The enigma of the Cheshire Cat
Some cats hide under the bed. Others disappear in plain sight. And a few, like the Cheshire Cat, leave nothing behind but a smile.
Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, first published in 1865, gave the world one of the most iconic and mysterious cats in fiction. Since then, the Cheshire Cat has appeared in dozens of illustrations, from John Tenniel’s originals to surreal takes by Salvador Dalí. He has floated across silent films, Disney’s animated classic, and Tim Burton’s dreamy adaptations, including one where the cat drifts through the sky like a pilot, leaving only a glowing grin behind.
The character may even have roots in English folklore. In Cheshire, carvings of grinning cats once decorated churches and village signs. The phrase “grinning like a Cheshire cat” was already in use long before Carroll gave it a face. The Cheshire Cat does not follow rules. He appears and vanishes at will, drifts through conversations, speaks in riddles and mind games, and offers no certainty. And yet, everything he says somehow feels true.
He is mischievous, wise, untamed and entirely cat.
Carroll may have been writing nonsense literature, but he was also a mathematician. The Cheshire Cat’s riddles and puzzles reflect a love of paradox and logic, something cats seem to master without effort. Carroll also captured something deeply real. Cats are never fully knowable. They follow their own rhythm, act by their own rules, and will never do exactly what you expect. That lingering grin, some say, is satire. A quiet rebellion against Victorian politeness, with a smile that suggests humans are absurd.
But mystery does not mean confusion. When it comes to food, cats have instincts shaped by evolution. They are obligate carnivores, built to thrive on meat. Yet many modern cat foods rely on flavourings, additives and fillers that can override their natural preferences. At 3coty® we respect feline instinct. Our meat-only recipes are designed to suit a cat’s biology, not trick it. We follow a simpler truth: feed cats what they are built to eat. Just meat. Nothing else.
Even the most elusive cat comes back for food that speaks to its nature.
Does your cat vanish like the Cheshire Cat and reappear when dinner is served? Then they will love 3coty®.
Did you know?
Cats do not smile the way humans do, but they absolutely show happiness. A soft gaze, a slow blink and a relaxed body are their version of a grin. What many call a “cat kiss” is actually a slow blink used between cats and humans to signal trust and affection. In the feline world, meeting someone’s gaze and blinking slowly is a powerful gesture that says, “I feel safe.” If you blink back, you are speaking their language.
