Medieval Pets
DOGS - CATS - SQUIRRELS - BIRDS

 

Medieval women, like women today, were avid pet-keepers.

Pets were defined as those animals kept in the inner chambers of a woman's home or personal space which have no other practical purpose than that of companionship or amusement.

Hunting dogs and hawks will not be covered in this area, as more often than not, these were not cared for by the medieval woman herself.

Pets favoured by women were songbirds, small dogs (usually white and hairy), cats and occasionally squirrels!

Small long-haired dogs can be seen in many contemporary artworks- manuscripts, effigies and paintings. Shown at the left, is a 15th century woman showing her magpie itself in her mirror.

Dogs

Although dogs represent fidelity and could be included in paintings in an allegorical sense, some household accounts show expenses for food for companion dogs rather than those used for hunting or hawking. Artworks and written references support the fact that little dogs were kept as especial pets by medieval women.

They were welcomed into private chambers, fed treasts, allowed to sleep on the bed (in the case of one stained glass window) and were kept by nuns and cloistered women. This caused a certain amount of distress to those in charge, especially when inmates who had not taken their vows attended services bringing all their dogs with them.

Most artworks help distinguish lapdogs from hunting dogs by a red, leather collar with several brass bells attached. Collars like this can also be seen on images of pet squirrels.

At right we can see medieval writer, Christine de Pizan writing at her desk with her little pet dog sitting near her chair. Although the image is faint, we can still make out a little collar with dangly bits, most likely bells. The manuscript image dates between 1364 and 1430 and is a self portrtait in her iconic blue dress.

A small dog was seen as an acceptable companion for a lady as long as she did not lavish food on it which was good enough to feed the poor.

Many manuscripts show the sort of fluffy, white terrier that we are familiar with today, even if the breed varies a little.

Seen at right is a detail from the early 14th century Luttrell Psalter, now located in the British Library. A man on horseback is passing a little lap dog to a noble lady in the covered wagon.

This indicates that medieval women were so fond of their little dogs, that they travelled with them rather than leave them at home.

There are records of dogs having special cushions to sleep on, and graves with headstones for especially beloved ones.

Cats

Cats are often seen in manuscript margins and fall into two distinct categories- those which are pets and those which are household cats for catching mice. A rural woman might have a household cat which was also a pet.

Nuns were permitted to keep a cat for the purpose of catching mice, but as the image at left shows, they also enjoyed their company as animal companions.

Household cats were usually a grey and white tabby- that is striped (hence tabby weave) but the Lady's pet was usually a more striking and unusal one.

The most favoured by noble ladies were specially imported Syrian cats, orange or ginger and white in colour. These are mentioned in correspondence many times over; wishing to acquire them, the happiness and love that the kitten has brought and the overwhelming sadness at the passing of their beloved pet.

The musical song of a kitten was sure to bring delight to any lady, according to one medieval writer, Thomas de Campre. He wrote:

"They delight in being stroked by the hand of a person and they express their joy with their own form of singing."

Another writer assured young men that the way to a woman's heart was with a kitten, which is pretty solid advice, really.

Many poets composed elegies for the death of a certain noble woman's beloved pet and it was noted that mourning for such a pet was quite normal. Several women had constructed small tombs for their cats, and these were also noted in personal letters.

Red Squirrels

There are a number of medieval manuscripts which show women with pet squirrels, and not only manuscripts!

A little squirrel can be seen on a lady's arm in at least 2 carved ivory mirror backs from the 14th century and at left, the detail from the floor tile from Chertsey Abbey, a noble woman wearing a coronet with her pet squirrel on her hand. It dates between 1290 and 1300.

The detail at right, is from an English manuscript from the 14th century, the Luttrell Psalter, and shows a noble lady out in a covered carriage with her pet squirrel on her shoulder.

Like cats and dogs, they are often shown wearing a red collar with small bells, much like that of a dog or a cat.

Squirrels are often shown in medieval manuscripts with their own little squirrel house, which is much like a bird house, only bigger. Some have carved windows and fancy gold balls on the roof, and some show the squirrel attached to them by means of a gold chain.

The squirrel shown in the Book of Hours possesed by Anne of Bohemia is believd to be of Flemish work and dated to between 1382 and 1394. Unlike others, it is lower set, but it has an arched door and trefoil windows with fancy finials on the roof.

Song Birds

Song birds were also fashionable pets and pet shops listed an extensive variety of birds which were available.

These ranged from the little sparrow to more exotic types of songbird. These included parrots, thrushes, doves, nightingales, starlings, finches, skylarks and surprisingly, magpies. Parrots were the most exotic of these, but can be found in several manuscripts.

The Goodman of Paris wrote instructions for the care of birds:

"You should also give them caterpillars, worms, flies, spiders, grasshoppers, butterflies, fresh hemp in leaf, moistened and soaked. Spiders and caterpillars and such like things which be soft to the little bird's beak, which is tender."

Tax records for bird-sellers and cage-makers appear as early as 1292 in Paris, with guilds to regulate the makers of birdcages which could be quite ornate. The image at right shows a green parrot in an ornate bird cage not unlike the kind we have today.

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