Paws on Parchment tells us cats have always had the upper paw

Medieval cat owners – they’re just like us! How do we know? Fine art tells us, of course!

The Walters Art Museum has proof in their new exhibition, Paws on Parchment , which opened August 6 and runs through February 22, 2026. That’s right, Lady Alviva and Lord Edric were as obsessed with their felines as we are today, evidenced by the four-legged appearances in medieval manuscripts and art.

Cats were not only known for warming themselves in our laps and interfering with our work schedules in the 15 th century, however. They also had important jobs that benefited the humans they permitted to serve them, like acting as hunters that chased vermin away from valuable books, textiles, and food. They also generously protected humans from these disease-carrying rodents.

The Paws on Parchme