From memes to feline celebrities, America is a land of cat mania. But it wasn't always that way. The birth of Feline States lies in the now forgotten stories of an extraordinary group of cats who in the 1950s changed our country from the land of the dog to the land of the cat--and a small but determined California fishery that supported their efforts to garner national headlines. These were the Puss n Boots cats, winners of what amounted to the feline Nobel Prize. Some of their stories were heroic, literal life savers. Others showed touching loyalty. Still others were outright bizarre, but taken together the publicity surrounding these cats through the presentation of the vaunted Puss n Boots Medal showed the public what felines were capable of, and proved to the country that a cat's devotion was second to none. Dr. Paul Koudounaris, feline historian and author of A Cat's Tale, will present their history with a slideshow of images. Learn about the cat that walked across the country to find her family! The seeing eye cat! The cat that saved a family of oppossums! And let's not forget the cat that scared the congregation of a Connecticut church into thinking the Devil was in their midst! Plus many more, in this incredible but true journey back into feline history, to the dawn of the Age of the Cat in American culture. In addition, Dr. Koudounaris will have an original Puss n Boots medal on hand for all to see (your cat would be jealous!).