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50 Fascinating Historical Photos That Might Change Your Perspective On Cats, As Shared By This Twitter Page (New Pics)
Interview With Owner
Say what you will, but one thing's certain: everyone's Twitter (or should we now call it 'X'?) feed has been chaotic lately. Whatever alterations the current platform CEO implemented in the algorithm seem to favor posts from verified random accounts and brands that hardly align with our interests. However, amid this whole mess, one account consistently graces my timeline – Cats of Yore.
The account delivers precisely what it promises: snapshots of cats from bygone days. These cats could be in history paintings or accompanying a child in early 20th century New York City. They can play with a ball of string or wear a top hat. They may be napping, hissing, or hanging out with their owners. Still, one thing our whiskered friends all have in common is extreme cuteness! And well, if you like cats, that's more than enough of a reason to check out some photos from Cats of Yore (click here for part one).
More info: twitter.com | Instagram
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Miss Ann Twynam and Smoky. 1943.
The description here doesn’t tell enough of this story. From Cats of Yore’s instagram: “ In 1940 Smoky the cat was rescued after an air raid during blitz. Miss Ann Twynam of Paddington took him home, and nursed him back to health. She has taught Smoky to salute, and now whenever service friends visit, Smoky loves to do his saluting turn[…]”.
Bored Panda reached out to Molly Hodgdon, the owner of "Cats of Yore" on Twitter and Instagram, a platform dedicated to showcasing vintage cat photos. A passionate lover of cats, Molly gave us a glimpse into her personal journey with these feline companions and her initiatives to support animal shelters.
When asked about a specific moment from her childhood that solidified her bond with cats, Molly recalled, "When I was a baby, my parents had a cat named Harry who was very attached to me. Even though I’m sure I was grabby like every other child, he was constantly by my side. My parents would actually try to shoo him away from me because they were afraid I would hurt him, but he’d come right back! I imagine some kind of imprinting probably took place - this feline face and presence were a constant source of comfort, joy, and tactile enjoyment for my developing brain. I still get a rush of positive feelings every time I see any cat."
Addressing the idea of curating an exhibition around vintage cat photos, Molly shared, "That would be wonderful but I’m not sure how I would do it! I live in Vermont so we don’t really have a super high concentration of galleries and museums here that might be interested in hosting such a thing, nor the crowds to support it. If anyone reading this has a connection, please get in touch! Our shared history with cats is woven through so many historical subjects - agriculture, epidemiology, religion, art, sea travel, colonization, photography, etc. It would be really fun to create an exhibit viewing human history through that lens."
This would have made a much better Sistine Chapel. Ca. 1960.
Impressed by her fundraising success for animal shelters, Molly was proud to mention, "Last Christmas was wonderful. I was raising money for our local animal shelter with a goal of $2,000 and ended up with over $10,000! Over the past few years, I’ve been able to give about $45,000 to animal shelters, low-cost veterinary and spay/neuter clinics, and farm sanctuaries. Most of that has been through Twitter, though. I'm currently working hard to build community on other platforms since the future of that site seems uncertain."
"A cat peers over the top of a Kodak Supermatic camera. " Ca. 1930.
"Three kittens cuddle in front of a giant fish tank, eyeing a very large grouper" 1952.
Regarding any cultural practices or beliefs related to cats she discovered through her research, Molly highlighted, "Japan has a very long history of truly incredible, beautiful, complex lore relating to cats. There are whole shrines dedicated to cat legends, like Nekogami Jinja and Ōmatsu Daigongen. I read a book a few months ago that collects many interesting cat legends called Kaibyō: The Supernatural Cats of Japan by Zack Davisson. I would highly recommend that to anyone interested in learning more about Japanese cat lore, plus it is richly illustrated with period pieces of art."
Smoosh. 1937.
"A man in Paris carries his cat to a local park, where he'll play cards with friends." 1968.
"Whisky the cat was 'babysitting' for young Jaqueline Hewitt's doll, but found it so comfortable in the pram that he fell asleep on the job." 1954.
Chub snugs. 1963.
It sounds odd, but cats really love the smell of human feet, particularly their human. Because of the many sweat glands there, your feet smell very strongly of you, and feet are usually at the same level of the cat, so it's very easy for them to love on you by rubbing against your feet. And they're also attracted to the saltiness of your sweat, which is why they often lick your bare feet if they get close enough. Basically, you're like one of those giant salt licks farmers put out for their cows.
Business networking. 1946.
I love how sweet this is! I love how the man stopped to pet the cat! This is melting my heart! AW!
A cat being lowered in a basket. 1933. People used to do this to let cats outside when they lived in apartment buildings. Maybe some people still do? I hope not. It's cute but doesn't seem safe.
Coolest couple in the neighborhood. Photo from my collection, 1937.
I'm impressed by the harness. I can't find one the cats that own me can't break out of.
London, 1962.
"Sorry, normally I limit this account to domestic cats but I just found this stunning night photo of a Canada Lynx in 1906 that I can't not share. "
Weather forecast: five clouds! Postcard from my collection, mailed 1907.
See? Persians DID have noses in the past, and they actually look even better that their poor brachycephalic descendants—-created by f*****g stupid “animal lovers” who are actually animal abusers who succeeded in ruining the quality of life for the animals they were criminally inbreeding to create that look. Creating a look, not breeding out a congenital condition or strengthening the stamina and vastly improving their lives. No. Creating a f*****g look. I hope those breeders are—-and will be—-burning in Hell.
"Helmuth Grandpa Deetjen at Deetjen's Big Sur Inn at Castro Canyon circa 1960."
Lunch! Ca. 1950s.
Stunning. 1943.
Kitchen helper. 1954.
Yup. Help. Audi loves to help. He's very, very good at cleaning off the clutter on the kitchen counter. You know, the drying rack, the toaster oven, the dishsoap....
Gremlin! 1976.
"British disc jockey Jack Jackson pictured with his cat ‘Tiddles’ in the studio in May 1951."
Happy home. 1950.
Elizabeth Bishop and her cat, Minnow. 1938.
Watcher. Ca. 1950.
"That is one absolute unit of void. Photo from my collection, no info known."
Mrs. Annette Munn, Mr. Munn and their pet cat. Ca. 1900.
This is what Bouche does when she wants petted. Then she moves out of reach and scolds me for not petting her.
What a great portrait - I don't know anything about this auction site though so I'm not recommending. Caveat emptor.
I can't decide if this is an author dust jacket portrait or glamour shot. 1952.
This cat knew exactly how far it needed to sit. Negative from my collection, no additional info.
"Man Seated with Cat at a Party". William Hague Foster, ca. 1940-49.
New York City, 1950.
Fishing cat! There's no date but I'm guessing 1930s because of the type of paper it is printed on.
My Master’s Hat. Postcard from my collection, copyright 1904 and mailed 1908.
I am the master. It's my sleeping hat. Go away now, so I can.
Cool guys love kittens. Photo from my collection, no further info known.
Men who love cats appreciate the complexity of the feline personality. This quality in men spills over into their relationships with people, as well.
Cats are part of the family. 1913.
Of course you pets are part of the family. You're the soft parts that open cans.
Boo! From the book 'Sam' with text by John Crawford and photos by Edward Quigley, 1937.
Cat at Front Street Playground. Ca. 1922.
"This is my cat. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My cat is my best friend. It is my life." - Full Metal Catnip
Note: this post originally had 69 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I feel so touched that you shared your collection with the rest of us. Your descriptions and comments are all so perfect. Thank you for this article.
It's confirmed. Cats have had us trained for many, many generations. We all still smile at their antics, carry them around (if allowed), stop to pet them (no matter the inconvenience), etc. I bet if we could find images of the early days of cats' "taming" they'd show the same thing.
I feel so touched that you shared your collection with the rest of us. Your descriptions and comments are all so perfect. Thank you for this article.
It's confirmed. Cats have had us trained for many, many generations. We all still smile at their antics, carry them around (if allowed), stop to pet them (no matter the inconvenience), etc. I bet if we could find images of the early days of cats' "taming" they'd show the same thing.
