Oh, how often I’ve dreamed of befriending a dragon. Of finding a miniature draconic companion to curl up on my lap while I read a book! Of showing off my fire-breathing familiar to awestruck houseguests. I was pondering these yearnings the other day, stirred from my trance only by a sharp claw against my belly. My cat, Baloo, stretched his paws and dug his talons into my side in a ploy for attention. I relented, and he looked up and yawned. Peeking into the abyss of his gaping maw, I made the connection that had been long swirling in my brain: cats are dragons.
The evidence is frankly overwhelming, folks! How silly of me to dwell on a draconic dream when in fact I had two cats, the closest thing to a dragon reality can offer. My other cat is Iroh; we even call him The Dragon of the Midwest.
I’m sure a non-zero number of lizard owners may be inclined to “um, actually” me into oblivion here, but I came prepared. Cats don’t have scales, but their draconic behaviors, as reflected in dragon lore across numerous fantasy worlds, ring true all the same. Their fuzziness is just a bonus.
I know I’m not the only one to have made this connection. The fantasy genre is ripe with examples of cat-like dragons, including:
- Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon. A draconic-feline bundle of adorable facial expressions, cat-like love for his humans, and lithe, graceful movements, whether pouncing or flying. Rumor says the design for Toothless was inspired by a panther; no surprise there!
- Falkor the Luckdragon from The Neverending Story: you may be thinking of the movie version, which is distinctly more canine (traitors!). But in the original novel, Falkor is described as almost lion-like, slinking around in the way a cat might stroll around its abode.
- Spyro the Dragon licks his talons, then rubs them on his head in his idle animation, exactly as cats clean the tops of their heads or their ears.
- Temeraire from Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. Now, I haven’t read these yet, but I have it on good authority that Temeraire exhibits cat-like behaviors, including preening, hissing, and being prone to bouts of moodiness.
- The Red Bluster from Netflix’s The Sea Beast, despite being a water-dwelling draconic creature, is undeniably cat-like. Even beyond Red’s yellow eyes, the face and behaviors of the beast are reminiscent of a big ol’ kitty cat.
- Archie (Archibald) from Tales of Arcadia makes the cat-dragon comparison quite literal, as the shapeshifting dragon often takes the form of an adorable black cat. I highly encourage you to sift through Archie fan art if you’re ever in need of an overwhelming dose of cuteness.
- Smaug from The Hobbit will pop up later in this article, as you might’ve expected! But I want to call particular attention to the Rankin/Bass animated interpretation of the beast, which makes Smaug look like a dragon with a cat’s head!
I could go on and on—and if you have other favorite examples, please shout them out in the comments below—but for now, let’s explore the behaviors and characteristics that link cats and dragons so closely in our collective imagination. The best place to start is a defining factor in dragonhood, unifying most (if not all) dragons. It’s a prized pile of possessions: a hoard!
Admittedly, my cats don’t hoard shiny objects. I have caught Iroh sleeping atop his pile of toys in the past, but it’s an exception instead of a rule. For a cat (read: tiny dragon), a human is a hoard. I may not be a pile of shiny trinkets and treasures, but Baloo doesn’t care. He climbs onto me for hours, curled up and protecting what he treasures most. When I move, so too does Baloo, migrating to my new perch to carry on sleeping on/guarding me. He even snores and purrs like a dragon might, (thankfully) sans smoking nostrils.
Cats are fearsome predators. I watched Inside the Mind of a Cat on Netflix for… very important research purposes. One of the experts interviewed stated that it’s hard to imagine a more perfectly constructed land predator than a cat. Do I need to provide evidence of a dragon’s place in the food chain? I sure hope not. The similarities don’t end there, though. Both fierce and lethal hunters, cats and dragons tend to prefer the peace of a long nap over the work of stalking prey. For every 15 minutes Baloo and Iroh spend swatting a dangled shoelace, they spend three to six hours asleep. Neither cats nor dragons are inclined to work anymore than is strictly necessary.
Cats are smarter than we realize. Again, I point you to Inside the Mind of a Cat. Dogs have long provided research fodder for scientists, and the documentary claims research on cats lags 15 years behind work done on the canine front. What we do know suggests a sharp little mind inside every feline cranium. Cats choose their people over food or toys almost every time. They make decisions and play favorites. They scope out a path from point A to point B and execute it perfectly—I’ve seen Iroh scan an entire room for a full minute before leaping from one platform to another like he’s freakin’ Mario. In fantasy, dragons are often perceived as huge, lumbering beasts. Of course, we typically find that appearances can be deceiving, and many depictions of dragons show us beings of superior intelligence. Look to Smaug or the adult dragons of The Dragon Prince—these beasts are much more than physical powerhouses. They’re smart, capable, and resourceful. While I’m thankful my fuzzy kitties aren’t as smart as I am (at least, I’m pretty confident that’s the case), I do think people tend to underestimate their wits.
Studies have shown that cats recognize their own names, and understand when a human is trying to communicate with them. Does that mean they’ll always pay attention? Hell no. I can shout Baloo’s name from across a room and watch his ears perk up, possibly even see him sneak a look my way with a “why have you woken me?” expression, only to return to his slumber. Dragons boast lethal strength and incredible smarts; they know they have no obligation to cater to the whims of humans (or halflings, or elves…you get the picture). Still, they occasionally entertain our whims or give into their natural curiosity. Both cats and dragons have selective hearing, and they’ll use it to their advantage at every opportunity. Luckily, the most you’re bound to suffer from an annoyed cat is a quick chomp or scratch. A dragon could torch a whole town in seconds.
Finally, the best cats and dragons—despite their independence—seem to love us. Dragons may enjoy a game of riddles, or even let their favorite humans fly on their backs. Cats will seek us out for comfort and affection, as Baloo does with his pointy little claws. As aloof as either creature may wish to be perceived, they can’t resist a little human interaction. When I look at my cats, I can’t help but picture them as furry, lovable little dragons. For fantasy fans, it doesn’t get much better than having a feline friend.
Got a lil’ dragon of your own? Don’t be shy! Let me see ’em in the comments! And again, if you have other examples you want to share, let’s discuss…
Cole Rush writes words. A lot of them. For the most part, you can find those words at The Quill To Live or on Twitter @ColeRush1. He voraciously reads epic fantasy and science-fiction, seeking out stories of gargantuan proportions and devouring them with a bookwormish fervor. His favorite books are: The Divine Cities Series by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
