Cats have been charming humans for a very long time, and thanks to Brazilian journalist Paula Leite Moreira, we can now see just how much they captured hearts even before the internet. On her Instagram account, All Vintage Cats, she shares hundreds of old photos showing cats in playful poses, funny situations, and even alongside famous personalities from the past.
Paula’s collection reminds us that our love for cats isn’t new—it has been around for generations. By digging through historical archives, magazines, and old photo collections, she brings these vintage snapshots back to life, giving cat lovers everywhere a chance to enjoy these timeless moments.
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#1 1955
“During his studies, French actor and screenwriter Sacha Guitry had the company of this magnificent cat, who would comfortably settle among the paperwork.”
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#2 1983
“Check out this priceless portrait of then-couple Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker playing with a little kitty around 1983.”
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#3 Worthing, United Kingdom, 1956
“Ever imagined being almost the same size as your cat? The British Henry Behrens, considered the smallest man in the world at the time, was photographed dancing with his pet cat in front of his house.”
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#4 London, United Kingdom, 1957
“A girl’s best companion? Her Siamese kitten. Only a kitty could match the beauty of British actress and singer Diana Dors.”
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#5 1955
“Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me.”
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#6 1963
“With the sensitivity inherent to artists, Australian painter Hal Missingham captured this moment of affection between his Swiss colleague Sali Herman and a pet kitten.”
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#7 1917
“Responsible for numerous portraits of royalty, British photographer Alexander Bassano captured his compatriot, actress Christine Silver, with an adorably cute four-legged model.”
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#8 1972
“Two kittens, many little paws.”
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#9 1930s
“As humorous as ever, French-Japanese painter Tsuguharu Foujita captured one of his cats wearing ‘glasses’ that resembled his own.”
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#10 1941
“In 1941, Luso-Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda was already an international star. But in this image from the time, the artist shares the spotlight with a cat that seems delighted by the company.”
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#11 1967
“From the series ‘Bearded Men Also Love’. Shot by Norwegian photographer Kjell Søgård.”
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#12 1957
“In 1957, in Japan, a young Haruki Murakami was already surrounded by feline friends. Decades later, they would become a constant presence in the Japanese writer’s literary works.”
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#13 1961
“The Dutch photographer Hans Katan had the opportunity to immortalize this sunbath of his compatriot Godfried Bomans, author and television personality, with a handsome big cat on his lap.”
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#14 1968
“The first wife of Paul McCartney, American photographer and animal rights activist Linda McCartney, captured the musician with this little furry friend.”
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#15 Surrey, United Kingdom, 1957
“Giving medicine to pets is usually quite a torment for their owners. But that doesn’t seem to be the case for this fluffy fellow.”
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#16 1971
“A duo worth millions: country music icon, American singer Johnny Cash, was also photographed with a cat in this portrait taken around 1971.”
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#17 Skibotn, Norway, 1967
“Finnish photographer Ismo Hölttö captured this moment of pure companionship between a simple man and his pet cat.”
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#18 Whittlesey, United Kingdom, 1961
“Four distinguished men entertaining three (equally distinguished) cats with live music. What could the song be?”
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#19 1956
“Another writer captivated by feline charm: British poet Mary Wilson had a beautiful Siamese as her pet.”
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#20 1872
“The year was 1872, and British photographer Henry Pointer already knew that photographing kittens was a great investment.
How do you deal with the cuteness of this little guitarist?”
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#21 1964
“On a scale from 0 to 10, how proud is this father of his son?”
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#22 Between 1890–1894, Amsterdam, Netherlands
“Just two aristocrats posing for eternity.”
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#23 1970
“That portrait is an absolute flood of beauty. In 1970, British actress Lynn Redgrave posed close to a Siamese cat for a photoshoot.”
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#24 1980
“In 1980, anthropologist and linguist Yuri Knorozov was photographed with his Siamese cat, both sporting rather serious expressions.
Knorozov was responsible for deciphering the Mayan writing system, revolutionizing the study of this ancient civilization’s culture.
With an assistant like that, making history becomes easy.”
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#25 1917
“These are Louise Fazenda, an American actress, and Pepper, an Oriental Maltese kitten who starred in several silent comedy films in the last century.
The two rested together during the filming of the short film ‘Are Waitresses Safe?’ (1917).
Famous for her photogenic beauty and playful yet adorable personality, Pepper became one of the first feline celebrities in film history.”
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#26 1974
“Is it rock’n’roll you want? Then here’s another legend! American singer Patti Smith, in 1974, at the height of the New York punk scene, sitting on her bed with a cat in her lap.”
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#27 1947
“A true work of art, this shot promoting the drama ‘Nora Prentiss’ (1947). The beauty of American actress Ann Sheridan blends perfectly with that of a fluffy feline.”
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#28 Shot Taken Around 1954
“It almost looks like American actress and singer Gloria Grahame was teaching this kitty to strike a ‘model pose’ for the photo. And it worked, didn’t it?”
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#29 1936
“Beep beep! Do you think Frajola got a ticket?”
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#30 1960s
“Silence, two icons meditating…
Thelonious Monk, American jazz pianist and genius, is pictured here holding the Siamese cat of British baroness Nica de Koenigswarter.
The photo, taken by Nica in the early 1960s, was shot at her home in New Jersey, United States—a home that once housed around 300 cats and that Monk called ‘Catville’.”
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#31 Surrey, United Kingdom, 1970
“A true British lord disguised as a cat. This white-mustached gentleman with a serious gaze probably made the little girl’s childhood much happier.”
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#32 Paris, France, 1951
“Wearing a Balenciaga dress, American model Mary Jane Russel posed for the lenses of her compatriot, photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe, under the curious gaze of a charming feline.”
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#33 1960
“Farid al-Atrash, the Syrian-Egyptian singer, didn’t live by compositions and melodies alone. Here, around 1960, he is seen holding his cat, a very charming Siamese.”
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#34 1968
“The wife of British painter Ben Nicholson captured this intimate moment between the artist and the couple’s pet cat, Tommy.
Felicitas Vogler was a renowned German photographer, known for her recordings of landscapes and everyday life.”
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#35 1922
“When you and your friend are completely different, but have similar tastes.”
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#36 1960
“For former UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson, holding his cat wasn’t enough. He had to read the day’s news with his feline companion.”
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#37 1953
“Photographer for LIFE magazine, the Polish Nat Farbman managed to capture this extremely tense struggle over a little milk.”
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#38 1966-1968
“What can be said about the beauty of this duo? For the promotion of the Batman television series (1966–1968), the American actress Julie Newmar posed with a beautiful cat, dressed as Catwoman, her character in the show.”
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#39 1960
“The renowned American photographer Edward Weston posed for the camera in this portrait, featuring the cuteness of two of his pet cats, a tabby and a little black one.”
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#40 California, United States, 1992
“It’s hard to decide who looks cuter in this shot by photographer Neal Preston: the unforgettable American actor Brandon Lee or his little kitty.”
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#41 United States, 1955
“It’s impossible not to be charmed by the elegance of American actress Allison Hayes and her four-legged partner in the publicity for the film Chicago Syndicate.”
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#42 1953
“That’s enough, Cleitinho. Enough lap time already!”
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#43 1946
“American actress and interior decorator Elsie de Wolfe was photographed in 1946 with companions worthy of her: kittens that conveyed the same timeless elegance.”
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#44 1956
“Nothing better than a feline exuding the beauty and elegance so typical of our beloved four-legged friends.”
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#45 London, United Kingdom, 1957
“Tonight is Oscar night, baby!”
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#46 Around 1912
“Ballerina Anna Pavlova knew how to appreciate the beauty in life’s little things, from a dance movement to the graceful company of a feline. She was right, wasn’t she?”
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#47 1976
“Cats will always be cats.”
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#48 1906
“This was Mrs. Hofstra, president of the Atlantic Cat Club, and her cat Laddie Loupin, who had won the Best in Show award at the 1906 Madison Square Garden Cat Show.
The photo was taken by American photojournalist Jessie Tarbox Beals, known for overcoming some of the earliest gender barriers in her profession.
A heavyweight trio!”
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#49 1970
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#50 1932
“While Paris went about its rhythm in 1932, Hungarian-French photographer Brassaï captured silent moments like this: a cat, flowers, and the poetry contained there, in a grocery store window.”
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#51 New York, United States, 1955
“The disruptive cat, thinking outside the box.
Photograph by American photographer Ângelo Rizzuto, under the pseudonym Anthony Angel.”
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#52 Paris, France, 1952
“No place in this world is so good that a cat couldn’t make it better.
Photograph by German-French photographer Gisele Freund.”
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#53 1955
“The cat and curiosity, an inseparable duo. Shot by American photographer Vivian Maier.”
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