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“The Bottom Of Our Kibble Chalice Is Once Again Visible”: 50 Hilarious Medieval Cat Images
Good day, my lord! How fare thee? And how art thou cat? He is looking rather fluffy this morning, if I may be so bold as to say!
We all know that the internet has been absolutely obsessed with cats for the past couple of decades. But humanity’s love for these creatures began long, long ago. And apparently, there were even many depictions of kitties in ancient and medieval art!
We took a trip to the Medieval Cats subreddit and gathered some of their most amusing posts below. From felines hiding in the corners of royal paintings to memes of medieval cats that deserve to be hanging in museums, we hope you enjoy scrolling through these hilarious images. And be sure to upvote the ones that make you want to go back in time and meet all of these cute kitties!
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#1
This Is So Adorable 😍
Jesse 2 months ago
Silk was, still is, basically spun gold. Expensive af, she really sacrificed a lot oof wealth.
Anthony Elmore 2 months ago
Yeah, it really does seem a bit over-the-top. Who would waste that much money? *He said, knowing full well that he's probably spent multiple antique kimonos worth of money on the cats in his life*
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RELATED:
#2
This Cat Has Seen Things
Anthony Elmore 2 months ago
Don't think the author of the list was going for strict historical accuracy. Good to know the artist's name, though. It really is a good piece.
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MistBorn 2 months ago
It has also heard things and doesn’t wish to anymore
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Riley Quinn 2 months ago
No, that cat is being throttled and watching it's life flash before it's bewildered eyes.
#3
I Do Lack Cat Armor
Anthony Elmore 2 months ago
That little bundle of derp is probably sitting in their fuming that their owner had the audacity to give them a frog helmet instead of a cat helmet.
The Medieval Cats subreddit has been around since 2019 and has amassed nearly 5,000 members. But it’s no surprise that this community has been so successful. It has a simple premise, asking members only to share “pictures of medieval cats,” but it seems like they’ll never run out of images to post!
In this subreddit, you can find portraits of royal cats, hilarious looking cats playing musical instruments, creepy cats that might give you nightmares and even precious pets that must have been extremely loved by their owners. If you have cats of your own, I’m sure you’ll see some images that look surprisingly familiar on this list. And if you’re not a cat owner, well, maybe these images will inspire you to become one!
#4
Artist Accurately Captures A Mood
Ana Ferreira 2 months ago
When I was a kid, and went somewhere with my parents, and they'd run into some acquaintance and stop and talk for ages. That's that cat.
#5
There's This Cat Painting In My City's Museum That Cracks Me Up Every Time I See It
Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago (edited)
1 part cat, 1 part rabbit, 1 part Uncle Fester.
Abel 2 months ago
And 1 part of the face of your mother disappointed in you.
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Leslie Bol 2 months ago
That’s what happens when they try to sneak through the closing door and don’t make it
SchadenFreudian Psychology 2 months ago
The cat (?) looks like it was caught in the act of getting into something it wasn’t allowed to.
#6
Not Sure If It Counts
Anthony Elmore 2 months ago
KIND of? I need a shot of insulin after viewing this 😂
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One interesting fact about cats during the Middle Ages is that they weren’t always seen as a good thing. In fact, World History Encyclopedia explains that in much of Europe, particularly areas that practiced Christianity, these fluffy little creatures were often seen as pests. And sometimes, they were even considered demons.
To ancient civilizations, cats were highly regarded and sometimes seen as royalty. But by the time the 13th century rolled around, most Europeans weren’t interested in keeping cats as pets. And as soon as the church decided that felines were associated with the devil, they were condemned and cast out.
#7
The First Cat With A Name Was An Egyptian Cat Named Nedjem Meaning "Sweetie" Who Lived During The Reign Of Thutmose Ill (1479-1425 Bce)
Janissary35680 2 months ago
I've not seen this before. It appears to be "Tomb of Nakht, 18th dynasty Egypt, c. 1400 BC". The image is in the Cairo Museum.
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
Most of the cat names in ancient Egypt were some variation of "meow". Although beautiful, Egyptian arts tended not to be very inventive, they left that to the engineers.
#8
Found On Twitter. I Think It Belongs Here
WindySwede 2 months ago
"A four legged creature, not do dissimilar to an quoll"
Load More Replies... Janissary35680 2 months ago
Yes. Apparently the "Cuirass & Helmet" cat armor design shown elsewhere in this thread was objected to.😾
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Jrog 2 months ago
This is a contemporary artwork by a japanese illustrator, BTW. Not "medieval" by a few centuries.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 months ago
Eh, "medieval" can be an art genre. I know that there are modern ukiyo-e artists nowadays even though its heyday was in the 1600s-1700s. Yes, the medieval time period was an era in history, but I think we can also apply it as an adjective to a certain art style ;)
Load More Replies... #9
"La Bialmisria Akiiki, That's Not For You."
Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
But only a fool wouldn't wear chain mail while doing this.
Grumpy old man 2 months ago
That would be Sargon, who slayed Tiama'at and created the world from her bones
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Cee Cee 2 months ago
Assyrian. Apparently fairly recent. 1988 according to Goggle Lens.
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Gebidozo 2 months ago
Apparently, the same barbers took care of Assyrian men and Assyrian lions. Later, the ancient Persian Empire adopted the lion statues and their hairdos. Even later, 7th century AD and beyond, the Chinese borrowed those lions with those same curls, as well as their word for “lion”, from the Persians. Such lion statues are everywhere in China.
Despite how adorable the kitties are, black cats, in particular, have had a difficult time throughout history. How Stuff Works notes that in 1233, Pope Gregory IX proclaimed that these kitties weren’t just bad luck but an incarnation of Satan. Because of this, black cats were often burned alive during festivals, and their populations tragically dwindled.
Unfortunately, even today, we can still see the impacts of these terrible claims. It’s a common superstition that black cats are bad omens, and these cute, dark kitties are still the least likely to be adopted from rescues. So if you’re in need of a new family member, don’t hesitate to give a sweet black cat a chance!
#10
So I Made A Choice Today
Vera Diblikova 1 month ago
This papal schizma was our everyday problem. They never decided which one is catholic or protestant.
#11
"Now, See, Those Are The Toe Beans & This Here Is A Snoot, You're Gonna Wanna Boop That"
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 months ago
Spicecake is such a sweet affectionate kitten, she starts purring even before I pick her up/pet her. But for some reason, being smooched OFFENDS HER to the roots of her soul. So of course I smooch her snoot (gently) occasionally - she pulls back her head and just gives me this "how COULD you???????" look XD I'm not sure how she will react to a snoot boop. Will attempt ASAP. XD
Load More Replies... Janissary35680 2 months ago
Karl Gussow (1843-1907), so rather more distant from "Medieval" than Da Vinci.🤷
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#12
A Fat Cat Painting By 18th Century Qing Dynasty Artist Min Zhen
Thankfully, however, the entire world wasn’t cruel to cats during the Middle Ages. In fact, HistoryHit reports that the Islamic world was very welcoming towards kitties. Apparently, they were very common pets for people at all levels of society to keep. And according to Islamic tradition, cats are ritually clean, meaning that they’re more acceptable pets than dogs or other animals. Because of this, they’ve been welcomed into homes and sometimes even into mosques.
#13
The Modern Cat That Looks Medieval
Coreopsis C. 2 months ago
Never ceases to amaze me the dumb s**t this site (and Cheezburger too, TBF) chooses to censor. It's a CAT BREED.
Load More Replies... Gebidozo 2 months ago
He also looks like an old sea captain, one of those with beards but no mustache. Needs to be chewing on a pipe. “Aye aye, Cattain!”
Panda Cat 1 month ago
Oh! I hate that look. It’s one reason I couldn’t be Amish because that’s what they do.
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#14
It's A Little Pre-Medieval
Remi (He/Him) 2 months ago
Be careful the kitty doesn't go after other things you've got dangling around
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
I think most cats learned that one pretty early.
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#15
French Royalty In The 18th Century:
Tabitha 2 months ago (edited)
Oh I think there are quite a few presently in charge (unfortunately for those of us who didn’t put them there), who have gotten way too big for their britches and are overdue for a painful comeuppance. I have the popcorn, soda, and snacks standing by to watch that spectacle unfold when their day of reckoning comes. Hope it’s televised, because I plan of having the DVR catching every second of it.
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Niki 2 months ago
Well, heads did roll. I'm sorry, I'll see myself out. Which I can do, since I am not an 18th century French noble!
Cats were also viewed more positively in Asia than in Europe. HistoryHit explains that they were first welcomed into households to help deal with the issue of mice running rampant, but by the time the Song dynasty came around, they were kept as pets as well. In fact, certain breeds, such as the lion-cat, were bred specifically to be pets due to their interesting appearance. And in Japan, cats were often seen as symbols of good luck.
#16
Medieval Cat's Paw Prints On Manuscript (C. 1100s). 900-Year Old Kitty Getting In Trouble
Sam Trudeau 2 months ago
"Thine paw prints have stained my manuscript, but thou art too cute to provoke my fury against thee."
Anthony Elmore 2 months ago
A reminder that medieval manuscripts in latin (and probably other languages) frequently are ridiculously hard to translate even if you know latin, because scribes relied heavily on abbreviations to lower the page count. Paper, vellum, parchment, ect. I'm not sure which they used at the time, but it was expensive, nonetheless. This is a major power play on that cat's part, and the owner was probably super pissed about this 😂
#17
Even Cats Back Then Wanted Salami
Janissary35680 2 months ago
It started out as a still-life painting and then went south when the artist's cat decided otherwise.
Panda Cat 1 month ago
More like panna cotta. Prosciutto is oblong and only has a layer of fat along one edge. It’s also sliced more thinly.
Load More Replies... #18
I Saw This And Had To Share. It Made Me Laugh. Just Look At That Face
JusticePanda 2 months ago
That baby doesn't look to happy either. And the baby looks like he is dressed as an old clown. Or mime.
Load More Replies... Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
Some little junior clown is about to lose his sweet little face.
Coreopsis C. 2 months ago
Nah, that's two little creatures up to no good. They're scheming and plotting and planning.
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Leslie Bol 2 months ago
We talked about this Karen, I don’t like it when the creepy baby mime touches my nipples. This is your last warning before I maul the little sh!t
Even in Europe, though, not all cats were treated poorly during the Middle Ages. In fact, if you were a cat in a royal family, you were probably treated better than most people. Madeleine S. Killacky, PhD, wrote a piece for The Conversation discussing how cats were treated during medieval times, and she noted that the 14th century queen of France, Isabeau of Bavaria, spent exorbitant amounts of money on her pets. On one occasion, she even splurged on bright green fabric to have a custom cover made for her beloved cat.
#19
Saw This On Tumblr & Thought Of This Sub!
Tabitha 2 months ago (edited)
There’s a hole in the middle of the kibble which is the same as the bowl being empty, so the cats are freaking out and Mom has to get up to shake the bowl, which magically fills it up again. Been there. Am there. Done that. Doing that. Got the tee shirts to prove it. Adding more every day.
Savannah greenleaf 2 months ago
Thank goodness my black kitty was not this sinister looking when he slept on my pillow next to my head. I don't know if I could sleep with those guys looking at me plotting whatever it is that cats plot.
#20
Sculpture "Karen, Get Up", 4th Century BC
Mavis 2 months ago
Not 4th Cent BCE. It was made in 2011. But yeah its very true that cat shenanigans have been around forever.
Reddog McGraw 2 months ago
Awaken Wench!! Move thine derriere and hasten to bring me mine kibble!!
#21
Leonardo Da Vinci, Studies Of Cats And Dragons, 1515. Hopefully Close Enough To The Medieval Period To Count
Frances Pitchoune 2 months ago
I once read a great story. A magician who lived in the time of dragons adopted a cat, which he adored. But a dragon burned him, just for fun. To get revenge, the magician cast a spell on all the dragons on Earth, turning them into little mice. Now cats hunt mice. But elephants are afraid of mice. Because in their elephant memories, they remember that mice were once dragons.
bowie0923 2 months ago
great story, never heard it before, do you know what culture it's from?
Load More Replies... Meanwhile, scholars often kept cats nearby to keep them company during the Middle Ages. They were even referred to as a scholar’s “light and dearest companion” in one poem. And eulogies to people’s beloved pets have proven just how strong the bonds between cats and their owners were. Similar to how we know that cats can be great for our mental health today, it seems like they were just as beneficial for scholars hundreds of years ago.
#22
Meow
Kirsten Kerkhof 2 months ago
I need the context of the story here, because this one must be completely on purpose.
Theresa Rajan 2 months ago
Gotta get the name of that lion's hairdresser coz that is one sick looking perm
#23
We're Making A Video Game Based On Medieval Marginalia, And Here Are Our References For Our Bishop Cat (A Healer Unit)
Jrog 2 months ago
The game is called "Inkulinati" and it came out three years ago. Decent casual strategy game, gets repetitive pretty fast. BP is scraping the bottom once again.
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#24
A Medieval Special: "Creepy Kids With Creepy Cats"
Helen Edwards 2 months ago
Its a genre that features quite a few children with their cats
Load More Replies... We hope you’re enjoying your scroll through these hilarious images of medieval cats, pandas. Keep upvoting the ones that make you smile, and let us know in the comments below if you know of any other adorable paintings of kitties from that time period. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda list featuring art from the Middle Ages, look no further than right here, my lord!
#25
Jan Sanders Van Hemessen 1543
Ana Ferreira 2 months ago
Quail maybe. They're tiny. Or maybe something like sparrows or finches, people used to eat them too.
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#26
Kittens On Sheets Of Music, Julius Adam
We ride at dawn biatches 2 months ago
When my mum would practice her singing lessons, the cat would stand next to her and miauw loud - complaining I bet
joann fielding 2 months ago
Username checks out! Haha where's Toulouse and Berlioz?
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#27
His Arrival Was Foretold In The Ancient Murals
David Morgan 2 months ago
Huh. That is a really odd bit of biology - I wonder why the colouring is only on the female genes? Black/whites, white/oranges can be both male and female, so I wonder why the trifecta is recessive in males.
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#28
Safety First
#29
"It's The Goths! They've Come To Sack Us!"
Seraphim Fimmel 2 months ago
Probably Mt. Athos, a large monastic settlement of Greece. Cats are very popular with monastics (Monks or nuns), and often may wander and rest in churches or cathedrals. They have been known to take their rightful place on Bishop's Cathedra. (Thrones or chairs).
#30
When The Selfie Comes Out Better Than Expected So U Have To Show It Off
#31
Centuries May Pass, But The Blep Is Eternal
#32
I Have No Words
Panda Cat 1 month ago
I have a tattoo of an Asian tiger on my back. i wouldn’t swear to it but I think it’s from the LA County Museum of Asian Aft.
Load More Replies... JusticePanda 2 months ago
I think these paintings look like the what you expected versus what you got pictures. Or they flunked art school.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 months ago
Not in the slightest. Thylacines had long muzzles, small paws, and stiff, immobile tails.
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#33
I Am Speed
Leslie Victor 2 months ago
So what is really going on here?? Kinda looks like kitty going to go boom....
Jennifer Kruse 1 week ago
Early version of targeted missiles. Send the cat to the other side to start a fire. Poor cat.
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Julia Mckinney 2 months ago
I can attest that "pspspsps" works. One day we couldn't find our cat AND the backdoor had been accidently left open for a bit. The last 2 times the cat got out, it took 3-6 days and lots of searching & cutting through the blackberry bramble behind our house to get him back out of the bramble. After searching almost everywhere, including the bramble, I had a thought. I went upstairs and started doing "pspspsps". He emerged from the (closed) family room closet in 5 seconds. We were all very relieved.
#34
A Favorite From My Personal Collection
Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
You know, if you take out the humanoid nose, it doesn't really look that bad. Of course, it doesn't really look that GOOD either.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 months ago
When a human and a cat love each other very much, they... wait, no, that's illegal.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
That looks more like a werecat. Yes, there are werecats, werebears, wereanimals of many kinds.
Coreopsis C. 2 months ago
I believe it. I read a Spider Robinson book as a teenager that had a werebeagle in it. I've never looked at beagles quite the same way ever since.
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Purple Gurl 3 weeks ago
OK-I thought we were never mentioning the big screen version of CATS and it's vaguely humanoid creatures again
#35
(Breathing Intensifies)
Savannah greenleaf 2 months ago
That cat looks unsettling to me. I think maybe because his face and paws look a bit too human-like?
#36
Probably Not Medieval, But Have A Look:
Savannah greenleaf 2 months ago
Is that a kitty self portrait depicting what life should be like?
Lorraine R 2 months ago (edited)
I thought the Scottish Fold breed originated in the 20th century.
Panda Cat 1 month ago
There may have been a folded ear mutation popping up now and then.
Load More Replies... SchadenFreudian Psychology 2 months ago
At first I thought the angel wing on the left side was a cigarette sticking out of the cat’s mouth.
#37
Medieval Cat Is Big Mad
JusticePanda 2 months ago
Why do some of these cats look like they could go toe to toe with a pit bull?
Lorraine R 1 month ago
Because some cats could: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1k4wNXfDB8
Load More Replies... #38
These Lazy Cats! When I Was A Kitten I Slept In The Dirt! And I Liked It!!
#39
Not Quite Medieval. But A Bit Derpy Nonetheless
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 months ago
Naw, that's an "I'm about to pounce on the toy/your foot" pose. Stressed would be curled in a ball, tail tucked against the body, ears flat.
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#40
Found This Guy While Working For A Customer. He's Such A Beauty
Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
If I were anywhere near that cute I would spend a lot of time in front of my mirror as well.
tresgatos72 2 months ago
"Because you're good enough, you're smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like you!"
#41
Miau
Bill Swallow 2 months ago (edited)
Well, at least it looks a lot more like a cat than many of these. Even if it *is* wearing a toupee.
#42
The Look You Get When You Start Questioning All Those Late Night Snacks
#43
Don’t Know If It Counts But Ah Well
Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
Yeah, but who's going to be fool enough to try to stick a cat's tail in that part of the armour?
tresgatos72 2 months ago
Who's going to be fool enough to try to stick a cat in that armor, period?
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jksyd 2 months ago
Ah this is Jeff De Boers work, and it’s brilliant. Saw it back around 2003 at Banff - a few dozen different armor styles (English, French, Japanese, different periods) all perfectly executed and some with matching mouse armour. Wish I bought it then - it’s now worth over usd$25k for a single piece
Anthony Elmore 2 months ago
Some poor page was totally in charge of putting Sir Fluffum's armor on before battle. Actually, given medical technology at the time, SEVERAL pages were charged with fitting Sir Fluffum put passed away due to infection after Sir Fluffum had pointed criticisms of their fitting technique.
#44
My Skirt Has Medieval Cats On It!
#45
Absolute Unit
PeepPeep the duck 2 months ago
He looks like the most spoilt brat ever 😂 imagine how he would have treated his servants, demanding the finest in milks and imported dried fish
Oskar vanZandt 2 months ago (edited)
I understand the cat is "photoshopped" in... Can imagine that kid had a large meat pie as a prop. And pet.
#48
Cat Tossing Never Really Took Off As A Sport
Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
Because when the cat landed he tore the faces of those nasty women to shreds.
Bill Swallow 2 months ago
Gigi is wondering where the heck Kiki is and when she will swoop in and rescue him.
#49
"Thank You Blacksmith, My Chainmail Is Purrrfect."
Mike F 2 months ago
When I first put a collar on my male cat he acted like I had shanked him.
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Multa Nocte (she/tiger quoll) 2 months ago
I am pleased to see that we finally have electric cats we can plug in.
#51
So, A Bit Older Than Medieval, But Will You Allow?
#52
My Friend Loved This Medieval Cat So Much I Framed Two Prints For Us
#53
Ruth Knows What's Up
detective miller's hat 2 months ago
Back when I was skinny, I had quite a few Baroque gowns, and one of my cats loved hanging out on the side, sitting atop the pannier. So I have to think that back in the 1700s there were ladies wandering about the house with a cat riding on their gowns using the pannier as a bed.
Lorraine R 2 months ago
Or making themselves comfortable in the pockets of the farthingales.
Load More Replies... #54
I'm A Cat . . . I'm A Kitty Cat! And I Dance Dance Dance Dance. . ."
Bill Swallow 2 months ago
For those wondering - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaA_cs4WZHM&list=RDSaA_cs4WZHM&start_radio=1
#55
*Purring Intensifies*
Janissary35680 2 months ago
The text says: "Old St Mark he had a lion / Whose teeth were white as snow / And everywhere that St Mark went / The lion was sure to go."
#57
Strong Boi
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What do you think ?
Janissary35680 2 months ago (edited)
Great pix but... Though BP editors love to use the word "medieval", they can generally be expected to misuse it more often than not. I get the feeling that for BP editors, "medieval" means "before I was born".😄
Auntriarch 2 months ago (edited)
If a BP title ever uses the words "mediaeval" or "renaissance", abandon definitions all ye who enter here
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Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
I think Adelaide needs a refresher course in Art History before she posts any more of these, at least a quarter were misidentified and definitely NOT medieval.
Janissary35680 2 months ago (edited)
Great pix but... Though BP editors love to use the word "medieval", they can generally be expected to misuse it more often than not. I get the feeling that for BP editors, "medieval" means "before I was born".😄
Auntriarch 2 months ago (edited)
If a BP title ever uses the words "mediaeval" or "renaissance", abandon definitions all ye who enter here
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
I think Adelaide needs a refresher course in Art History before she posts any more of these, at least a quarter were misidentified and definitely NOT medieval.
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