25 Cat Quotes Every Cat Owner Can Appreciate

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.” —Charles Dickens, author

“I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” —Hippolyte Taine, French critic and historian

“Like all pure creatures, cats are practical.” —William S. Burroughs, writer

“Cats are only human; they have their faults.” —Kingsley Amis, novelist

“Cats are a mysterious kind of folk.” —Sir Walter Scott, novelist and historian

“A cat doesn’t care if you are smart or dumb. Give him your heart, and he will give you his.” —Abraham Lincoln

“When Rome burned, the emperor’s cats still expected to be fed on time.” —Seanan McGuire, author

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” —Albert Schweitzer, polymath

“There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat.” —Tay Hohoff, author and editor

“A cat is a puzzle for which there is no solution.” —Hazel Nicholson, author

“People who love cats have some of the biggest hearts around.” —Susan Easterly, pet writer

“Cats are connoisseurs of comfort.” —James Herriot, British veterinary surgeon and writer

“If cats could talk, they wouldn’t.” —Nan Porter, author

“A cat will be your friend, but never your slave.” —Théophile Gautier, French poet

“As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.” —Ellen Perry Berkeley, journalist

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite quotes for over 100 years. The sayings and quips that appear in the magazine’s “Quotable Quotes” (formerly “Remarkable Remarks”) are curated from interviews and essays originally published in the magazine, reprints from trusted titles and other verified sources. For this piece on cat quotes, including funny cat sayings and famous cat phrases, Madeline Wahl tapped her experience as a journalist to ensure that all information is accurate. We’ve gone the extra step and had Christine Coppa, a fact-checker with 20-plus years of experience, including serving as a staff research editor at Philadelphia magazine and Essence, verify that all quotes are attributed correctly and have credible sourcing. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.