Cat Call

“Cat Call will change the way you think about the cat forever . . . this book will leave you inspired to reclaim your own feral femininity.” —Gabriela Herstik, author of Sacred Sex

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.

“Sollee shows the ways in which transgressive aspects of femininity have always been connected to the feline in her agile, clever study. Her breezy tone and framework connecting pop culture to feline archetypes combine to create an appealing take.” —Publishers Weekly

“Just when I thought I knew everything about the cat-woman relationship, this book proves I’ve merely scratched the surface.” —BriAnne Wills, author of Girls and Their Cats