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Ever tried to paint a cat? It turns out that it’s not as easy as you might expect. It indeed wasn’t for these Medieval artists anyway! While they excelled at painting religious scenes, portraits of Royalty, and naked ladies, this particular type of pussy offered an altogether different challenge.

There are a couple of reasons why these funny cats look as they do in the Medieval art depictions. One of them is that the primary purpose of these paintings was to translate the religious scripts to the illiterate (bear in mind that there were relatively few people who could read - monks, priests, and the nobility), and the other, unnecessary details weren't so scrupulously painted.

On the other hand, linear perspective, giving a painting depth, was not systemized until the Italian Renaissance. That's why the given ugly cats look so flat and slightly misshapen.

While most of them have got the basic shape of a feline down to a reasonable tee in these cat illustrations, it is the face that seems to provide the biggest problem. Instead of the cute kitten features we all know and love, the artists instead appear to favor a grim, almost human-like look that makes these cat paintings look a bit, well, scary. I guess the drawings do prove, though, that we have been obsessed with sharing cat memes since way before the internet!

Scroll down to check out the list of Medieval funny cat memes compiled by Bored Panda below, and don’t forget to vote for your favorites!

#1

Yeah... Fish Is Not Gonna Work, You'll Have To Try Harder

Yeah... Fish Is Not Gonna Work, You'll Have To Try Harder

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#2

Done With Life

Done With Life

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#3

What A Cutie

What A Cutie

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Jenn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

did someone start to paint a person then went 'ah f**k it - now it's a cat' ?????

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#5

Melancholic Cat Plays The Lyre

Melancholic Cat Plays The Lyre

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#6

Cat With Eyebrows

Cat With Eyebrows

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#7

Hey Cat. Stop Licking Your Butt On The Book Of Maccabees Or You’ll Get An Arrow

Hey Cat. Stop Licking Your Butt On The Book Of Maccabees Or You’ll Get An Arrow

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Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Genius. I hope the guy who drew her got a good long laugh--all the way to his next 7-year transcription

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#9

This Must Be A Cat From The Hallucinogenic Meadows Of Scotland

This Must Be A Cat From The Hallucinogenic Meadows Of Scotland

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#11

I Know I Don't Want To Know What These Two Just Saw

I Know I Don't Want To Know What These Two Just Saw

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#12

This Bathing Cat

This Bathing Cat

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stellermatt
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah Frank, I'm taking a bath, so what?! paint a picture, it'll last longer! oh...

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#14

I Want To Have Whatever That Cat Is Having

I Want To Have Whatever That Cat Is Having

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#20

The One And Only Love

The One And Only Love

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#21

Cat Rider

Cat Rider

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Magpie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least all the parts of the face are facing the same way this time.

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#22

Defiant Cat Riding A Horse

Defiant Cat Riding A Horse

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#23

I Has Mowse

I Has Mowse

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#26

Zombie Petting A Cat

Zombie Petting A Cat

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Miss Cris
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a pity that cats had eaten all that giant strawberries at middle ages so they have been extinguished before I was born, I would love them!

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#27

This Looks Like A Lizard Pretending To Be A Cat

This Looks Like A Lizard Pretending To Be A Cat

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#28

Catnip Trip

Catnip Trip

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#29

Magpie Inspecting The Cat’s Butt

Magpie Inspecting The Cat’s Butt

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#32

Wild Cats

Wild Cats

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Jef Bateman
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think they are weasels. I thought that the one in the tree was the body of one turned into some abominable object of worship at first, but it is a weasel getting some bird eggs.

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#33

Because Why Shouldn't A Cat Be Playing A Stringed Instrument?

Because Why Shouldn't A Cat Be Playing A Stringed Instrument?

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#34

Cat Churning Butter

Cat Churning Butter

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#35

Cats’ Habits

Cats’ Habits

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Gali Soff
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the middle one has the pattern of .. The Dress https://www.google.com/search?q=the+dress&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9g57bt4_aAhUOVa0KHWFlA4YQ_AUICigB&biw=1250&bih=652 😂

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#37

That Kitten Is Not... Ok

That Kitten Is Not... Ok

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#40

Cloaked And Flower-Tailed Feline

Cloaked And Flower-Tailed Feline

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#41

Queen Cat And A Monkey Pope Tripping Balls?

Queen Cat And A Monkey Pope Tripping Balls?

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#42

Monkey Hugging A Kitten - No Wonder The She Took It As Her Own

Monkey Hugging A Kitten - No Wonder The She Took It As Her Own

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Jef Bateman
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do they put so many monkeys with the cats? Is it because monkeys used to be common as pets?

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#43

Medieval Cat Or The Ouroboros? 'Tis The Catouroboros

Medieval Cat Or The Ouroboros? 'Tis The Catouroboros

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#44

Alien Cat

Alien Cat

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#48

He Hates Meeces To Pieces

He Hates Meeces To Pieces

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#51

Someone Please Take That Kitten Out Of It's Misery

Someone Please Take That Kitten Out Of It's Misery

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#53

The King Of The Cats... Or Maybe Demons That Went Through A Food Processor?

The King Of The Cats... Or Maybe Demons That Went Through A Food Processor?

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#55

Drumming Cat

Drumming Cat

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KismetTheFox
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yo listen up here’s a story... Bout a little guy that’s blue, inside and outside Blue his house, with a blue little window

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#57

Devil And The Cat Worshippers Kissing The Cat’s Butt

Devil And The Cat Worshippers Kissing The Cat’s Butt

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