50 Pics Of Cats So Adorable They Should Probably Be Declared National Treasures

In the thousands of years since humans domesticated cats, our furry friends have undergone a tremendous evolutionary process, diversifying into hundreds of the most bizarre and diverse breeds - from Angoras to Scottish Folds, from Maine Coons to Sphynxes. But the most important thing has remained with them after millennia: their unique independent character.

At literally any moment in their lives, cats look so important that it doesn't just create the impression, but rather a growing confidence: we didn't domesticate them; they regally allow us to care for them, offering them food and treats... And they, magnificent and unique kitties, sometimes condescend to us with their noble attention.

The protagonist of the famous story "The Little Prince" said: "We are responsible for those we have tamed!" Well, cats seem to seriously believe that they actually tamed us - and they care for us throughout their lives. This care package includes: early awakening, regular scurrying to the door to open it when they meow, and obligatory rest when they fall asleep on our laps.

The collection of pics we present to your attention today includes cats of various sizes and ages, different breeds and levels of fur, some feisty, some kind... But the most important thing that distinguishes all these photos is the sense of self-importance and dignity that each kitty literally radiates.

Interestingly, this very same feeling can be seen in images of cats from different eras, from the sacred cats of ancient Egypt to the stylish and elegant kitties of the magnificent Renaissance. The main thing is for the human artist to be talented enough to convey the special expression on their furry faces...

Let’s take, for example, the famous "Gayer-Anderson cat" - an ancient bronze sculpture of a cat that, by the most conservative estimates, is over two and a half thousand years old. It has the same proud posture, the same eyes that looked at the legendary pharaohs in the same way, sensing their own importance.

Or, for example, the notorious collection of sketches by Simon Bond, called "101 Uses for a Dead Cat." Even the unalive kitties in these pictures appear proud and independent. Incidentally, despite accusations of cruelty and ailurophobia (yes, a pathological fear of cats), Bond's collection sold in incredible numbers in the early 1980s.

Incidentally, it was Simon Bond and his cartoons that became yet another manifestation of the so-called “cat craze” in global culture, a worthy continuation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Cats" and Jim Davis's comic strips about the ginger cat Garfield. Well, we do hope this collection of magnificent cat photos will also live up to its iconic predecessors.

Be that as it may, we’re almost certain that the most important thing in this collection is not the text, no matter how outstanding or even brilliant it may actually be. The main thing is the divine and unique photos of beautiful cats, so please feel free to view them all, enjoy them all, and maybe add your own ones in the comments. If, of course, you were blessed from above to have a kitty at home.