Cats in the horror genre
Scaredy Cats: A Devilish History of Felines in
For horror fans, cat lovers, and culture vultures, an entertaining deep dive into cats in the horror genre
From malevolent black cats to faithful familiars, felines have fascinated humanity since we first encountered them thousands of years ago. Throughout history, cats have been deified and hunted, reviled and revered, and we've used scary stories to cope with these dichotomies. Our relationship to cats has been defined by our fear or adoration of them, historically marking those who care for them as being in league with something sinister. Now that cats are omnipresent in our lives and social media feeds, the mystique around them has slipped away—but our fervent admiration has not.
Scaredy Cats examines our evolving relationship with cats, as well as their well-established place in the dark corners of our imagination, through in-depth analyses of some of their most notable appearances across horror film, literature, and visual art, including Pet Sematary, Alien, Cat People, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Ju-On: The Grudge, and Coraline. From villain to protector, felines are employed in a wide-ranging set of roles that showcase their ephemeral nature and reflect our collective anxieties. Through this lens, Scaredy Cats illustrates how our cat companions of all shapes and sizes have haunted our imaginations and stories since we first met them.
"Alexandra West has long been my go-to for all things horror; her knowledge is encyclopedic, her enthusiasm is infectious, and her insights are striking. Scaredy Cats is delightful—often funny, always fascinating."
—Colin Dickey, author of Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places
"Alexandra West's Scaredy Cats is a lovingly researched chronicle of what makes felines such natural bedfellows within cultural and artistic ideas of horror. It's a must-have for anyone who loves cats or horror."
—Willow Catelyn Maclay, co-author of Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema
"Alexandra West's insights into horror are smart and valuable, culminating in a book destined to become canon. Scaredy Cats is the book I want to carry around and point to every time I hear anybody waxing poetic about movie dogs; it's the literary equivalent of watching a horror marathon with your coolest friend as your cat sits nearby, revelling in their excellence."
—Anne T. Donahue, author of Nobody Cares: Essays"Curiosity killed the you know what, but Alexandra West's playful and authoritative volume of feline horror peers inquisitively into the dark corners of genre and brings its subjects—mummified, buried, or otherwise—vividly to life. This is not only a smart book about scary movies but an open-hearted meditation on the mystery and comfort of cats—perfect for curling up on the couch with."
—Adam Nayman, author of David Fincher: Mind Games
"In Scaredy Cats, Alexandra West covers significant cat-themed horror films in her signature digestible way. From obscure '90s films to cinematic classics and modern movies, your curiosity is safe here. Each film she examines is a prime example of how horror exploits cats, projecting our fears onto them, when in reality, they're our feline overlords. Whether it's Jones padding through the derelict corridors of the Nostromo in Alien or the heroic Clovis in Sleepwalkers, we'll always showcase cats in horror because ultimately, there's a wild nature bubbling just below the surface of their soft, purring chests that will never be tamed."
—Carolyn Mauricette, Director of Canadian Programming, Fantasia International Film Festival"This highly entertaining bestiary glides through the onscreen and literary history of these 'ungovernable' creatures as both foil and familiar, deadly and divine, all recounted in West's signature winking style."
—Kier-La Janisse, author of House of Psychotic Women: An Autobiographical Topography of Female Neurosis in Horror and Exploitation Films