This book could have been so good! It has a fun premise - to blend humour and fact to produce an informative piece made accessible by it’s relatable thematic thread: cats. Some attempt is made and the contemporary quotes on cats begin to draw a picture together but are often left floating - without any connection to each other or the to wider historical context.

However, it falls short. The humour is lighthearted at best and cringy are worst but not hilarious. Pages that should have been taken up by medieval based historical fact and intrigues are instead dedicated to modern or just generic cat facts. Meaning it becomes less a book on the medieval period as told through the lens of pets/animals and more a book just on cats generally. Additionally, the genuine medieval illustrations feel wasted. What could have been an exploration into what we are seeing in these illustrations and what that means just becomes a quick ‘funny’ caption which gives no substance and doesn’t get the reader to pause and appreciate or fully engage with the illustration.

Yes this is just a jokey type book but it’s still fun and great too thumb through,
Any lover of cats really should buy this just for the kicks of it. We have and always will love doodling our little kitties.

This book was honestly really odd. From what I could tell, it was a collection of times cats were mentioned in medieval literature or painted in the artwork of the time. Maybe I’m missing the humor or something. I just didn’t get it I’m afraid. It was not was I was expecting at all.
The paintings were interesting though.

All over the Middle Ages, from the 5th century to the 16th, there are drawings and paintings of cats - often in the margins of the manuscript or at the corner of the religious painting, but there. Some are beautifully realistic, like Da Vinci's drawings, other crude representations, like so many of the monks' attempt to illustrate a cat in bestiary or psalter, while other scholars, illustrating morality tales, would draw hilarious cats as people in anthropomorphized actions or clothes to make a point. There were also many proverbs, sayings, jokes, riddles and exasperated quotes about cats. Together, these pictures and words from the period show how long people have been fascinated by cats.

However, when the author - using the tortured pen name "Cat Nappington" - butts in to make up funny captions or make pithy statements about medieval history, the book is less than captivating.

The primary sources are very cool - but the author could have used a lighter touch bringing them all together.

Cat lovers will love flipping through these pages that are filled with excerpts, funny situations and pictures of cats during the middle ages. Entertaining!

In short, a book of medival cat memes and cat facts. Very enjoyable (tho the printed version is likely better than the digital one), I would have liked more story and facts but don't think that was the point of the book so totally understandable.

Annoyingly bad, but thankfully a quick read (I finished it in under an hour). The organization of this book is nonexistent. This book is so full of nonsense, like joke captions and quotes placed alongside actual historical quotes, that it's difficult to read. There is almost no synthesis, and what little there is is largely incorrect based on mistranslations, a lack of understanding of medieval documents, and general common misconceptions. It's difficult to figure out who the target audience of this book is, let alone what exactly the point of this book is. If one of my college writing students turned this in, I would struggle to give them even a C or a D because it's just random ridiculous information regurgitated in no particular order with absolutely no structure. I'm shocked that Penguin Random House would publish something like this, and even more shocked to learn that the author is a university professor. This book gets one star because there is no option to give it zero.

This is such a cute coffee table type of book! I loved all the fun facts and seeing the different cat depictions!

This book is an absolute delight! It’s a charming compilation of notes, photos, and stories showing how cats have woven themselves into the fabric of Western culture since some of the earliest recorded histories.

Perfect for any cat lover, it’s both informative and heartwarming—a wonderful celebration of our feline friends through time.

This was a delightful little book! It includes a variety of illustrations of cats and works of art from the medieval times, as well as quotes and other bits of history! It was fun to read and quite informative. I would definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to Clarkson Potter for an advanced copy of this book!
Pub date: March 4, 2025

This book is so adorable! All the cats are amazing, and I adore the little facts sprinkled through out the boom. I really think this would make a great side table book. Really good to look in, but not a read.

This is a lovely little book is full of wonderful medieval cats from various illuminated manuscripts. It is also full of fun little stories, tidbits, and ‘who knew’ about cats.
An enjoyable read and would be a fun gift for any cat lover in one’s life.
The only criticism I would have with the book is that I felt that the jokes about the cats in the manuscripts were not needed in my opinion. Most seemed a bit immature and they took away from all of the more interesting information the author had put together.
Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my review.

This is a super fun book. I’d love to get and look at a hard copy of it. Unique facts, lovely art, quippy quotes. It was a fun read for anyone interested in this time period and cat lovers alike.

This is such a weird little book. I don't think it will have wide appeal, but the people it will appeal to (cat lovers, people who like medieval art) will LOVE it.

Humor and puns felt a bit stale to be honest. Art is superb though, and historical titbits about cats make for a nice addition.

Really enjoyable, light read with plenty of interesting tidbits. I wonder if the final book will include an appendix or go through a fact checker. The claim that Pope Gregory's call to kill cats resulted in the Black Plague is a myth. I also am curious why the Clan Chattan wildcat and motto "Touch not the cat" are not included as it is of medieval origin.

Many of the cats have human looking faces - which is weird - and a lot of pictures of cats licking their butts. Fun compendium and would make a nice gift book.

Good fun book that I would have around the house or gift for a cat person. Enjoyed the illustrations and little facts, but some of the jokes I just don't think are my type of humour. Sometimes I wish the author had delved more into the history or the story as it was almost like they were giving teasers, or about to say more then just dropping it. I normally prefer history books that give lots of detail so maybe I am the wrong audience.

This is a silly book with an excellent collection of art, so it seems quite giftable and like an easy grab at the bookstore. I didn't love the funny captions provided for the images (an old-school newspaper comic caption style, which seems to date the audience as much older or much younger.) I personally wanted more in terms of history and context about the original books, but it's fine if the visuals are the star here. I'll admit I was a bit surprised that there were proportionately so many dark and disturbing details about abusing cats, since there was so little text. It's hard to imagine that being successful for such a coffee-table style of book. But the collection of weird medieval cat illustrations is enough to appeal to plenty of people.

Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws and Kitties of Yore by Catherine Nappington is a beautifully designed, fascinating book that provides plenty of information about our favourite pets.
While the word 'hilarious' never once occurred to me as I read this book, I did find it amusing in parts, and informative throughout. The illustrations and quotations are both educational and entertaining, making for a book that every cat lover should have on their bookshelf.
I appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC of #MedievalCats, courtesy of #NetGalley.

*Medieval Cats* is a hilarious and quirky journey through the Middle Ages, showcasing cats in all their mischievous glory! From bum-licking to mouse-chasing, these cats were as playful and unpredictable back then as they are today. This fun compendium brings medieval artwork to life with humorous insights into how cats were viewed throughout history. Packed with cat facts, poems, and even medieval proverbs, it’s a must-read for anyone who loves (or just tolerates) cats, and a perfect mix of humor and history!