The label's output reaches into many styles including experimental rock, electronica, psychedelic folk, contemporary classical, noise and post-punk.

Notable artists that have released music on the label include Sigur Rós, Múm, Animal Collective, Frightened Rabbit, Shopping, The Twilight Sad, Vashti Bunyan and We Were Promised Jetpacks.

FatCat originally began in 1989 as a record store in Crawley, West Sussex, formed by Alex Knight, Dave Cawley and Andy Martin.

A home for "post-classical" music, the imprint was later appended with the signing of pianist / composers, Sylvain Chauveau, Max Richter and Hauschka.

Besides picking up European licenses in Vetiver and Blood On The Wall, the label also signed singer / songwriter Nina Nastasia, as well as new acts like Tom Brosseau, David Karsten Daniels, No Age, The Rank Deluxe, and Songs Of Green Pheasant around this time.