Deck Review: Cat Tarot

Megan Lynn Kott (artist) and Julia Smillie (writer), Cat Tarot. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2019.  ISBN: 9781452173634. (Link to publisher.) 

The Hermit-IX 

This kit comes with a small companion book and the 78-card deck. The box itself has a cute detail where you see a cat peeking out from inside the box. We all know how cats love to get in boxes. 

The book has 107 pages. It is arranged as follows: 

• Introduction. A bit on the connection of people and cats. It also gives a brief note on Tarot history. 
• The Deck. A description of the deck's structure. The suit symbols are outlined and defined. 
• Preparing for the reading. Just a paragraph with advice on how to get ready to do a reading. 
• Spreads and layouts. You get the single card draw and a 3-card draw, and five additional spreads. 
• The Reading. Advice on how to do a reading, a few things to keep in mind according to the writer. 
• The Major Arcana. Each entry includes a black and white image of a card. You then get a descriptive sentence followed by upright and reversed meanings. The meanings get a paragraph each. 
• Minor Arcana. Entries are similar to the Major Arcana cards, but the card image is smaller. 

The book is pretty basic. It's an easy read. It gives just enough information for beginners. The card meanings are down to earth and well connected to the lessons cats teach us. We see Tarot through feline eyes in a light and heartwarming way. Can you read the cards without the book? Maybe. I'd say read the book anyways to get that feline perspective. 

Two of Cups 

The card art is from paintings by the artist. We get a variety of images showing cats going about their daily lives. The watercolor art softens the art in a good way. The art does not totally follow Rider Waite Smith (RWS), but there is enough for RWS readers to see what they need. The deck can work well for intuitive readers, especially if they've observed their own cats. The cats look very natural overall. Heck, if you just want some good cart art to look at or display, this deck is a good option. 

For card readers, this deck is responsive, expressive, and easy to use. I found it to be a good and light reader. I'd add that if you love cats and read Tarot, this is a good option for your collection. 

The cards measure about 4 3/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches. Cards have a glossy finish, but they shuffle with relative ease. The card back art is reversible. 

Overall, I really like this deck. Cat lovers who read cards will want to add it to their collections. I do recommend this one. It can work for beginners as well as advanced readers. It is one I am glad to have in my collection. 

5 out of 5 stars.