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The Cat that Walked by Himself and Other Cat Stories
HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself, and all places were alike to him. Cats have long been considered creatures of mystery and magic. Worshipped as deities in some cultures, feared as harbingers of bad fortune in others, it's little surprise that their enigmatic charm continues to capture our imaginations today. This classic collection of the most beloved cat tales includes Saki's ‘Tobermory’, in which a straight-talking cat leaves dinner guests aghast yet entranced; a Norse fairy tale involving a spectacular feline rescue; ‘The Dragon Tamers’ by E. Nesbit; and H. P. Lovecraft's strange story ‘The Cats of Ulthar’; amongst many others to enjoy for years to come.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 14, 2024
18 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Rudyard Kipling
7,145 books3,671 followersJoseph Rudyard Kipling was a journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist.
Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".
Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."
Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."
Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".
Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."
Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 21, 2024
Curious selection.
A swing and a miss for me.
A swing and a miss for me.
October 19, 2024
This book was another case of ‘judging a book by its cover’ for me and I succumbed to the call of the cat gracing the front cover. This collection features stories on everything feline! Most of them are classics written by familiar names like Edgar Allan Poe, Rudyard Kipling and E. Nesbit. The stories remind me of the ones in penny dreadfuls, but with less macabre and more..cats.
I loved that the book had a good range of cat stories; from fantasy, to a little bit of history, to the downright horror. Cats mean different things to different people or culture and they are given a distinctive spin in every story. Unsurprisingly, my favorite story was by Poe, of course with his signature horror written all over. However, as is always the case with collection of short stories, the good ones are ‘balanced’ with the not-so-greats. A few of the stories only had slight mentions of cats, which I thought would be best left out of this collection. Here are some of my favorites that I rated 5 stars:
1. The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
2. Whittington and His Cat
3. The Cats of Ulthar by H.P. Lovecraft
4. The White Cat by E. Nesbit
I loved that the book had a good range of cat stories; from fantasy, to a little bit of history, to the downright horror. Cats mean different things to different people or culture and they are given a distinctive spin in every story. Unsurprisingly, my favorite story was by Poe, of course with his signature horror written all over. However, as is always the case with collection of short stories, the good ones are ‘balanced’ with the not-so-greats. A few of the stories only had slight mentions of cats, which I thought would be best left out of this collection. Here are some of my favorites that I rated 5 stars:
1. The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
2. Whittington and His Cat
3. The Cats of Ulthar by H.P. Lovecraft
4. The White Cat by E. Nesbit
January 26, 2025
My standout stories were
The Cat That Walked by Himself
The Black Cat (Poe was truly f*cked)
The Cat Who Could Eat So Much (me too)
Kisa The Cat (feet got chopped off lol)
Interesting selection but a lot of the stories weren’t my thing
The Cat That Walked by Himself
The Black Cat (Poe was truly f*cked)
The Cat Who Could Eat So Much (me too)
Kisa The Cat (feet got chopped off lol)
Interesting selection but a lot of the stories weren’t my thing
March 4, 2024
3,5 stars.. i love cats
June 20, 2025
Bortsett fra at Edgar Allan Poe traumatiserte meg, er samlingen supplimentert med noen fine noveller
October 19, 2023
Living with cats, I know it is true.
This has always been my favorite "Just So Story."
It is good to see it in an individual book, as it is a little unwieldy as part of a group.
This is the story of how a woman domesticated various animals, yet had to deal on equal terms with the cat. We all know this is true yet it is good to find the origin of this truth.
The pictures add a dimension and do not distract from the words.
Rudyard Kipling is a master at this telling.
This has always been my favorite "Just So Story."
It is good to see it in an individual book, as it is a little unwieldy as part of a group.
This is the story of how a woman domesticated various animals, yet had to deal on equal terms with the cat. We all know this is true yet it is good to find the origin of this truth.
The pictures add a dimension and do not distract from the words.
Rudyard Kipling is a master at this telling.
December 27, 2024
A collection of stories where cats play a central role in classic literature
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews