intriguing book traces the history of these fascinating creatures — from vampire and clairvoyant cats to cats in heraldry, as sacrificial objects, and idols of secret sects. Includes 50 black-and-white illustrations.

Praise for the previous editions:"Clearly the best reference work on the subject now available."

This book examines the works of major artists between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, as important barometers of individual and collective values toward non-human life. Once viewed as merely representational, these works can also be read as tangential or morally instrumental by way of formal analysis and critical theories. Chapter Two demonstrates the discrimination toward large and small felines in Genesis and The Book of Revelation. Chapter Three explores the cruel capture of free roaming animals and how artists depicted their furs, feathers and shells in costume as symbols of virtue and vice. Chapter Four identifies speciest beliefs between donkeys and horses. Chapter Five explores the altered Dutch kitchen spaces and disguised food animals in various culinary constructs in still life painting. Chapter Six explores the animal substances embedded in pigments. Chapter Seven examines animals in absentia-in the crafting of brushes. The book concludes with the fish paintings of William Merritt Chase whose glazing techniques demonstrate an artistic approach that honors fishes as sentient beings.

If a black cat crosses your path, you will have good luck.—England If a black cat crosses your path, you will have bad luck.—America The Magick of Claw and Whisker Very few animals have evoked such extremes in emotions—from admiration to fear—as the feline family. Cats are mysterious, mystical creatures who can do anything from predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to reacting to haunted buildings and following the movement of things you can't see. We are fascinated by cats and their behavior, their regal bearing, and their intelligence, yet we are unnerved by their inscrutable stare and savage natural instincts. In The Mysterious, Magickal Cat you will discover: The origins of cats, big and small Little-known details about cat anatomy and behavior How to read a cat's verbal and non-verbal communication The cat in ancient history and superstition Feline deities from around the world Sacred breeds and temple lore Felines in folklore, literature, and art Cat spells for healing animals or humans, finding a true love, attracting prosperity, seeking protection, building courage, and more Gain a complete look at this beguiling creature: from what it means when a cat flicks its tail to how you can use discarded whiskers for magickal spells. Explore the lore of cats big and small, and discover how other cultures have honored cats throughout the ages.

Grimassi has written extensively about Wicca, and Llewellyn specializes in books sympathetic to occult ways, so the combination is pretty predictable. He describes not only the usual magic practices, but also the religious and spiritual aspects of what believers say is inherited ancient European wisdom and scoffers say is made-up, new-age nonsense. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

You probably know about some of the amazing feats regularly accomplished by animals, from salmon who navigate through hundreds of miles of water to their birthplace to spawn, to bloodhounds who can track the tiniest trace of a scent with noses one million times stronger than ours. Although psychic powers such as telepathic communication have yet to be explained by modern science, all animals, both human and nonhuman, have the potential. But like any talent, psychic talent must be developed and practiced. Part collection of amazing animal stories, part psychic manual, Is Your Pet Psychic? is your guide to understanding and developing your pet's psychic powers. ·Read extraordinary tales of animal heroes, animal ghosts, and more ·Discover how you can test your pet's psychic abilities ·Learn how to communicate telepathically with your pet The exercises in this book will help you and your pet develop the natural psychic potential inherent within all living things. As you experiment with them you will explore one of the true wonders of nature, and strengthen the special bond you share with your pet.

“No one writes about the subjects of sexuality, desire, the shadow, and diabolism with such relish, and when I read her words I feel both smarter and less afraid of my own ‘tabooed’ feelings and thoughts. Like a cat, Kristen sees in the dark, as she guides us gracefully forward with her vision of unapologetic, feminine power.” —From the Foreword by Pam Grossman, author of Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power The cat: A sensual shapeshifter. A hearth keeper, aloof, tail aloft, stalking vermin. A satanic accomplice. A beloved familiar. A social media darling. A euphemism for reproductive parts. An epithet for the weak. A knitted—and contested—hat on millions of marchers, fists in the air, pink pointed ears poking skyward. Cats and cat references are ubiquitous in art, pop culture, politics, and the occult, and throughout history, they have most often been coded female. From the “crazy cat lady” unbowed by patriarchal prescriptions to the coveted sex kitten to the dreadful crone and her yowling compatriot, feminine feline archetypes reveal the ways in which women have been revered and reviled around the world—in Greek and Egyptian mythology, the European witch trials, Japanese folklore, and contemporary film. By combining historical research, pop culture, art analyses, and original interviews, Cat Call explores the cat and its indivisible connection to femininity and teases out how this connection can help us better understand the relationship between myth, history, magic, womanhood in the digital age, and our beloved, clawed companions.