Corporate Mascot Cats
Baker and Taylor
1982–1990s
The two Scottish Fold cats who became the beloved mascots of America's libraries
- Owner
- Baker & Taylor (book wholesaler)
- Years
- 1982–1990s
- Known for
- Corporate Mascot Cats
Baker and Taylor were a pair of Scottish Fold cats — one silver-grey, one brown tabby — who from the early 1980s served as the living mascots of Baker & Taylor, one of the largest book wholesalers supplying libraries across the United States. Named after the company, the two folded-eared cats appeared on posters, bookmarks, tote bags and promotional giveaways sent out to libraries, and they became astonishingly popular with librarians and readers alike.
For a generation of American library-goers in the 1980s and 1990s, the sight of the two placid, round-faced cats surrounded by books was instantly familiar. The promotional materials were so sought-after that librarians collected and displayed them, and the cats came to feel like a friendly face of the whole library world — a rare case of a company mascot that people genuinely adored rather than merely tolerated.
The original cats lived comfortable lives and the marketing campaign ran for years. Long after they had gone, they were fondly remembered: the pair were later inducted, in spirit, into the affection of the library community, and vintage Baker and Taylor merchandise remains a nostalgic collector's item. They stand as proof that two calm cats and a stack of books can win more goodwill than any slogan.