Feline Fun is written/compiled by
Patrick Roberts
Copyright © 2003-08 Purr 'n' Fur UK
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British pub signs featuring cats
Gallery 4
Begin browsing the galleries below, or see the index of names and locations,
where links will take you straight to a sign or name of interest.
We also have a short article about the history of inn signs here.
More signs in
Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3 Gallery 5
Gallery illustrations
Left-click a thumbnail for an enlargement.
In many cases pictures of a pub or other signs are available from text links.
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As of the second half of 2006 the Cat and Fiddle in the delightful country village of East Rudham, not far from King's Lynn in the East Anglian county of Norfolk, had a new and whimsical sign (left) to replace the more traditional earlier one from mid-2005. |
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This Black Cat is not far from the Buckinghamshire town of Chesham, in the village of Lye Green. It is a small and friendly pub, where they are staunch England football supporters! |
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This Cat Inn is to be found in the quiet village of West Hoathly, near East Grinstead in the county of West Sussex. It's an attractive sign — although it might have been better if the setting sun had been placed slightly differently, so that it didn't look as though the cat was blowing bubbles! |
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Cat & Fiddle: this pleasant and busy pub lies a short distance from the village of Clyst St Mary in Devon, south-west England, near the cathedral city of Exeter. A sign outside proclaims that it dates back to the 16th century — or, at least, there has been a pub on the site since that time. See also old postcard photos (dates unknown). |
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Our twelfth Cat and Fiddle is near the centre of the town of Bodmin, which lies on Dartmoor, that somewhat mysterious area in Cornwall, the most south-westerly county in England. In summer 2005 there was no pictorial sign; however, Brian Curtis has kindly sent from his archives a photo of how the pub looked, with its sign, in 1991. As we write in November 2005, there will soon be this new and very fine sign created by Graeme Robbins. |
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The Dick Whittington, or 'Whittington's', is close to the cathedral in the centre of the city of Gloucester, in south-western England. Presumably it marks the connection with Gloucester in the story of Dick Whittington. As well as the sign with Dick and his cat, the rather fine building also boasts a separate sign for its Black Cat bar. |
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Cat & Wheel: the only pub we know of with this name is not far from the centre of the south-western city of Bristol. Our request about the origin of the name brought a reply from Graeme Robbins, who paints inn signs. He says it is a corruption of 'Catherine Wheel', which was a medieval instrument of torture (so that's why the cat has that expression!) Our thanks to Graeme, who has an informative and attractive website — perhaps we will be able to feature some of his work in due course. |
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This Red Cat is in eastern England, not far from King's Lynn in Norfolk. It is a comfortable-looking hotel as well as a free house. The hotel is noted for having a mummified red cat in an illuminated glass case above the bar (thanks to Stuart Grant for the photograph). |
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The Owl & Pussycat in the important North Sea port of Felixstowe, on England's east coast, seems to be an adjunct to a large Morrison's supermarket — certainly it is right next door. Unfortunately there was no pictorial sign when we visited but, thanks to the Inn Sign Society, we can show the one in use in 1999. |
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We know of only two 'cat pubs' in Scotland, and the Cat's Whiskers is one of them. It is in the town of Elgin, in the north of the country, not too far east of Inverness. Many thanks go to John Pownall for the photos of the sign and the nameboard. |
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The Star Inn at Beeston, in Nottinghamshire, is an example of a sign that would not be an obvious one to show a cat. However, there is Puss looking out over the rooftops, rather similarly to the Black Cat in Bedminster. Many thanks go to Brian Curtis of the Inn Sign Society for supplying this image and giving permission to use it here. |
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This Fat Cat is to be found in the East Anglian city of Norwich, and has won a CAMRA award (Campaign for Real Ale). The sign is the same as for the Fat Cat in Ipswich, in the neighbouring county, so presumably the two pubs have the same owners. This one has an extra fat cat at the side of the building (pictured with sign enlargement). |
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The Owl and Pussycat, claiming to be the original one of that name — we don't know with what justification — is a large pub on the northern fringe of the East Midlands city of Leicester. The owl and pussycat are seen setting out to sea in their 'beautiful pea-green boat'. |
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Formerly called the West End Inn, the Kilkenny Cat at Llanelli, south Wales, was renamed when it was taken over by an Irish landlady and repainted in a suitable emerald green. There isn't a pictorial sign as such, but the cat appears on the signboard and on a window. The name 'Kilkenny Cat' has a story behind it, which you can read here. |
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The sign for the Live and Let Live gives an interesting interpretation of the name. This pub is in Cotmanhay, Derbyshire. Thanks to the Inn Sign Society for bringing this one to our attention. |
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The Three Legged Stool is situated near the Nottinghamshire town of Worksop in central England. This is a comparatively new sign, but it is nice to see that the cat has been retained. |
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The Red Cat at Whittle-le-Woods in Lancashire now has just this maroon-coloured cat outline, forming part of a larger sign; there is no longer a traditional sign as such. |
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Ye Olde Boote Inn: this fine sign showing Dick Whittington and his cat belongs to a pub situated just across the road from Whittington Castle, in Shropshire. The castle has possible links to Dick Whittington's story — see note 2 at the end of our account of the tale. |
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The Forest Home is, as its name suggests, on the edge of the New Forest in the southern English county of Hampshire and is near the large oil refinery at Fawley. The 'homely' sign has a contented-looking white cat on the rocking-chair in front of a roaring fire. |
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Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3 Gallery 5
Cats that Got Away
Alphabetical list of pubs and locations
Short history of British pub signs
Notes and Anecdotes
Additional information about particular 'cat signs' or pubs
(cross-linked with gallery entries)
If you know of any more pub signs depicting cats,
or have information about sign or name changes,
please
!
All additions to or suggestions for the gallery gratefully received.
You might like to read about the adventures of Fleetwood who has visited over 60 pubs in Scotland and England with his humans
Grateful thanks are due to the Inn Sign Society for supplying and permission to reproduce images
of many older pub signs from their archive. Where appropriate these are acknowledged in the text above,
but otherwise all photos are our own except where indicated.
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Our featured feline at the head of the page, shown having quite a lot of fun, is Ragamuffin, or 'Rags' for short: sadly he is no longer with us. A cat of great character, who seemed to live by the maxim 'Life is for living', it was devastating for me when that life was cut short by a road accident. A 'rescue' cat, he lived with me in North Wales for less than four years only. You can see a little tribute to him here — and a more flattering photo.
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