Wehrl information entropy and phase distributions of Schrodinger cat and cat-like states

The Wehrl information entropy and its phase density, the so-called Wehrl phase distribution, are applied to describe Schrodinger cat and cat-like (kitten) states. The advantages of the Wehrl phase distribution over the Wehrl entropy in a description of the superposition principle are presented, The entropic measures are compared with a conventional phase distribution from the Husimi e-function. Compact-form formulae for the entropic measures are found for superpositions of well separated states. Examples of Schrodinger cats (including even, odd and Yurke-Stoler coherent states), as well as the catlike states generated in the Kerr medium, are analysed in detail. It is shown that, in contrast to the Wehrl entropy, the Wehrl phase distribution properly distinguishes between different superpositions of unequally weighted states with respect to their number and phase-space configuration.