Paws, Pee and Mice: Cats & Medieval Manuscripts

By Ben • animals, funny, history • 25 Feb 2013

It turns out cats have a long history among those who wrote and cared for Medieval Manuscripts. The footprints above are one example. Perhaps more annoying is the example below:

Yup. The cat peed on the manuscript. The author left this note in the text (translated below, of course):

Here is nothing missing, but a cat urinated on this during a certain night. Cursed be the pesty cat that urinated over this book during the night in Deventer and because of it many others [other cats] too. And beware well not to leave open books at night where cats can come.

Of course, cats were kept in close proximity to manuscripts for good reason. Mice find the manuscripts tasty and will nibble on them if left alone:

Paws, Pee and Mice: Cats among Medieval Manuscripts | medievalfragments.

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