Variously attributed to Henry Fielding and to William Guthrie.

Release date is 2025-03-03

Hannah Wilson, John Campbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Books project.)

"The Life and Adventures of a Cat" by Henry Fielding and William Guthrie is a fictional narrative, likely written in the mid-18th century. The story revolves around the character of Tom, a cat with a remarkable life marked by various trials and tribulations, as well as humorous escapades. Through Tom's adventures, the book explores themes of cleverness, survival, and the complexity of feline nature. The opening of the tale sets the stage for a whimsical exploration of the characteristics and sagacity of cats, asserting their superiority over other animals through philosophical musings. It introduces Tom's birth from a lineage of poor but noble cats, detailing the chaos surrounding his early life that sees him lose his siblings and endure hardship in a world where cats must navigate human affairs. As the narrative unfolds, witty commentary and irony permeate the story, painting a rich image of Tom's exploits and the peculiar societal traits surrounding both humans and their feline companions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: London: Willoughby Mynors, 1760