3. Napoleon III was so afraid of cats he would jump up on the palace furniture to avoid them
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was not an especially tall man. In fact, he was of average height for a Frenchman in the 18th century. Nor was he afraid of cats. But both of these ‘facts’ have been repeated over the decades. Rather than being an accurate depiction of Napoleon, they were most probably lies spread by his enemies. In particular, the British were always keen to portray the Emperor as physically weak, hence their propaganda mocking his alleged lack of inches. This might also explain why the rumor he was terrified of felines started to spread. After all, while dogs might be fearsome and manly, cats have often been portrayed as soft, feminine creatures, so to be labeled as being afraid of them was very insulting indeed.
But while Napoleon Bonaparte may not have been scared of cats, his nephew certainly was. Napoleon III ruled France and its empire from 1852 to 1870. While he might have been a strict ruler, clamping down on press freedom and imposing a strict policy of state censorship, his fear of cats could not be kept a secret. According to some accounts from the time, his ailurophobia was so intense that just seeing a cat would trigger a nervous response. Indeed, Napoleon III was said to have jumped up on the furniture if a cat entered the room and would refuse to come down until the animal had been removed.
Over the years, it’s likely that the Napoleons have been mixed up, with the latter’s phobias ascribed to his more famous uncle and predecessor. At most, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was simply indifferent to cats. He famously preferred dogs, who he regarded as loyal, despising felines for their independent nature. Indeed, it could be said that Napoleon wanted his pets to be like his generals – happy to obey his every command without pause or question and devoid of any sense of independence or initiative.