Cats: Keepers of the Spirit World

Explores our intertwined spiritual history with cats.

We have been connected to cats for more than 30 million years. To our prehistoric ancestors cats were deadly predators of the night, and because of this ancient memory etched onto our DNA, cats epitomise our fear of the dark. Yet in addition to their connection to the dark and the shadows, their intelligence, sophisticated physical abilities, and finely tuned senses also led many cultures to view cats as connected to the spirit world.

Exploring the spiritual nature of cats, John A. Rush looks at humanity’s fascination and fear of cats through the ages. He examines spiritual and occult beliefs connected to cats from Mayan, Aztec, and Native American mythology as well as from ancient India, Samaria, Babylon, Japan, and Egypt, including how ancient Egyptians used cats to send messages to the gods. He reveals why the Catholic Church demonised cats and how cats are symbols of both Good and Evil. Examining cat evolution, the author looks at spiritual behaviours attributed to cats as well as modern biological research into cat behaviour and their highly sophisticated sensory systems, which, unlike most other animals, have changed very little over millions of years. He explores their “psychic” ability to sense what humans cannot and the origins of their glowing eyes, which has connected cats, through myth, to both the Underworld and the World of Light. He also explores similarities between cat and human emotions, cat communications with us, and the deep connection between cats and meditation.

Revealing the spiritual journey of the cat from fearsome predator to occult symbol to household companion, the author shows how, in many ways, cats are mirrors of us, reflecting our conflicting dual nature that is at once loving yet distant, magical yet vengeful, and above all, deeply connected to the spirit world.