Although condemned by the Inquisition, favorable views of the cat occasionally surfaced in the popular literature of the period. Charles Perrault’s “Puss In Boots” and the fable of Dick Whittington’s cat, are examples of cat’s bringing their owners good fortune.

The French author, Francois-Augustin Paradis de Moncrif, in his book Les Chats (1727), was the first modern writer to cast aside the prevailing medievil superstitions and extol the virtures of the domestic cat. Moncrif, regretfully, was met by ridicule from the litary establishment, ceased distribution of his book and an enlightened view of the cat suffered a setback. Curiously, cats still managed to turn up in the ornamental details of cathedrals during the period. Perhapes a measure of regard remained among a part of the clergy for whom the animal’s compainionable and useful qualities were not eclipsed by the fantasized evils of witchcraft.