A new exhibition titled Paws on Parchment at The Walters Art Museum explores the roles of cats during the Middle Ages. It showcases how cats were depicted in medieval manuscripts as companions and protectors of valuable books. The exhibition runs until February 15, 2026, and features manuscripts from various traditions, including one with paws left by a cat. Highlights include a 15th-century depiction of a 'keyboard cat' and other figures. The show is part of an initiative focusing on human-animal connections across history, with future exhibitions planned.
Cats filled many important roles in the medieval era. Like today, some cats were considered beloved pets whose behavior amused and exasperated their owners. However, felines also served an important function as hunters that protected valuable books and textiles, food stores, and even people from disease-carrying rodents and other vermin.
Paws on Parchment showcases how felines were depicted in medieval manuscripts and how they were appreciated, both as companions and as protectors of precious books.
The exhibition features manuscripts from European, Islamic, and Armenian traditions, including one with actual pawprints left by a cat in the 1470s—a rare and endearing reminder that medieval scribes weren't always working alone.
These images offer insight into how medieval people related to cats—not just as mousers or mischief-makers, but as moral symbols and storytelling devices.
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