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catistory.bsky.social
catistory
@catistory.bsky.social
3.9K followers 200 following 110 posts
A whiskered walk through history. (Art) historians based in Amsterdam, sharing stories of cats in history, art, and literature from around the world.
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jp-sonz.bsky.social
ご機嫌の朝
（鳥取市滝山｜アーカイブ）

A cheerful morning
(Takiyama, Tottori City | Archive)

#笑顔 #Smile
雪の積もる場所で、目を細めて笑顔の猫。モノクロ写真。 A smile cat squints in a snowy spot.
February 3, 2026 at 11:43 PM
catistory.bsky.social
M.C. Escher, famed for interlocking fish, birds and reptiles, was also a devoted cat lover. In 1919 he left architecture for graphic arts, mastering wood‑ and linocuts. His landlady gave him a white cat, his constant companion and muse, featured in a woodcut.
A black and white cat A black and white cat A man in a black and white suit, with a white cat on his lap.
February 7, 2026 at 8:45 AM
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gregmorosoff.bsky.social
From the book
'How the Amazon Queen Fought the Prince of Egypt'
Art by Tamara Bower
March 22, 2005
40 pages
Watercolor and Gouache

Her archive of cat related art is unrivaled.
I thank her very much for everything she does.

#MenWithCats
From the book 'How the Amazon Queen Fought the Prince of Egypt' Art by Tamara Bower March 22, 2005 40 pages Watercolor and Gouache
February 4, 2026 at 10:40 PM
catistory.bsky.social
A few brave and strong cats from the archives of the University of Minnesota.
In this black and white photo, a woman in a printed dress, seated on a chair, holds a black cat. In this black and white photo, a cat sits atop a full sack. This black and white photo shows a cat sitting. He or she appears to be staring directly into the camera.
January 31, 2026 at 1:38 PM
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historyisallaround.bsky.social
Cat Distracts Sailors and Royal Marines on HMS King George V during World War I. #History #WorldWar1 #WW1 #Cat #Caturday #CatsInHistory #FirstWorldWar #RoyalNavy #RoyalNavyHistory #MaritimeHistory #NavyHistory #Photograph
Cat Distracts Group Photograph
Sailors and Royal Marines of HMS King George V before Zeebrugge Raid of April 1918
open.substack.com
January 24, 2026 at 5:45 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Art Institute Chicago, 1950-1955, photo by Ed van der Elsken

For all the black cats (and the people who have loved them)
A couple, whose faces are only partly visible, hold up a surprised-looking black cat between them.
January 24, 2026 at 6:03 PM
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barbaravanschaik.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
From the analog print archive: have a stray cat #caturday

#catsofmastodon #fedicats
A stray cat, looking straight at the photographer with a fierce stare, is walking behind the bars in front of a window, while its reflection in the window looks like a black cat. The image is in black and white, and it is a scan of an analog print
January 17, 2026 at 3:45 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Archive Breda, photographed by Johan van Gurp, 1985

Another lazy weekend for cat Monet
Cat Monet, black with quite a lot of white bits (face, belly, paws), lies on the edge of a table (covered by a Persian rug). Behind the cat a man with an 80s hairdo, smoking and with a glass of beer in front of him, seems to be talking to someone who is not in the picture. In the background there are records and a record player.
January 17, 2026 at 10:48 AM
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subrosamagick.bsky.social
This vintage 1913 French postcard features a black cat resting in a bed, with the caption "Porte Veine," meaning "bringer of luck." At the time, black cats were linked to superstition, so the card playfully presents the cat as a symbol of good fortune.
via History Cool Kids
December 21, 2025 at 6:35 AM
catistory.bsky.social
Gabriël Metsu, often overlooked among animal painters of the 17th century, depicted genre scenes featuring cats with evident delight. For those seeking genuine animal affection in art, Metsu’s works are a treasure trove.
A color painting of a woman and a cat. The woman is sitting with a plate on her lap and bread in her hand. The cat appears to be standing on his back legs with his paws on the woman’s skirt. In this painting, one woman sits reading while another prepares fish while standing near a table. A cat is seated on the floor in front of a plate of fish. In this painting, a woman sits while cutting food on a small table in front of her. A small cat can be seen on the floor, nibbling on what appears to be animal bones. In this painting, a woman sits at a table and eats something off of a spoon. A cat sits at her feet.
January 10, 2026 at 10:45 AM
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wentrogue.bsky.social
1958 #Caturday story from the Times
A Headline From History MOUSE CRASHES CAT HIGH SOCIETY January 3, 1958. An unlikely guest "was welcomed with open paws" at a preview for the Empire Cat Club's championship show in New York City the previous day: a pet mouse, The Times reported. The rodent, named Mr. Mousie, had been allowed entry to the event at the New Yorker Hotel because of his "close personal friend" Prince Mickey, a 2-year-old cat and double champion. Both animals belonged to Mrs. Evelyn Adams of the Bronx. The hotel had "no objection" to Mr. Mousie's presence, "though it was clear that none of his unvouched-for friends or relatives would be tolerated," according to The Times. Also present at the preview was Louise Fatima, a 2½-month-old cat who, according to her owner, Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy of Russia, descended from the Egyptian pharaohs' royal cats. "Despite this," The Times wrote, "everyone calls her Lulu."
January 3, 2026 at 5:24 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Haarlem, The Netherlands, 1949

January malaise meets post-holiday blues
A black-and-white cat, swaddled in a towel, sits unhappily on a person’s lap, cradled with care.
January 4, 2026 at 7:47 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Looking into the new year like …

📷 Internet Archive, originally from Kittens and Cats: A Book of Tales by Eulalie Osgood Grover, 1911
A black and white photo features a kitten in a knit cap and hat A black and white photo features two kittens wearing bow ties A black and white photo features a kitten in a tiny brown hat A black and white photo features a kitten in a crown and decorated cape
December 31, 2025 at 8:21 AM
catistory.bsky.social
Happy Holidays!

Photo: Groningen Archives
A cat lies comfortably in a basket and wears what looks like a Christmas hat
December 24, 2025 at 11:09 AM
catistory.bsky.social
In February 1975, the film “Harry and Tonto” premiered in Amsterdam. The movie, centred around an elderly man and his ginger cat, offered a unique incentive – anyone bringing their cat, preferably a ginger one, received a complimentary ticket. Hundreds of attendees accompanied by their cat.
In this black and white photo, a large crowd holds up many cats. The movie poster displays an older man in glasses holding a ginger cat. A close up of a newspaper in Dutch.
December 21, 2025 at 8:38 AM
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jp-sonz.bsky.social
しっかりしろ！
（鳥取市内・アーカイブ）

Get it together!
(Tottori City — Archive)
A cat glaring right at me. こちらを睨む猫
December 17, 2025 at 12:18 AM
catistory.bsky.social
In 1961, the Dutch record Poes Poes Poes (Cat Cat Cat) was released with 8 songs dedicated to cats. The songs were written by Annie M.G. Schmidt and sung by comedian Hetty Blok. Its lyrics reflect on the daily life of house cats, with complains about the rainy weather and their stove like qualities.
Poes ... Poes ... Poes ... !
open.spotify.com
December 14, 2025 at 1:44 PM
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hotelamnesia.bsky.social
"Japan is mourning the loss of Ken-chan, the beloved black cat who spent seven years trying to slip past the sliding doors of the Onomichi City Museum of Art."
Ken-chan, Japan's Most Determined Art Museum Cat, Passes Away
The story of Ken-chan, the viral black cat who spent seven years trying to sneak into the Onomichi City Museum of Art, and his heartwarming friendship with a security guard.
www.tokyoweekender.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:32 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Here’s a new weekend!
A cat leaves a historical house via a small window in the front door. The cat seems white/ginger (the picture is black and white), its body is half visible.
December 6, 2025 at 12:04 PM
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reuters.com
Genome study reveals milestone in history of cat domestication reut.rs/3XlVnU4
Genome study reveals milestone in history of cat domestication
Whether they are a Siamese, Persian, Maine Coon, or Domestic Shorthair, there are hundreds of millions of cats living with people around the world. But despite their popularity as pets, the history of cat domestication has remained difficult for scientists to decipher.
reut.rs
November 27, 2025 at 10:40 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Julie de Graag made this woodcut in 1917—luckily for us, it was created after the fire that destroyed much of her earlier work. This cat is simply beautiful.
“Seated Cat with Closed Eyes”, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
A woodcut of a seated cat with closed eyes and its tail curled before its body. The background is black and a light colour green.
November 29, 2025 at 3:25 PM
catistory.bsky.social
Cats often wandered across early medieval manuscripts, sometimes leaving inky pawprints, as in a Croatian example. One Dutch monk even noted a cat had peed on his page, adding: “Cursed be that wretched cat.”
A photo of an old book, with old handwritten script. For cat paw prints can be seen across the pages. The painting of a monk, and a black-and-white cat. A picture of a black and white manuscript. A red circle indicates where a cat has peed on the book.
November 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
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dmacdumes.bsky.social
Cats of the past: 1969, Mayella and her honorary uncle Thutmose. I was midway between naming my cats after Egyptian pharaohs and characters from "To Kill A Mockingbird". When we adopted kitten Thutmose in 1966 we also adopted an older Russian Blue lady, Hatshepsut. Egyptologists will get the joke.
Cats of the past: 1969, Mayella and her honorary uncle Thutmose. I was midway between naming my cats after Egyptian pharaohs and characters from "To Kill A Mockingbird". When we adopted kitten Thutmose in 1966 we also adopted an older Russian Blue lady, Hatshepsut. Egyptologists will get the joke.
February 21, 2025 at 12:33 AM
catistory.bsky.social
In very good company

“Four women with a cat”,
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
A white cat is surrounded by four women dressed in what appears to be early-20th-century clothing. Two of the women are seated and two are standing behind them. The cat sits on a stool in the center. All five look into the camera.
November 15, 2025 at 11:40 AM
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biodiversitypix.bsky.social
🐅 Buffon's Natural history, .
London: Printed for the Proprietor, and sold by H. D. Symonds, 1797-1807..

[Source]
Historical illustration from "Buffon's Natural History" (1797-1807) depicting two large cats in natural settings. The top image shows a "Jaguar of New Spain," featuring a stocky feline with a yellowish coat marked by black rosettes and spots, standing on uneven terrain with shrubs and a tree in the background. The bottom image labeled "Cougar" portrays a leaner, tawny brown cat with a lighter underbelly and a long tail, standing alert on rocky ground with a muted landscape behind. Both images are finely detailed engravings with color accents, capturing the distinctive features and environments of these New World big cats.
November 12, 2025 at 1:23 AM