UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  FORM 10-K/A

[X]      ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
         EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [FEE REQUIRED]

                  For the fiscal year ended February 2, 2002

                                      OR

[ ]      TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
         EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED]

                       REGISTRANT: THE CATO CORPORATION
                         COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 0-3747

  State of Incorporation: Delaware               I.R.S. Employer Identification
                                                       Number: 56-0484485
Address of Principal Executive Offices:
       8100 Denmark Road                          Registrants Telephone Number:
Charlotte, North Carolina 28273-5975                       704/554-8510

 SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO               SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT
     SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:                    TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:

               NONE                                   CLASS A COMMON STOCK


Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.

                           Yes [X]   No [ ]

Indicate by check mark, if disclosure of delinquent files pursuant to Item 405
of the Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to
the best of the Registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any
amendment to this Form 10-K [X]

As of March 22, 2002, there were 19,395,237 shares of Class A Common Stock and
5,822,649 shares of Convertible Class B Common Stock outstanding. The aggregate
market value of the Registrant's Class A Common Stock held by Non-affiliates of
ties Registrant as of March 22, 2002 was approximately $376,867,918 based on
the last reported sale price per share on the NASDAQ National Market System on
that date.

Documents incorporated by reference:

Portions of the proxy statement dated April 24, 2002, relating to the 2002
annual meeting of shareholders are incorporated by reference into the following
part of this annual report:

                       Part III - Items 10,11,12 and 13



                                                                        Page 41

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, Cato has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                              The Cato Corporation


                                                                       
By /s/ John P. Derham Cato                                                By /s/ Michael O. Moore
   -------------------------------------                                     ------------------------------------
   John P. Derham Cato                                                       Michael O. Moore
   President, Vice Chairman of the Board                                     Executive Vice President
   and Chief Executive Officer                                               Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

By /s/ Robert M. Sandler
   -------------------------------------
   Robert M. Sandler
   Senior Vice President
   Controller


Date: April 24, 2002

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated:

/s/ Wayland H. Cato, Jr.                    /s/ Robert W. Bradshaw, Jr.
-------------------------------             ----------------------------------
      Wayland H. Cato, Jr.                        Robert W. Bradshaw, Jr.
           (Director)                                     (Director)

/s/ John P. Derham Cato                     /s/ George S. Currin
-------------------------------             ----------------------------------
      John P. Derham Cato                             George S. Currin
           (Director)                                     (Director)

/s/ Edgar T. Cato                           /s/ Grant L. Hamrick
-------------------------------             ----------------------------------
        Edgar T. Cato                                Grant L. Hamrick
         (Director)                                     (Director)

/s/ Howard A. Severson                      /s/ James H. Shaw
-------------------------------             ----------------------------------
      Howard A. Severson                               James H. Shaw
         (Director)                                      (Director)

/s/ Clarice Cato Goodyear                   /s/ A.F. (Pete) Sloan
-------------------------------             ----------------------------------
    Clarice Cato Goodyear                              A.F. (Pete) Sloan
         (Director)                                        (Director)

/s/ Thomas E. Cato
-------------------------------
        Thomas E. Cato
          (Director)