William Burroughs, The Cat Inside

Chad Weidner (University College Roosevelt - Utrecht University)

Ed. by Christopher Hugh Gair, University of Glasgow
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.4: American (US) Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary, 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Sofia Ahlberg (Uppsala University), Patrick Chura (University of Akron), Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Dale Enggass (University of Utah), Christopher Hugh Gair (University of Glasgow), Matthew Hofer (University of New Mexico), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Justin Parks (UiT - The Arctic University of Norway), Nick Selby (University of East Anglia)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1986

Places

United States (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Non-Fiction
- Essay / Lecture (literary)

Resources

The Cat Inside is a late publication by Beat Generation member William Burroughs. The novella is an autobiographical account of living with cats. It explores the ordinary details of cat lives, as well as their joyful triumphs and moving tragedies. Burroughs conveys his message through the use of lucid dream episodes and discussions of the mythological history of felines. Near the end of the narrative, the author contemplates the future of cats and other animal species in a world wrought with environmental problems. Ultimately, the text highlights the importance of cats to continued human existence.

The book was first published as a limited edition by Grenfell Press in 1986. Only a few dozen copies were initially produced. Viking Press released a hardcover version in 1992 and paperback editions became available later. In terms of subject...

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741 words

Citation: Weidner, Chad. "The Cat Inside". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 July 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1360, accessed 29 October 2026.]

William Burroughs, The Cat Inside

Dates

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Genres and Modes

Resources

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