Regardless of age, cats have always seemed to be around people, even if they are lurking in the shadows. Nowadays, with the internet nearly breaking from the number of cat pictures and videos uploaded daily, we are exposed to their quirkiness and odd habits like never before.
However, that doesn’t mean that those characteristics were never noticed before or discovered just recently. A Twitter account by the name of “Cats of Yore” collects old photographs of cats and serves as a time machine for those of us who are willing to witness the history of these fur balls.
With all of that out of the way, scroll down to see how cats were photographed throughout history!
More info: twitter.com | Instagram
#1
“Two convicted murderers of Folsom State Prison rescued a baby linnet and a newborn kitten from hunger and malnutrition and nursed them back to health. The cat and bird live in the prison’s print shop in complete harmony.” 1936.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#2
A boy and his baby-cat. 1956.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#3
Priest and kitten, 1954.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#4
All hail this proto-goth queen, 1962.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#5
Nadine Dennis with her cat, film star Puzzums. Ca. 1930.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#6
“Just we two” Postcard from my collection. Copyright 1907, mailed 1909.
This photo is by C.E. Bullard, my favorite of the Victorian/Edwardian cat photographers. He seemed to genuinely love cats and he didn’t cram them into stiff costumes or strap them into uncomfortable anthropomorphic positions.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#7
Cat in a Dublin pub (1966).
Photo by Evelyn Hofer.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#8
“Survivor of Fountain of the World headquarters bombing Jesse Vezina sleeps with her cat in front of the fireplace, 1958.”
Image source: CatsOfYore
#9
Gorgeous little historical blep, ca. 1930s.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#10
Top secret kitten lab, 1975.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#11
Kitten yelling for lunch, I think! Ca. 1900.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#12
Adoptable kitten in 1952.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#13
Mary Pickford. 1916.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#14
“Henri Matisse with cat curled between his legs, working from his bed” 1949.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#15
“Mustard, the mascot for the 321st tank company pictured here with Sgt. Paul Postal. Mustard joined the tank crew on Halloween 1918 and stuck out the rest of the conflict with them.”
Image source: CatsOfYore
#16
I love this photo so much. The cat is completely unconcerned that the woman is doing some kind of complicated weaving work and just jammed itself into her lap. Ca. 1923.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#17
Cat named Hep getting a private performance. 1946.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#18
Whenever I see a photo like this I like to think they set out to do a portrait in the chair but the cat took over and nobody was willing to move it. Ca. 1910s.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#19
Joan Collins tends to a tiny kitten, ca. 1957.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#20
“Self portrait with a kitten” 1959.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#21
Young lady smoking pipe with cat friend. Ca. 1905.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#22
I would go anywhere with him, no questions asked. 1929.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#23
Why do cats put up with us? 1937.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#24
“Wandering cat looks disturbed as she was rudely awakened early today when Valley Times photographers came to work. The buff-colored feline apparently slipped into photo lab last night, slept, and then sneaked out when offices opened.” 1960.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#25
Soldier with photobombing sleepy cat. 1915.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#26
I don’t mean to judge but they look like bad tippers to me. 19th century.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#27
“Plain alley cats get a chance to act at Barnes zoo at Culver City, Cal. are being taught circus tricks, and will have mastered stunts that will surprise when the show hits the road this summer.” 1925.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#28
Young women walking their cats. 1929.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#29
Cat, Sinbad, supervising Britt Lomond and his wife Dianne working on new script. 1961.
Image source: CatsOfYore
#30
This little one was not giving interviews. 1978.
Image source: CatsOfYore
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