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For cat lovers the world over, any visit to Sylva, North Carolina, warrants a trip to the American Museum of the House Cat. This weird but wonderful collection has been attracting visitors since 2017 and has quickly climbed to the third most popular among must-see attractions in Sylva.

The collection is enormous and includes everything from wonderful folk items paying tribute to the American house cat to the more bizarre.
Google/Nick Breedlove
We'll include a warning here that the last image in this article features a petrified cat that may, upon first glance, appear as an expired, emaciated and deprived house cat. Another bizarre cat from the past is shown here...
All the way from Egypt, this ancient Egyptian Ptolemaic mummified cat dates to circa 300 - 30 B.C.
Google Images/Erik Gibbons
In ancient Egypt, cats were considered magical creatures held as capable of bringing luck and fortune to those with whom they lived and those who cared for them. They were fed meals fit for a king and dressed in the finest jewels the family could afford. Upon death, many were mummified to preserve their earthly bodies into the next realm.
The American Museum of the House Cat has an entire display case dedicated to cats in ancient Egypt.
Google Reviews/Skye Kinder
Visitors learn a great deal about this era and others when paying a visit to this wonderfully weird attraction.
Row after row and case after case, the collection is truly enormous. There are cat cups, cat-centric beer steins from Germany, and so much more.
Google Reviews/Skye Kinder

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Cat art is also heavily featured in the museum.
Google Reviews/Melanie Rollman
Because... what cat lover hasn't wanted to have his or her cat immortalized in the form of art?
Visitors can easily spend at least a couple of hours seeing this ever-growing collection!
Google/Nick Breedlove
And now... for the weirdest item on display...
The petrified cat we mentioned earlier. Labeled as a Medieval Petrified Cat, this poor kitty tugs are our heart strings in the most soulful of ways.
Google Reviews/kelly hollifield
For questions about this or other items in the museum, you can always find a helpful and knowledgeable person on staff willing to step in with answers.
Now for the good news: the American Museum of the House Cat has plans to move just up the road from their current location. The new address is posted below.
TripAdvisor/Andrew M

Did you know this weirdly amazing step into the past was right here in North Carolina? And have you already paid a visit? We’d love to hear some feedback, so feel free to join the discussion!

The American Museum of the House Cat is open from April through December. The hours are Tuesday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. A small admission fee may be required to enter. Learn more at this link on the official website and give it a follow on Facebook for the latest information.

Know of another oddly wonderful museum in North Carolina? Use our nomination form to suggest it as a subject of an upcoming featured article!

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5063 US-441, Sylva, NC 28779, USA