Dordrecht, The Netherlands (Collection Regionaal Archief Dordrecht) 1937 Cat on a windowsill. Someone (perhaps the photographer) seemingly admiring the cat (who is indeed very worthy of admiration), is reflected in the window.

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard photographed in the late 1930s, each holding a Siamese cat

“Cat is coming home”, this photo is called. Taken 1955-1964 (Collection E. Beket, Regionaal archief Dordrecht) A remarkable picture blurring the line between photography and painting.

Frida Kahlo. Self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird, oil on canvas, 1940. Sadly, the cat didn’t make it into the title and she stands as a symbol of misfortune.

Photo by Klaas van Buiten, Drents archief, the Netherlands 1945-1955

During Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 Antarctic expedition, Mrs. Chippy, a robust tabby, joined the crew aboard the Endurance. Despite her somewhat misleading name, Mrs. Chippy was a male cat, beloved by all.

Zeeuw Archief, photo made in Vlissingen, The Netherlands, undated Cat at the workplace

Edwin Hubble and his beloved cat, Nicholas Copernicus, uncharacteristically not sprawled across important papers and books.

1955, Den Haag. Haags gemeentearchief, The Netherlands

Aldous Huxley, British-American writer(1894-1963) with cat. He is said to have remarked: ‘If you want to write, keep cats’

c. 1980-1990. Photographed in Japan by Ed van der Elsken Japanese cat is not in the mood

German-born French actress Romy Schneider holds two kittens in the episode ‘Il lavoro’ in Boccaccio ‘70 by Federico Fellini (Photo by Reporters Associati & Archivi/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) 1961

1984, Nagasaki, photographed by Ed van der Elsken. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Gustav Klimt was deeply fond of cats and kept many of them in his studios in Vienna. Visitors often described his workspace as full of cats wandering freely among his drawings and materials. Despite his affection for them, cats do not appear in his art. His love for them was personal.

Oss, The Netherlands, Archive Brabant CAT BARBARA with Jo in a field, 1958

PORTRAIT OF A BOY AND HIS CAT 1906-1910, Archive Drenthe, The Netherlands. The cat is called ‘Broer’ (brother), the boy is Anne Clasinus Leonard Marie Kymmell (1896-1972).

WW1 cats were sent to kill rats, but ended up healing hearts. Some stories deserve more attention. #History #Cats #WW1 #Facts #Trending

Before 1918, The Netherlands. RKD Spending a lot of time together: have they actually started to look alike?

This Date In Manka Bros History-April 26, 1934: After a string of film flops, studio boss Khan Manka fires his brother Simeon and appoints his cat, Mittens, as head of Manka Bros. Pictures. mankabros.com #hollywoodstudios #HollywoodHistory #oldhollywood #FilmHistory #cats #satire #parody #burbank

Early 20th-century, National archives, The Netherlands

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1988 NEIGHBOURHOOD CAT

It was a treat to see some of the items in the rare book collection at the Linda Hall Library in KC last month. Here's Bruce showing me a first edition of Galileo's Siderius Nuncius; also, here's Edward Topsell's "The History of Four-footed Beasts" (1607). #books #science #histsci

1960, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Photo by Cock Tholens If a cat doesn’t want to be lifted, a cat doesn’t want to be lifted.

Iran...

HAPPY EASTER! Cat Bella and bunny Poppy, in 2017 in The Dodo daily

CAT “BOSS” AND HER CHILD, who lived in an Amsterdam hospital. Photo found in an album of hospital staff, late 19th, early 20th century.

修行中 （鳥取市滝山｜アーカイブ） Training Day (Takiyama, Tottori City | Archive) #猫モノクローム写真 #MonochromeMeow

A cat stuck in a tree (in 1980) waits patiently for the firefighters and casually walks down the rescue ladder. Another (in 2024) protested loudly the entire time, climbing higher and higher whenever her rescuers got close. Clinging to a wobbly top branch, she was finally caught and rescued.

I don’t know the story here but my best guess is “tripped over the cat going down stairs in the dark but still love him”. Photo from my collection, 1958.

Edward Gorey drew cats constantly in his illustrated books as companions to his characters. His cats were typically small, black, and observant. Gorey personally owned multiple cats throughout his life. He once said he always had at least one, and at times had seven living in his Cape Cod home.

An Animated History of Cats: How Over 10,000 Years the Cat Went from Wild Predator to Sofa Sidekick

Library of Congress, US Photo taken in 1915, titled: “FOX PUPS RAISED BY CAT”

瞑想 （鳥取市滝山｜アーカイブ） Meditation (Takiyama, Tottori City | Archive) #静かな時間 #QuietMoments

1930s fashion police, feline division

In Chinese #folklore, Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to claim the imperial throne, once cherished palace cats. But after having Empress Wang and Consort Xiao executed, she was cursed with chilling words: “May I be reborn a cat, and you a mouse, so I may 1/2 #caturday

73 years ago, in February 1953, a storm claimed 1800 lives when Dutch dykes gave way, causing massive floods. The photos show refugees taking their cats, including the first one, of a boy—a newspaper read—‘stiffly clutching his kitten, which he did not want to leave behind.’

Archive cat at the Archives Nationales in Dakar.

Harvard Art Museums Photo: 1940s-1950s, by Lyonel Feininge Harvard cat has seen enough and turns her back

ご機嫌の朝 （鳥取市滝山｜アーカイブ） A cheerful morning (Takiyama, Tottori City | Archive) #笑顔 #Smile

M.C. Escher, famed for interlocking fish, birds and reptiles, was also a devoted cat lover. In 1919 he left architecture for graphic arts, mastering wood‑ and linocuts. His landlady gave him a white cat, his constant companion and muse, featured in a woodcut.

From the book 'How the Amazon Queen Fought the Prince of Egypt' Art by Tamara Bower March 22, 2005 40 pages Watercolor and Gouache Her archive of cat related art is unrivaled. I thank her very much for everything she does. #MenWithCats

A few brave and strong cats from the archives of the University of Minnesota.

Cat Distracts Sailors and Royal Marines on HMS King George V during World War I. #History #WorldWar1 #WW1 #Cat #Caturday #CatsInHistory #FirstWorldWar #RoyalNavy #RoyalNavyHistory #MaritimeHistory #NavyHistory #Photograph

Art Institute Chicago, 1950-1955, photo by Ed van der Elsken For all the black cats (and the people who have loved them)

From the analog print archive: have a stray cat #caturday #catsofmastodon #fedicats

Archive Breda, photographed by Johan van Gurp, 1985 Another lazy weekend for cat Monet

This vintage 1913 French postcard features a black cat resting in a bed, with the caption "Porte Veine," meaning "bringer of luck." At the time, black cats were linked to superstition, so the card playfully presents the cat as a symbol of good fortune. via History Cool Kids

Gabriël Metsu, often overlooked among animal painters of the 17th century, depicted genre scenes featuring cats with evident delight. For those seeking genuine animal affection in art, Metsu’s works are a treasure trove.

1958 #Caturday story from the Times

Haarlem, The Netherlands, 1949 January malaise meets post-holiday blues