Not just literary buffs will recognize some of these famous cats in literature. Some of these cats you have fallen in love with, some you have followed through cozy mysteries and others you have recoiled from and not found cute and cuddly. Read on to discover which famous cats in literature made the list.
Crookshanks and Mrs. Norris
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling was exceptional for several reasons, but there were two prominent cats on this list. Crookshanks was the animal companion of Hermione and the nemesis of Scabbers. Crookshanks was a cat with a personality and appearance that only Hermione could love.
Mrs. Norris, Argus Filch’s feline companion helped Filch keep the children of Hogwarts in line. The kids were not fans of Mrs. Norris or Filch and tried to avoid both. In the second book, Mrs. Norris was cursed by the basilisk and almost caused Filch to have a breakdown.
Tobermory
The talking cat named Tobermory is the star of the short story Tobermory by Saki. Saki is the pen name used by H.H. Munro. Set before World War I at a country house, a weekend guest is challenged to bestow the gift of speech on the resident cat, Tobermory. We follow Tobermory through the day as he speaks his mind. Tobermory is haughty and articulate and full of tantalizing tidbits about the people present at the country house.
Socks
Beverly Cleary is best known for her Ramona series, but she also wrote a book named Socks. The young tabby has four white paws and claims a young, married couple named Marilyn and Bill as his people. As everyone’s lives are turned upside down when a baby comes along, Socks must learn how to cope and accept the new family dynamics.
Cheshire Cat
Possibly one of the most well-known cats, the Cheshire Cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll is a frustrating and mysterious character. He is quite possibly Alice’s most faithful companion through her nonsensical journey through Wonderland. The Cheshire Cat is one of the few characters that seem to be Alice’s champion.
Skippyjon Jones
The Siamese Cat with an abnormally large head and ears is the star of the picture book series Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner. Because of Skippyjon’s odd features, he thinks he is not a cat but a Chihuahua. This is a very popular children’s series that focuses on acceptance through Skippyjon’s amusing adventures.
Thomasina
Belonging to a young girl whose father is very strict; Thomasina brings love and joy to the little girl. The large tabby required medical care but the father, also a vet, did not have the time to care for her and ordered Thomasina be put to sleep. The young girl became so distraught with grief that she fell ill. In the meantime, Thomasina drifts into her past life where she was an Egyptian goddess. With the help of a nice witch who heals animals, Thomasina returns to the little girl and saves the day. Read the full story, by Paul Gallico.
Salem Saberhagen
In The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and illustrated by Robert Hack, Salem Saberhagen is Sabrina’s rather smart-mouthed talking cat. Salem is a wisecracker and a know-it-all. He has been in all adaptations of Sabrina the Teenage Witch except the more recent Netflix adaptation. Salem is possibly best known in the comic and book versions.
Sebastian
A rather nasty and temperamental mostly black cat, Sebastian is the companion of Alexandra Cabot. Alexandra is the sister of Alexander Cabot III who manages Josie and the Pussycats. Alexandra and Sebastian share many of the same personality quirks and neither is overly loyal to the other. Sebastian is best known in the comic series Josie and the Pussycats and has a faithful readership.
Goose
In the original comic series Captain Marvel, Goose was originally called Chewie. He was later renamed and became Carol Danver’s most trusted companion. There is definitely more to this orange cat than meets the eye and he is as loyal as a dog when it comes to Carol and her escapades.
Mrs. Murphy and Pewter
In the book series Mrs. Murphy written by Rita Mae Brown with the help of her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown, two cats help solve crimes with their human, Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen. Mrs. Murphy, a tiger cat, and Pewter, a fluffy gray kitten, keep Harry moving in the right direction and are the masterminds behind solving the crimes. You can find the series on Amazon.
Winston Churchill
Not everyone appreciates the dark mind of Stephen King but for those who do, Pet Sematary is a book that stays with you for a long time. Winston Churchill, or Church, is the cat whose death started the horror of events in the book and subsequent movies. Church is one cat you did not want to see come back, and his terrifying resurrection visited people’s nightmares.
Garfield
Arguably the most well-known cat in literature, Garfield is a pop culture icon. This lasagna-loving, fat, orange tabby has stolen the hearts of children and adults for decades. The grumpy cat’s escapades keep his owner, Jon Arbuckle, on his toes. From comic strips to graphic novels, and young reader books to cartoon series and the big screen, Garfield has captivated generations.
While most people think of literature as classic novels, this list also includes famous cats in comics, children’s books, and novels. Cats that are memorable for their appearance, intelligence, or personalities are included. Seeing cats portrayed in literature gives cat lovers a huge thrill and imagining these cats in action gets our imaginations running wild. Cats are popping up everywhere, even on social media.
