Cats of Yore
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catsofyore.bsky.social
Cats of Yore
@catsofyore.bsky.social
290K followers 44 following 17K posts
Hi! I’m Molly Hodgdon. I live in Vermont with my beautiful FIV+ cats Francie and Marcel. Banner photo by W. Eugene Smith. Profile pic is a postcard from my collection mailed 1908.

Not a bot. Not selling anything. Just a keeper of forgotten cats.
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catsofyore.bsky.social
Cats are standing by, ready to help you wrap presents this holiday season. Photo from my collection, 1964.
Color photo of a longhaired brown tabby and white cat lying in loaf position inside a crinkly red and white striped paper bag on top of a kitchen table. It looks quite content if a bit peeved about the flash. In front of it there is a roll of wrapping paper.
November 25, 2025 at 1:48 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Welcome to the world premier of Marcel's Beans.
Photo of an adorable black and white medium haired kitten chewing on a bright green feather toy. He's reclining on a couch and you can see his pink and black toe beans.
November 24, 2025 at 11:28 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Postcard from my collection titled “The Rivals”. Undated.
Black and white studio photo of two stout longhaired kittens sitting side by side, looking chonkily relaxed and empty headed. The one on the left is black, on the right is grey.
November 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this. Photo from my collection, 1949.
Black and white photo of a kind looking older white man wearing glasses, gently holding a very brave looking tabby kitten up to the camera.
November 23, 2025 at 11:35 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Joy! 🌞 Photo from my collection, no date/info.
Black and white photo of a young white child with blond hair, sitting outside on a sunny porch. They are cradling a tabby kitten in their arms.
November 23, 2025 at 6:50 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Shit. Crying about Fergus again. Whenever I had a bad day or got bad news the first thing I'd do is go home and hold him. He'd always just relax in my arms and trigger a flood of all the good brain chemicals. It made all the bad stuff go away. I would do anything to bury my face in that fluff again.
Photo of my beautiful. brown tuxedo tabby Fergus lying asleep in an upside down rainbow umbrella.
November 23, 2025 at 3:08 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Sometimes I put in an absurdly low bid on an eBay auction with the certainty that I definitely won't get it but also a vanishingly slim hope that MAYBE by some miracle nobody else will bid. Anyway that is how I ended up adding this magnificent glass plate negative to my collection! No date/info.
Sepia toned image of a middle aged white woman in dark garments looking at a very fluffy and grumpy looking tabby cat. The cat is standing at the top of a folding wooden ladder, presumably for the purpose of displaying it for this photo because the woman seems to be gently but firmly holding it in place there.
November 22, 2025 at 6:54 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Real men have shoulder kittens. Photo from my collection, ca. 1950s.
Black and white photo of a strong jawed middle aged man wearing a sport coat and sitting up with his left hand on his knee in a manly posture. He is looking up above his left shoulder where a shorthaired white and tabby kitten is perched, looking like it’s a bit stunned by the flash.
November 22, 2025 at 2:19 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
I’m saying it.
Photo of Zohran Mamdani and Trump. Trump is looking up at Mamdani with delight and Mamdani’s head has been replaced with a pack of Marlboro cigarettes.
November 22, 2025 at 1:40 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
This is one of my favorite sets in my collection. Somewhere out there in the 1960s, a kitten and bird were pals. 💕
A small tabby and white kitten and black bird, likely a jackdaw, standing together in a dirt yard, looking to the left. They seem relaxed and at ease with each other. The same bird and kitten from the previous photo, this time strolling away from the camera in a different outdoor setting together, side by side.
November 21, 2025 at 6:40 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Gonna need an ETA on dinner. Photo from my collection, no date/info.
Color photo of a shorthaired black-and-white cat sitting on top of a wooden step ladder to peek inside the windows of a White House.
November 21, 2025 at 2:16 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
THURSDAY ART SHOW! If you are a working artist (i.e. you depend on income from your art) just respond to this post with your non-pornographic, non-violent, non-Al generated ✨CAT-RELATED✨ art/crafts and I will repost! From now until 8:30 pm EST. Include any relevant links like your website or etsy!
Photo of my fluffy white cat Francie meowing at the camera with her toothless pink mouth. Sloppy digital crayon above and below her since art show.
November 20, 2025 at 11:13 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Kitty picnic. Photo from my collection.
Black and white photo of a white woman in a short casual dress, standing in front of a blanket laid out on a lawn with a large sun umbrella. She holding two shorthaired tabby cats, one under each arm.
November 20, 2025 at 7:11 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Very advanced innovations in hunting techniques.
Photo of my adorable black and white kitten Marcel lying on his back, reaching one paw out to bat upside down at a bright green fuzzy worm toy.
November 20, 2025 at 1:29 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Another sub-genre of my collection is “cats just barely out of the reach of small children”. No date/info.
Black and white photo of a toddler in an old fashioned metal infant walker, looking at the camera. And a wooden table or bench next to him is a medium haired, tabby, cat, and a small fluffy toy that looks like it might be a poodle.
November 19, 2025 at 10:34 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Vintage dollhouse cat from my collection. Pictured on Francie for no particular reason at all.
Photo of my fluffy white cat Francie curled up asleep in my lap. On top of her a dollhouse miniature of a sleeping white cat on an orange and white tiny crocheted cushion has been very gently placed, the cat mimicking Francie’s coloring and sleeping position exactly.
November 19, 2025 at 8:31 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Oh my goodness. My friends at the local animal shelter where I volunteer just sent me this photo - they had a memorial tag made for Fergus and hung it outside. 😭
Photo of a red, heart shaped pet tag engraved with the words "In memory of Fergus, the most polite little man".
November 19, 2025 at 7:16 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
The babby. Photo from my collection, no date/info.
Photo of a young light skinned woman with curly hair, cradling a cat in her arms on its back like a baby. They are standing outside in front of a car.
November 19, 2025 at 12:50 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Oh P.S. that’s my own photo at the beginning, these were the shelter profile photos:
Photo of very cute, black-and-white, medium haired kitten, wearing a tiny cone around his neck to protect his face. Two photos side-by-side of an adorable medium haired black-and-white kitten. He looks a bit scraggly, but otherwise very cute.
November 18, 2025 at 9:50 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Screenshot of text that reads: ROZO is a fantastic example of resilience and courage ! This remarkable kitten is about 5 months old. He has a cute black and pink nose, a beautiful medium-length black and white coat soft & plush and impressively long whiskers. His golden eye sparkles with life and curiosity, but what truly sets him apart is his outgoing and playful personality. This bambino will enthrall you in a heartbeat ! ROZO was rescued at the end of August, found in a ditch on the shelter’s property. A faint meow coming from the field caught the attention of one of our staff members… Once he was safe, we discovered that poor ROZO had a serious injury to his eye. But ROZO wanted to live, and we couldn’t turn our backs on this precious treasure ! He underwent an enucleation of his right eye (i.e., surgical removal of the eye). ROZO also tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). However, due to his young age, this is often a “false positive,” so he will be retested in 1 to 2 months to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. Screenshot of text that reads: ROZO was understandably frightened when he arrived, but very quickly, our little warrior overcame his fears and revealed himself to be the most affectionate and wonderful kitten imaginable! ROZO is full of energy, curious, and cheerful. He loves playing with his toys, and when he’s let out of his cage, he explores his surroundings with joyful exuberance. A nice cat tree placed near a window or patio door would delight him—ROZO loves watching nature and climbing to his heart’s content. For nap time, he enjoys curling up in his cozy basket with a soft blanket where he feels safe. ROZO is incredibly sweet and affectionate. He loves being petted, cuddled, and kissed, and he’s very easy to handle—he’ll happily snuggle in your arms… but after a few minutes, he starts to wiggle because he’s ready to play ! This charming darling wants to spend time with you, and from his cage, he cries and whimpers to get your attention. Whisper gentle words to him, and he’ll purr softly. Once he’s bonded with you, this beautiful angel will give you his whole heart, and his love will be boundless. Screenshot that reads: ROZO will thrive in a warm and welcoming home with kind, attentive, and available adopters. This lively boy can live with children who are respectful of animals. And because ROZO is so young and confident, he could adapt well to a household with a dog that’s used to living with cats. ROZO is friendly with other cats and would be thrilled to have one or more feline friends to play with. If you already have an FIV+ cat, there’s zero risk. However, if your cat has tested negative for FIV, please note that transmission would require a deep, bleeding bite from ROZO to the other cat. The risk is quite low—but not nonexistent. The incredible ROZO embraces life with gusto and has many years ahead of him… This adorable boy will bring immense joy to your life. Our sweet little champion needs you to blossom, and he’s so eager to find a forever family who will love him unconditionally!
November 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
I thought Marcel's story from his adoption profile was lost because they pulled down the Petfinder profile so fast I didn't get any screenshots, but I just found it still up on their FB page! His name was ROZO. 🧵
Photo of an adorable black and white medium haired kitten gazing out from a high perch on a beige carpeted cat tree.
November 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
Your phone cannot tell you if your cat is a certain breed. My phone thought Fergus and Francie were a shih tzu. If you got your cat from a shelter or picked it up as a stray it is OVERWHELMINGLY likely that you have a standard mixed breed cat and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Screenshot from an iPhone photo information result it is identifying my two cats Ferguson Francy lying together as a Shih Tzu dog.
November 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
“The Family Pet” Postcard from my collection, mailed 1910.
CP toned black-and-white photo of a short haired, tabby cat sitting up for a professional photo portrait. The cat has a fancy metal collar with a bell and a light colored bowtie to it. Text at the bottom reads the family pet. In the lower right corner there’s more text that reads copyright by CE Bullard 1902.
November 18, 2025 at 6:41 PM
catsofyore.bsky.social
So young, so small, yet Marcel is already so skilled at taking up most of the couch.
November 18, 2025 at 1:52 AM
catsofyore.bsky.social
That tail! Photo from my collection, no date/info.
Black and white photo of a light skinned woman in a winter coat, standing outside and smiling at the camera while holding a very cute shorthaired tabby cat with a long tail in her arms.
November 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM