Interesting that the story of cats being persecuted in the middle ages is false. This article doesn't try to trace the origin of the story. This one : https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2019/11/05/were-cats-reall... Traces it to a book by Donald Engels, but that was only written in 2001 and I've definitely heard the story before that. I think I recall it being in 'Catwatching' by Desmond Morris which was published in 93 (but it may have been some other book from that time period). I doubt if Morris originated the story either, as he's a naturalist, not a historian. So I wonder where it came from.