20 Vintage Cat Photos That Capture Humanity's Long-Standing Love of Felines

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Apr 27, 2025 9:00 PM EDT

When we reflect on man's long-standing love of felines, our minds tend to go primarily to the Ancient Egyptians. I mean, their love for cats went as far as literal worship. Evidence of this can be found all over the excavated dig sites across the sands of Egypt. For example, several sarcophagi containing mummified cats were found in an 4000 year old tomb in the village of Saqqara along with 100 wooden statues of cats. All of this for the cat goddess Bastet. 

While evidence of humanity's love of cats can be found all over the world, there is no better proof than pictures. Of course, photography was not invented until the the nineteenth century, but as soon as this new technology hit the scene, humans were quick to capture the likeness of their favorite furry creatures. Whether you're a cat lover, or you're interested in all things old-school, check out these adorable vintage cat pictures that prove that cats and humans are inseparable. 

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  • 01
    THE WELL FED CAT Joseph, a tabby of 48 pounds, was left a bequest by his owner, Miss Agatha Isabel Frazer Higgins, upon her death in 1969. He is famous in England for both his size and his wealth. Whatever became of him after he got rich is unknown.
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10498201856
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10498202112
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 04
    Brünnhilde Brünnhilde
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10498202624
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 06
    VOTES FOR WOMEN
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 07
    DUNCE YES, I AM A DUNCE
    via ittens and Cats: A First Reader (1911)

  • While many of these are just personal snapshots of peoples' feline friends, some of these posed and costumed shots have a lot of meme potential.

  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10498203136
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 09
    BUBBLE AND SQUEAK
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 10
    THE QUEEN IS LOOKING STRAIGHT AT ME
    via ittens and Cats: A First Reader (1911)
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10498203904
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 12
    Our michael
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 13
    THEY CALL ME LITTLE FAIRY
    via ittens and Cats: A First Reader (1911)
  • 14
    Cheezburger Image 10498204928
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10498204416
    via @vintage.dreamings

  • If you took a person from the early 1900s and brought them to 2025, they would be shocked by a lot of the new technology. However, even they wouldn't be surprised by how humanity is united through cat memes. 

  • 16
    OUGH, I AM ONE EYE PETE
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 17
    Baby.
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 18
    The Old Batchelor
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 19
    Cheezburger Image 10498208256
    via @vintage.dreamings
  • 20
    Cheezburger Image 10498208000
    via @vintage.dreamings

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Tags

throwback retro history 1920s cute cats funny cats Cats vintage vintage memes historic lols photography old school pets black and white victorian
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