[HPforGrownups] JKR's cats (was: Ginny's animagus)

[bufo_viridis at interia.pl]

No: HPFGUIDX 93814

> Laura:
> You know, this ties into something I've never understood.  JKR *hates* 
> cats. [...]
> However, throughout the books, cats are shown in a v. positive light -- 
> sympathetic/good/etc. characters are or have cats all the time.  In 
> general, JKR portrays cats as intelligent, sensitive to magic, and the 
> natural companions of witches and wizards.  

Viridis:
I'm not sure if she *hates* the cats or rather she dislikes them, because (and that's a fact she admitted herself) she is allergic (she gave that quality to Hagrid, too).
As for positive portrayal of cats I see two, munually non-exclusive possibilities:
1. In spite of her allergia JKR is a sensible person. And every sensible person (some biased dog-overs excluded) knows that cats *are indeed* intelligent, sensitive (not only to magic), commuicative and generally superior creatures. So their positive description is nothing but true.
2. Cats have culturally long standng affinity with magic, witches and so on. They were burnt on the stakes together with their humans (why, ah, why hasn't ben RSPCA founded earlier?!). More sensible cultures gave them godlike qualities (cats mummies etc.). BTW of Ginny, usually being compared to a cat is a compliment for a woman (and rightly so - by aestets cats can be divided into two categories: beautiful and very beautiful). 

Cheers, Viridis 
P.S> I admit there are several non-complimentary feline-origin terms for women. Work of dog-loving fifth columnists, undoubtedly :)
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