"As an inspiration to the author, I do not think the cat can be over-estimated. He suggests so much grace, power, beauty, motion, mysticism. I do not wonder that many writers love cats; I am only surprised that all do not"

Carl Van Vechten’s reflection expresses a profound admiration for the cat, capturing the complex allure that felines hold for artists and writers. He elevates the cat beyond a mere household pet, describing it as a wellspring of inspiration, suggesting that the qualities intrinsic to cats, grace, power, beauty, and motion, are themselves artistic ideals. Grace is often associated with effortless movement and quiet elegance, qualities that cats possess in abundance. Power speaks to the latent strength and agility within their compact forms, while beauty refers to their poise, symmetry, and emotive expression. The mention of motion signals the silent fluidity with which cats navigate their environment, and mysticism hints at their enigmatic aura, a quality that makes their presence feel almost magical or otherworldly.

Van Vechten’s assertion that he is surprised not all writers are captivated by cats hints at the animal’s rich symbolic resonance. Throughout history, cats have been revered in myth and literature for both their inscrutability and independence. These attributes mirror a writer’s own pursuit of inspiration, elusive and unpredictable, inviting creative minds to find in the cat a muse that does not yield easily to ownership or understanding. Such mystery invites contemplation, spurring the imagination to search for meaning beneath the feline’s inscrutable surface. A cat may embody the elegant detachment or the subtle, potent charm to which artists often aspire in their own work.

The passage reveals Van Vechten’s belief that inspiration thrives on complexity. The cat, with all its contradictions, gentle yet fierce, aloof yet affectionate, offers artists a living paradox to study and emulate. In celebrating the cat’s influence, Van Vechten implies that inspiration itself is elusive and cannot be “over-estimated,” for in the depths of a cat’s character lies a wellspring of creative potential, endlessly inviting and never fully understood.