Lives of cats and men intertwined long ago. People worshiped cats like gods, full of superstition they were afraid of luminous eyes in the dark, asked for their help in protecting houses from rodents and adored them as their best friends, while painters and sculptors could not help admiring cat's grace which they considered perfect. The book gives a wide-ranging and detailed presentation of the "feline" exhibits in the Hermitage: Ancient Egyptian bronze, mediaeval European painting, Chinese and Japanese graphic art, Russian lubok prints of the 18th to 20th centuries, cats in the form of toys and much more. 285 colour illustrations