Enchanted Forest Felines Tarot - cats and forest themes in classic tarot structure
Not every tarot deck needs cats to work. This one chose them as a way to tell classic tarot images differently. The cat becomes the character, the forest becomes the space, and the RWS structure stays intact.
Iva Dukic illustrated all 78 cards with soft colours, filtered light and plenty of green. Each cat has a recognisable posture: lurking, playful, quietly observing, leaping. That posture gives you a first direction when reading the card.
What you see on the cards
The four suits have been renamed to forest themes. Swords are Dandelions and stand for air and thinking. Cups are Saucers and stand for water and feeling. Wands are Branches and stand for fire and action. Pentacles are Mushrooms and stand for earth and matter.
The Court Cards have also been assigned a specific cat breed. King is Bombay, Queen is Egyptian Mau, Knight is Himalayan and Page is Munchkin. These choices give each court card character a visual identity you can recognise.
The images are narrative. You see a scene with movement, light and often small woodland creatures in the background. That makes the cards accessible: you respond to what you see, not just to a symbol you have to look up.
Who this deck works for
Because the structure matches Rider-Waite-Smith, you can use this deck directly if you already know RWS. The 160-page guidebook explains what each image means and how you can apply it. You have enough to work with, even without additional books.
The deck works well for daily pulls and for more elaborate spreads. The illustrations are clear enough to scan quickly, but contain enough detail to look at longer.
Look at the posture of the cat first with each card. Is it jumping, hiding, or observing calmly? That behaviour gives you a first reading, before you consult the text in the guidebook.
About Jen Sankey and Iva Dukic
Jen Sankey wrote the guidebook and has more than thirty years of experience with tarot. Her knowledge of the Rider-Waite-Smith system forms the basis for all card descriptions in the book.
Iva Dukic is an illustrator known for her dreamy, atmospheric style. Her love of animals and fantasy landscapes is visible in every card of this deck.
Specifications
- Author: Jen Sankey
- Illustrator: Iva Dukic
- Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
- ISBN: 9780738774244
- Number of cards: 78
- Guidebook: 160 pages, full colour
- Language: English
- Weight: 371 g
- Dimensions: 82.6 x 46.7 x 139.7 mm
- Packaging: keepsake box with paw print cutout
Questions we often get
Can I use this deck if I already know the classic RWS tarot?
Yes. The structure is identical to Rider-Waite-Smith. The Court Cards, the Major and Minor Arcana and the sequence of cards are the same. Only the visual language has changed to a forest theme with cats. You apply your knowledge to new images.
What do the new suit names mean exactly?
The forest theme names replace the traditional names, but the meaning stays the same. Dandelions stand for Swords, Saucers for Cups, Branches for Wands and Mushrooms for Pentacles. The guidebook explains these connections for each card.
