Catnip is vodka and whisky to most cats. Carl Van Vechten More Quotes by Carl Van Vechten More Quotes From Carl Van Vechten 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 cat inspiration writing There are ... two kinds of people in this world, those who long to be understood and those who long to be misunderstood. It is the irony of life that neither is gratified. Carl Van Vechten two long people The cat, it is well to remember, remains the friend of man because it pleases him to do so and not because he must. Carl Van Vechten cat remember men The lack of imagination or invention most people display in naming pussies is almost beyond credence. Carl Van Vechten cat imagination people Is a little experience too much to pay for learning to know oneself? Carl Van Vechten too-much littles pay One meets the cat in nearly all forms of art...curiously enough she is not a conspicuous figure in Roman or Greek art. Carl Van Vechten cat greek art ...with a cat you stand on much the same footing that you stand with a fine and dignified friend; if you forfeit his respect and confidence the relationship suffers. The cat, it is well to remember, remains the friend of man because it pleases him to do so and not because he must. Carl Van Vechten cat suffering men The cat seldom interferes with other people's rights. His intelligence keeps him from doing many of the fool things that complicate life. Carl Van Vechten cat rights animal Note 4. For these and other reasons the cat is also very hard to photograph. The best photographs are instantaneous, as the mere breathing of a cat will blur the fur in a time exposure. Carl Van Vechten fur breathing cat The cat is the only animal without visible means of support who still manages to find a living in the city. Carl Van Vechten cat animal mean Cats seldom make mistakes, and they never make the same mistake twice. Carl Van Vechten making-mistakes cat mistake I've photographed everybody from Matisse to Isamu Noguchi. Carl Van Vechten matisse Paris is not a city I should care to approach for the first time after I had passed forty. Carl Van Vechten paris care cities Cleanliness in the cat world is usually a virtue put above godliness. Carl Van Vechten virtue cat world Cats have gnosis to a degree that is granted to few bishops. Carl Van Vechten gnosis degrees cat A thing of beauty is a boy forever. Carl Van Vechten forever boys A cat is never vulgar. Carl Van Vechten vulgar cat An ordinary kitten will ask more questions than any five-year-old. Carl Van Vechten ask more will questions There is, indeed, no single quality of the cat that man could not emulate to his advantage. Carl Van Vechten man single quality cat