The Tarot Cat and Her Queen

The more you look, the more you find, and the more you appreciate the remarkable ways in which Pamela Colman Smith layered meaning into the imagery of the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot. A symbol rarely carries a single, fixed meaning. Instead, its significance shifts with its context, creating visual threads that weave a rich narrative across the deck. In previous articles, we explored the meaning of the horses and dogs of the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot. Let’s continue our journey into animal symbolism by following the purrs and roars of the tarot cats.

As anyone who has ever shared their space with a feline can testify, cats are selective about where they settle. They would not appear on just any card! They want a cosy, comfortable spot, with the perfect amount of warmth, where they have purrview of their domain with complete indifference while satisfying their immediate pat quota as their mood dictates. Within the Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot, they have chosen two particularly prized positions: alongside Strength and the Queen of Wands.

The World, Queen of Wands & Wheel of Fortune Cards from the Rider Waite Tarot Deck designed by Pamela Coleman Smith under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite

Where would a cat rather be than basking in the light of The Queen of Wands?

As well as that scraggly black kitty at her feet, this queen has lions carved into her throne and woven into the tapestry behind her. And then … look closer again! The brooch clasping her cloak is another lion!

With all those lions, the link to the zodiac sign of Leo is apparent. The sunflower reinforces the connection to the Sun, Leo’s ruler. And what relevance is that for our kitty? Sunflowers take their name and much of their symbolism from their relationship with the Sun — looking like and looking at it as it moves across the sky. The leonine depictions on the throne face inward and outward, but the sunflower faces you, the reader. As does the clasp at the Queen’s heart. As does the black cat. From their perspective, you are the light and the warmth at the centre of the reading.

Black cats are ‘ominous’ — per the original meaning of the word. The luck they portend could be good or bad. An omen need not be negative. Long associated with the liminal and supernatural, the cat here sits between worlds, guarding the doorway. To the Queen, the cat is staring into empty space, but the veil has dropped. It perceives you and has a message from the Fates: “Look for a sign!” But it is still a cat. And a royal one at that. As such, it is not doing the work for you. You need to figure out what the signs are and what they mean.

The black cat and her Queen of Wands have purrfectly commanded the allocated word count for this blog. Not that we mind … they are Leos, after all. And it’s only natural that Strength, also a Leo, insists on her own spotlight. This is not, of course, a matter of ego. Big or small, cats simply understand that their symbolism cannot be rushed. They don’t shy away from the attention, certainly, but more importantly, they crave to be understood on a deeper level. Join us next time as we follow the roar.

Leela J. Williams is an award-winning psychic creator. Discover her oracle decks and journals, including Zoologica: The Steampunk Oracle HERE.