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I love Tarot, and I love cats. So, when a friend gifted me a cat-themed Tarot deck, I was pretty excited. Cats have always been associated with the mystic and supernatural, so it makes sense for them to be the main stars of a Tarot deck, right?!
Today, I am going to review the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck and work out once and for all if our feline friends actually do have supernatural powers.
Is this deck worth buying, and will the cats of the Tarot help us tap into our intuition and guide us forward on our spiritual path?
Bottom Line Up Front
The Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck is perfect for beginner and experienced Tarot readers. It is affordable, beautifully made, and easy to read and understand.
It updates the original Rider Waite imagery to include cats, which are depicted wonderfully. You will spot your own cat and its weird feline traits in this deck!
What is the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck?
The Cats rule the Earth Tarot deck is a feline spin on the original Tarot imagery. Written by Catherine Davidson and illustrated by Thiago Corrêa, this deck uses the associations we have with cats to explore our own mysterious side.
Cats are connected with the night, and according to the guidebook, ‘see and hear things that we cannot.’ Tarot is similar to this. It is a tool to explore the unknown and dive into our subconscious.
Cats are curious and mysterious, and the deck uses their energy to guide us forward. It asks us to tap into our own feline senses to get the answers we need from the Tarot.
Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck Review
The original Rider Waite Tarot deck infamously only has one card that depicts a cat – The Queen of Wands. When doing readings with this deck, my Tarot reading buddy, Mavis (a beautiful Tortoiseshell baby), feels left out. She cannot relate to the cards; she wants to see more feline representation.
Her wishes were answered when my friend gifted me the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck. Mine were, too – I get so excited when I receive a new deck, and I could not wait to jump into this one.
Initial Thoughts
The cards and guidebook come in a sturdy, decent-sized box with beautiful illustrations. I love the color palette used here – the earthy tones really set the scene for a Tarot deck. On the back of the box, we are asked to nurture our ‘divine feline wisdom‘ and told that the deck has 78 Tarot cards and an 80-page guidebook.
When we open the box, we are greeted with a guidebook, with its cover art a very smug-looking cat, and a message – ‘Open your mind and the answers will find you.’ One thing I noticed straight away was the quality of this deck.
The box, guidebook, and cards are beautifully illustrated and really sturdy. I tend to keep all my decks in their box, so I love to see decks that put effort into their packaging.
So, let’s dig in and see what else the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck has to offer!
The Guidebook
The guidebook is a large, full-color book with beautiful illustrations. For many Tarot readers, including me, guidebooks are super important. As each deck is unique, the guidebook sets the scene for readings and helps us understand why the deck was created.
I was not disappointed by the guidebook in the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck. It begins with a few pages about the history of cats and the supernatural and why they have an affinity with Tarot.
I loved reading this section and learned a lot about how different cultures in history have viewed cats. Oh, and the illustrations… I am obsessed with them! If you love them, too, definitely give the illustrator Thiago Corrêa a follow on Instagram.
They have a lot of other stunning feline-inspired spiritual content. A feast for the eyes!
Before diving into the upright and reversed meanings of each card, the guidebook provides us with help in getting to know the Tarot.
It explains the difference between the suits, how numbers play a role in Tarot reading and provides advice for new Tarot readers to develop their skills. We also have an array of spreads to perform with helpful tips on how to read for ourselves and others.
The Cats Rule the Earth guidebook is fantastic for beginners and more experienced readers. It includes everything you need to know about Tarot, and even as an experienced reader, I found reflecting on its advice extremely useful.
The Cards
The cards in the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck are based on the original Rider Waite deck’s imagery but with a feline twist. The names of the cards and suits are traditional, but any people or animals on the cards get changed to, you guessed it, cats!
Again, the illustrations and quality of the cards impressed me. They are of medium size with a matte finish. They shuffle well to begin with and feel sturdy as you do so.
The cards interpret the traditional meaning and energy well; you can read them pretty intuitively. A lot of modern takes on the traditional Tarot deck can be a bit wild and difficult to understand, but the creators of the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck have really pulled it off.
There is a perfect balance between portraying the card’s traditional meaning and expressing new thoughts and ideas.
There are cats playing with yarns of wool, cats chasing butterflies, cats snuggling with one another… So many cats! I liked how cards that deal with struggle and pain, such as the Five of Swords, depict cats with injuries. It allows us to get to know the card’s meaning from the imagery.
However, I found some of the card imagery strayed a bit too off the traditional meaning, which may cause issues for beginners. The Two of Pentacles, for example, depicts two black cats standing over a pentacle on the ground, surrounded by clouds and candles.
Of course, I love the artwork. But, the Two of the Pentacles is all about balancing and juggling priorities, which I could not see in the card.
However, I didn’t feel this was a huge issue, as most of the cards were easy to read intuitively through symbolism and imagery.
Key Cards
So, what cards in the Cats Rule the World Tarot deck stuck out to me? I had a lot of fun flicking through the deck when I first got it, and as a cat lover, I really enjoyed how our feline friends were portrayed in each card.
I did smile when I saw how the Four of Cups is portrayed. A card all about boredom and apathy, we see a cat knocking over a cup of wine. If you know cats, you know how they love pushing things off tables.
Especially when they are bored. When I am working, and Mavis wants my attention, she will sit on my desk and slowly push all my pens and bit and bobs off. The smile on the cat on the Four of Cups is reminiscent of Mavis when she does this – they know what they are doing!
The Hanged Man also stuck out to me. Depicting a cat hanging upside down in a tangle of wool, I thought it was a really fun way of expressing the card’s meaning. It stays true to the original Rider Waite imagery but has a fun feline twist to it!
Another card that I thought was done well was the Hermit. Now, the Hermit is one of my favorite cards. Representing introspection and solitude, it asks us to turn inward and explore our inner wisdom. In the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck, the Hermit is a black cat sitting in a cardboard box with its lantern by its side.
It got me wondering – does Mavis reflect on philosophical and spiritual ideals and arguments every time she sits quietly in a cardboard box? Does every delivery I get that is packed in a big cardboard box give my cat the space to work on her own spiritual journey?
I also should note that it is great that the lantern is included in the artwork. In the Hermit card, the lantern is often interpreted as representing intuition and inner wisdom and, therefore, is an integral part of the card’s message. Again, the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck has neatly expressed the meaning of the card as well as expressing an infamous cat behavior!
Overall Thoughts on the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck
I had such fun getting to know this deck and was surprised at how intuitive it was to work with. I usually don’t recommend more ‘out-there’ decks for beginners, but I do for this one! The imagery is easy to understand and connect with, and the guidebook is a fabulous starting point for any budding Tarot reader.
The colors, artwork, and fun depictions of cats are unique and beautiful. You can tell that a lot of work has been put into this deck, and it is a fabulous addition to your Tarot collection.
Whether you are new to Tarot or more experienced, I recommend the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck!
Pros of the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck
- High quality.
- Traditional card names and suits.
- Traditional meanings of cards.
- Mostly sticks to original Rider Waite imagery and symbolism.
- Beautiful artwork.
- An informative and easy-to-read guidebook.
- Affordable.
Cons of the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck
- Some cards have imagery that is quite different from traditional depictions of the cards, which can be confusing for beginners.
Alternatives we Recommend
If the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck isn’t your vibe, there are loads of fun animal-themed Tarot decks for you to check out! Here are some alternatives we recommend.
Wise Dog Tarot
Are you more of a dog person than a cat person? Well, the Wise Dog Tarot deck may be perfect for you! It still sticks with the traditional cards and meanings but updates them with canine energy.
The artwork is really nice, and I love the different dogs that appear throughout the deck. My favorite has to be the Devil card because he kind of looks like my mum’s dog (sorry, Archie!!).
Crow Tarot
Ah, the Crow. Possibly more mystical than the cat. Corvids are pretty fantastic creatures, and of course, there is a place for them in Tarot. Crow Tarot updates the traditional deck with Crow imagery, and it is stunning. The imagery is similar to the original Rider Waite, meaning you can read the deck intuitively through symbolism.
Forest of Enchantment Tarot Deck
The Forest of Enchantment Tarot deck is a wonderful deck that uses wildlife and folklore to tell the story of Tarot. I have reviewed this deck for Tarot Technique, and you can check that out here. It’s one of my favorite ‘themed’ Tarot decks out there and has such gentle energy to it.
FAQs
Question: Is the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck Suitable for Beginners?
Answer: Yes, the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck is suitable for beginners as it has easy-to-interpret imagery and an informative guidebook.
Question: Where can I Buy the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck?
Answer: The Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck can be bought from many online bookstores, such as Amazon.
Question: Is the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot Deck Worth Buying?
Answer: Yes! It is a super affordable Tarot deck for how good it is. You get your value for money from the guidebook alone, as it is packed full of useful information and guidance.
So, Do Cats Rule the Earth?
Yes, they do! The Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck is a fantastic addition to your Tarot collection, whether you are new to the practice or more experienced. It is playful and fun yet has a depth to it. The imagery is easy to interpret, and the guidebook is fantastic for broadening your Tarot knowledge.
Mavis is a bit disappointed that there weren’t many tortoiseshell cats like her on the cards. But you know what cats are like. If it were up to Mavis, the whole deck would just be portraits of her.
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