French Literature Reviews - 2026
É. Baratay, Cultures félines (XVIIIe-XXIe siècle).Cats Create Their Own History
History, Politics and Society
Cultures félines (XVIIIe-XXIe siècle).
Cats Create Their Own History
Éric Baratay
Seuil, coll. L'Univers historique
Publication date: 04/02/2021
336 p. — EAN 9782021410082.
Drawing on written accounts from the mid-18th to the early 21st century, and informed by ethology as well as the humanities and social sciences, this book boldly and engagingly extends the original path that Éric Baratay has forged from one book to the next.
For each domestic cat whose life can be reconstructed from historical sources, the author pays close attention to its perception of the world, its sensations and emotions, its sensitivity and personality, its physical expressiveness, and its interactions with its environment, other animals, and humans. Through intimate portraits, there emerges the dynamic construction of what may truly be called feline cultures. We are a far cry from the cliché of the eternal cat—independent, unpredictable, and mysterious. Under Éric Baratay's lively pen, ethology transforms into ethnology.
Whether alley cats, farm cats, house pets, faithful companions, or "cat-dogs," felines exhibit remarkable behavioral plasticity. This book demonstrates that cats possess their own changing cultures, and consequently, their own history.
A member of the Institut universitaire de France, professor at the University of Lyon, and specialist in animal history, Éric Baratay has notably published Bêtes de somme. Des animaux au service des hommes (Seuil, "Points Histoire", 2011), Le Point de vue animal, une autre version de l’histoire (Seuil, 2012), and Biographies animales, des vies retrouvées (Seuil, 2017).
The study of animal history, or zoohistory, has emerged as a significant subfield within the humanities, shifting the focus from human-centric narratives to the agency of non-human actors. By integrating ethological observations with traditional archival research, this approach seeks to reconstruct the lived experiences of creatures often relegated to the margins of historical record. The methodology employed here reflects a broader trend in environmental and cultural history that examines the co-evolution of humans and animals, moving beyond symbolic representations to consider the biological and social realities of the animals themselves.
Cultures félines (XVIIIe-XXIe siècle) examines the behavioral plasticity of the domestic cat from the mid-18th to the early 21st century. By analyzing individual life histories through written accounts, the text discusses the development of feline cultures shaped by environments ranging from farms to households. The analysis considers the sensory worlds and interactions of these animals, framing their existence as a dynamic process. Readers interested in the intersection of animal studies and historical methodology may find this exploration of feline subjectivity and social evolution relevant.