Cat's Eye Tarot

My Cat's Eye Tarot deck published by U S Games has been available for nearly a year. I would love to get some feed back from this forum now that there are quite a few decks out there.

I had the opportunity to do readings at a local metaphysical shop to introduce it to their customers. I enjoyed the experience. Intuitive, but not psychic I found the cat images did resonate with clients and the readings were well received.

Are any of you using the Cat's Eye deck to read for yourself or others? Would you like to start a discussion group?

Deb

Deb, I love the scans on your website and this beautiful deck has been on my Amazon wishlist for about a year! The only reason I haven't ordered it is that I am still so heartbroken over losing my cat companion, and the images on your cards faithfully depict what cats are like, down to the subtlest details - still a little too close for home for me, but someday I'll be able to smile about that without getting verklempt.

You've done a superb job with this deck and I just want to chime in and say so, even though I don't own it yet and so can't comment on its divinatory workings. You are a talented, sensitive artist - and reading your website, I wish my cats had had the benefit of going to a veterinarian as insightful, capable and caring as yourself. Best wishes to you with your deck, and your practice, and to all of your cats and patients!

Curious about Cat's Eye Tarot

Hello catdoc,

For the longest time I told my friends "The last cat I had was a cadaver cat in my A&P of Head, Neck, and Chest course in university."

Always a dog lover with only a couple of kitties in my life when growing up, I just didn't get cats. Since then, I have become a total convert and have had many kitties in my life, including a clouder of 7 at one time! Now I have only one sweet kitty whom my husband and I adore.

Have never seen your deck in real life, so I checked it out here on Aeclectic Tarot and read the review. Will likely buy a deck given it's close association with the RWS and the realistic drawings.

What was most interesting about the review was the description of the suite of swords pip cards. Swords seem to come up with unprecedented regularity when I read for myself but not so when reading for others. (What's up with that?!). I find the swords to be very focused on intellect, thinking, etc. and generally find the positive in this suit. However, the description of the cards in the review described the pictures as being messy with urination/spraying portrayed; this was a turn off for the reviewer. For me, this aspect seems to be very physical and visceral (more pentacle like?). Just curious about your thought process in using the given images for the suit of swords.

(remember, I have not seen any cards other than those posted in the images, and I am not making the comments in a judgemental fashion- just curious as to your thinking (no pun intended!) when designing the images for the suit of swords)

Looking forward to the discussion.

~Nimbus

Cat's Eye - Swords

Nimbus said:

Hello catdoc,

What was most interesting about the review was the description of the suite of swords pip cards. Swords seem to come up with unprecedented regularity when I read for myself but not so when reading for others. (What's up with that?!). I find the swords to be very focused on intellect, thinking, etc. and generally find the positive in this suit. However, the description of the cards in the review described the pictures as being messy with urination/spraying portrayed; this was a turn off for the reviewer. For me, this aspect seems to be very physical and visceral (more pentacle like?). Just curious about your thought process in using the given images for the suit of swords.

(remember, I have not seen any cards other than those posted in the images, and I am not making the comments in a judgemental fashion- just curious as to your thinking (no pun intended!) when designing the images for the suit of swords)

Looking forward to the discussion.

~Nimbus

Click to expand...

I also tend to get many swords in reading I do for myself and attribute that phenomenon to my rather analytical approach to life and lean toward the positive interpretations ;-).

There are only two of the Cat's Eye Swords that feature the rather earthy aspects of life - urination and defecation - the Seven and the Ten. The rest of the suit is illustrated with lovely blue eyed cats engaging in more acceptable behavior and prettier scenes.

The cat on the seven of swords is spraying urine. This behavior is probably the least understood and most despised by the average cat owner. The cat however is actually doing the only thing he knows how to lower his anxiety and claim what is his by marking his territory. Urine spraying seemed a reasonable cat way of illustrating a sneak thief grabbing the swords of his opponents and running away with them. Not a great way to fix the situation and in fact likely to make things worse if the goal is peaceful co-habitation.

I chose the filthy scene on the ten of swords because I was searching for the "bottoming out" sense of this card in most decks. I can't think of a worse situation for a cat to be in than that of a hoarder's house so that is what you see on the ten of swords. It is gross and disgusting but maybe not really much worse than a body stabbed and bleeding with 10 swords ;-)

I am also looking forward to the discussion. It was very difficult for me to condense all of my thoughts about each of the cards to fit the space of the LWB.
Deb

The first readings I did with this deck were for our 2 cats. And they were spot-on!
This deck is gorgeous. And some of the descriptions in the LWB put a lump in my throat.

Hello Catdoc...

Love the Cat's eye tarot deck! I got it a little over a month ago.

I'm just beginning to learn...and your cards have really helped me along. I just look at the card and instantly I get it, matter of fact I feel it, which is a lot easier then trying to memorize meanings(bla). Each image packs a punch and yet so simple and clear, like how you did the ten of cups. I truly never got the full impact of the 3 of swords till I saw your card.

I also love the colours, each card is different. And the cardstock is great.

I'm glad you kept the suits as wands, cups, swords and pentacles and had not given them other names.

The Star card is my favorite of all. Sometimes I use it for inspiration...I set it out where I can see it through the day, and I think.."Reach for the stars Ferne, reach for the stars".

The only card that left me a little miffed was the King of Wands, he's so quiet and docile. I always felt he should be firery(sp?) bold and inspiring. But thats just my personal view, many other readers may not see him the same way.

Thanks Catdoc for putting in all that hard work and long hours...well worth it!

Ferne

Ferne said:

Hello Catdoc...

The only card that left me a little miffed was the King of Wands, he's so quiet and docile. I always felt he should be firery(sp?) bold and inspiring. But thats just my personal view, many other readers may not see him the same way.

Ferne

Click to expand...

The King of Wands kitty does look pretty peaceful. He is modeled on the resident cat at the railway station in Brownsville Junction Maine. No one knew that kitty's past. He had just decided he would spend his retirement there in relative comfort without giving up his independence. He bore the scars of past adventures and one got the impression he would be happy to regale a listener with tales of his glory days as a dashing young tom.

I can't remember now where I read it, but I once saw a description of the King of Wands that said he chafed and resented the confinement that maturity imposed upon his fiery nature. I found that rang true. A fiery adventurer is likely to live fast and die young or spend his older years reliving and embellishing his memories.

That is why I chose this image of a dozing old tom. He reminded me of an old soldier marching in a Veterans' Day parade, inspiring for the young who long to test their mettle and live an adventurous life.

Deb

I really have enjoyed using this deck, having had many cats in my life. Cats are really difficult to draw well, especially if you are going for realistic and not cartoonish. I found this deck realistic, and fun but not precious, if you know what I mean.

I also found the readings I have done with this deck were very accurate, and it was easy to use. It has actually gone on my 'more later' list as a deck I want to use for a longer period of time.

I'm seriously considering getting myself a copy of this deck. I've never owned a 'cat' tarot before but we are about to adopt two little kittens who look almost exactly the same as the pair on the Six of Cups. How could I not get it?

Sapienza, your kittens look adorable and the Cat's Eye tarot Six of Cups has them down pat.

As our household has had a tabby/oriental for the last year and a half, the Cat's Eye was my first cat deck. It is truly amazing.

My kids think I'm crazy with my new tarot interest, but they liked this one (and the Baroque Bohemian Cats).