Kitties!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 08 Sep 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Dark_angel	08 Sep 2003
I've spotted two absolutely adorable decks - Tarot du Chat and Les Chat's d'Evelyne Nicod (sp?). I love kitties, but it made me think... can people read with decks like these? I'd be interested to hear if people are able to do so with strongly themed decks. xxx

Trogon	08 Sep 2003
Hi Dark_angel, I'm not familiar with the specific decks you've mentioned, but I do have a theme deck or two. For example, I have the Dragon Tarot which is, I believe, considered to be a theme deck. I have used it for a couple of readings and it seems to work for me just fine. On the other hand, the Tarot of the Cat People is another themed deck I have, but I don't find it very easy to use for readings. So, what is my point? Well, basically, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln; Themed Tarot decks will work for some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but not for all of the people all of the time. :D

Astraea	08 Sep 2003
I have both of those decks, and they are charming. I don't read with them often, but on the occasions when I do, they speak clearly in a whimsical and non-threatening manner, often with a twist of irony. It seems to me that the authors have worked with the card meanings in very creative and original ways, and the illustrations are wonderful.

Macavity	08 Sep 2003
They are indeed nice. They may well work? I'm as good with e.g. "Tarot of the Cat People" as with most of my less used decks? But, in that case, I think the cats DO add to the meanings. You might also like the (rarer) Tarot for Cats? There's the various Meneghello "I Gatti" (Cats) etc. majors-only series, which are Fun... and (I reckon) quite readable? But wait... When did opinion influence Cat Lovers in such purchases? :D I have no idea what those corresponding "I Cani" (Dogs) characters are up to, but then... }) Macavity (making for nearest tree)

truthsayer	08 Sep 2003
i have both decks but don't read with them. one b/c they were hard to get and two they are too expensive to be an every day deck. they are lovely. perhaps if i were doing readings at a cat show-as if that were likely to happen. tarot for cats reads well but it's too rare and hard to get to use. i have tarot of the cat ppl and do read with it. it's still in publication and i could get another copy w/o ruining the family fortunes.

Gerbear	08 Sep 2003
It was over ten years ago when I first saw these decks. A friend purchased both and read very well with them. At that time, they were not as rare as they are now.

tabbycat	09 Sep 2003
I just got Tarot for Cats - bought it on eBay, all the way from Australia! About 4 copies have come up recently, 2 in the US and 2 in Australia and all went for around £30-40. It's a sweet deck and very amusing - I love the Tower card with a cat terrified by a hoover (translation = vacuum cleaner)! - but I'm not sure if I'd read with it as it's majors only. Jilly

pentunen	18 Sep 2003
I have the Tarot for Cats, the I Gatti, and Tarot of the Cat People. Personally, I can't read at all with Cat People, though I enjoy looking through the rounded, luxurious pictures in the deck, and I prefer using the I Gatti for display only, since the cardstock is a bit too stiff for regular use. The Tarot for Cats I do occasionally read with, though, and I've found that the readings tend to take a more playful, humourous tone. Hope this helps :) - pentu

SongDeva	18 Sep 2003
How bout the Hello Kitty tarot? I checked it out recently online and it is JUST SO CUTE! And as I looked at the images I felt like I could read with it easily. I'll be reading at a family event (pumpkin fest) in October, and I would love to grab this ($15 incl s/h from the author) to use for kids. It's adorable and from what I've seen usable. I think I'll get it, and I'll report back to you folks. :)

truthsayer	18 Sep 2003
i have the hello kitty and find it adorable and readable. if you like animals/cats this is a must have. can't believe i forgot to mention it.

Osher	17 Mar 2004
I had the most wonderful reading from someone with a Cat People deck. I just had to get one myself! I know I know, too many decks, but when I saw it, I knew I wanted it. So much imagery to work with.

Cerulean	18 Mar 2004
Meow_moa meow_moa Meo meow, meo meow (Translation; "Dark_Angel, Dark_Angel," 'Buy me, buy me!" Cat-a-strophically-channelled through Mari... P.S. Some of my theme decks give the strongest readings...or a nice smile when I am tired and they appeal to me.

Island Dreamer	18 Mar 2004
Like Tabbycat, I also had to go 'abroad' to buy my Tarot for Cats. It came from a seller in the USA and bidding was fairly brisk. I think I paid about £30 for mine. I had to have it sent Surface Mail which meant a wait of about five weeks before it arrived. Fortunately, I am a patient person :cool: I created a small website for the Tarot for Cats which you can find on the website link in my profile if anyone wants to check out the 22 cards. The card that particularly attracted me was The Hanging Cat - it reminded me of the way my young daughter used to carry our long-suffering tabby cat around :laugh: I've done one or two readings with it and it's answers were gentle and humorous but I don't feel able to use it regularly because it is so expensive and uncommon. I've looked at the Tarot of the Cat People but it doesn't seem to 'grab' me :confused: Island Dreamer

Diana	18 Mar 2004
I hadn't seen this thread the first time around. Le Tarot du Chat, by Carole Sédillot, is not a gimmicky deck. This deck is one I would never trade. It's a real Tarot deck, by one of the finest tarologues in France today, a specialist on the Tarot of Marseille. It seems to be sold out on tarotgarden, but I'm sure they will try and get a copy for you if you want it. Otherwise, I am here to help anyone obtain one.

baba-prague	18 Mar 2004
Well, this morning we found our five kittens playing with our small I Gatti deck! It's actually true - I wish we'd had the camera at home. They had taken it off a low shelf, pulled open one of the ribbons and were batting the cards around the floor. Alex rescued the deck - but said he felt a bit guilty as they were obviously attempting to do a reading LOL. I haven't ever read with my Tarot for Cats, but then I don't read with Majors only decks. One of our motivations in doing our own new deck was to try to do a serious cat "reading" deck (as distinct from an art deck or a jokey one). I'm not sayng that you can't read with any of the other cat decks - many people can and do. But, well, I just wanted to do one that works for me - we are trying to put in layers of meaning that will give some depth over time. I know people sometimes find the idea of a playful cat deck that can give serious readings a bit odd, but to me, it makes sense. Cats have a lot of emotional and, indeed, magical and spiritual associations. A serious deck that's still fun ought to be possible. We'll see! I hope we manage to achieve this. Meantime it sounds like I should buy a Tarot du Chat. It's one of the only cat decks I don't have, and I've been dithering about it for ages. Have you actually read with it Diana? What were your impressions if so? I'm really very interested (though of course our deck is RWS-based - sorry!)

MuffinTops	18 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Dark_angel I've spotted two absolutely adorable decks - Tarot du Chat and Les Chat's d'Evelyne Nicod (sp?). I love kitties, but it made me think... can people read with decks like these? I'd be interested to hear if people are able to do so with strongly themed decks. xxx Dark_Angel, I have been wanting the Evelyn Nicod deck for so long! I discovered it last summer, but just haven't sprung for it yet.

Phoenyx*	18 Mar 2004
Truthsayer, I love your avatar!

Diana	18 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague Meantime it sounds like I should buy a Tarot du Chat. It's one of the only cat decks I don't have, and I've been dithering about it for ages. Have you actually read with it Diana? What were your impressions if so? I'm really very interested (though of course our deck is RWS-based - sorry!) baba-prague: I forgive you for having done another RWS-based deck. It is a lovely addition to the world of colourful and imaginative Tarot decks. Maybe next time you will be ready for a different challenge. :) You know where to find me if you need any advice. I have most definitely used le Tarot du Chat. If you do a search with my name, the search words "Tarot du Chat", in the Reading Exchange, you will see three readings I did here on Aeclectic when I first received it. Ask Umbrae what he thinks of Le Tarot du Chat....

The Kitties! thread was originally posted on 08 Sep 2003 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.