This wonderful book charts the social progress of the English cat frommedieval persecuted pariah to beloved modern pet with many marvellousdetours along the way - richly illustrated with more than 300 prints andphotos.In Victorian Music Halls, their adroit performances on the tightrope and'leaping through the fiery hoop' wowed audiences. Cats working at home inLondon, enjoyed a slice of horsemeat on a stick served daily through theirletterbox, and on steam locomotive networks cats protected vital cablesfrom the teeth of vermin.Old Tom Sweet Gin was famously branded with a cat and barrel image andPuss connived to peddle gin in 18th century London.Aristocratic ladies and royalty began breeding cats that were stars of thefirst cat show in 1871 when a spoilt puss aptly named 'Imp' - belonging toPrincess Helena Victoria - scratched the hand of the Prince of Wales.Colour printing arrived to bring cats onto greetings cards, picture postcards, sheet music and advertisements for every kind of product imaginable, including Boucheron diamonds modelled in the 'glossies' by their own petcat Vladimir.