22 Art History Cats for Pet Parents Picking Up Painting This Spooky Season

Author image for Melissa Knudson
Melissa Knudson • Writer
Sep 11, 2026 6:15 AM EDT

Well, at least MOST of them are cats (we think).

Cats are everywhere nowadays. They cheer us up by appearing on our daily feeds, or they throw our most breakable things over the nightstand for no apparent reason; heck, they even sometimes stare into our souls from some random corner of the house. They are a permanent presence in our daily routines. They make us awe, they make us laugh, and they make us wonder what sort of unknown magic exists inside empty carton boxes and shopping bags. They simply are part of our life. In fact, as it seems, they have been part of human lives for a while now and, being the curious, interesting and enchanting creatures they are, we have always tried to make memes out of them. Tools changed, but intentions stayed the same.  

As proof of this, we have art. For hundreds of years, all sorts of painters have tried to accurately represent these whimsical companions, in all their splendour. In fact, you have probably tried the same thing yourself at some point and, if you're anything like us, you were probably not that successful at it. But worry not! If at times you want to portray your intriguing cat friend and their uniqueness through art, but fall short when it comes to the actual painting, we have brought a collection to instantly make you think: "Well, I might be a great artist after all; who knew?"

Even though cats have been more or less the same throughout time (or so we suspect), these particular cats look a little different (some would say terrifying and very appropriate for the upcoming spooky season). We promise you will have a good old "what on earth have I just seen" moment, while also learning to appreciate your cat even more, simply for having such a horror-inspired look (most of the time, we do know how they act when they want a second breakfast). Anyways, which of these chaotic images resonates with the darkest part of your soul? Which one resembles your little cat friend the best? And if you do try to copy any of these styles, just make sure to get the…unique facial expressions of these pieces of art.

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  • 01

    It's not wrong, it's just...artistic?

    Throw back to when people couldn't draw cats 102.6K 747
    via Steve Harrington
  • 02

    Okay, this one IS wrong

    cats in renaissance art are so silly YOYOY
    via bluebybeer
  • 03

    Kind of a cat, kind of a mystical creature from horror stories

    Cheezburger Image 10663187968
    via Littlestarly
  • 04

    I see a face...just not a cat face

    Cheezburger Image 10663188224
    via Meowingtons
  • 05

    This one is at least complete?

    Cheezburger Image 10663187712
    via Elizabeth Pratt
  • 06

    This one I could get behind

    Cheezburger Image 10663191040
    via medievalcats
  • 07

    We all like a team effort, just maybe not this one

    Cheezburger Image 10663188736
    via Aleksandra Wierzbicka
  • 08

    Chubby Cheeks Diva

    Cheezburger Image 10663188992
    via Ori
  • 09

    This is a cat (maybe)

    Cheezburger Image 10663189248
    via XineAnn
  • 10

    I think this one is too

    Cheezburger Image 10663189504
    via Mimi Fanny
  • 11

    I see it, I see it

    Cheezburger Image 10663190016
    via XineAnn
  • 12

    I do not see it

    Cheezburger Image 10663189760
    via Jennifer Price
  • 13

    This one is better than us at everything, obviously

    a
    via Jayne Westwood
  • 14

    Miau indeed

    #40 Miau Miaü
    via Robyn DiCarlo
  • 15

    his one has a cute smile

    Cheezburger Image 10663190272
    via XineAnn
  • 16

    At least this one could help around the house

    "
    via XineAnn
  • 17

    It could be a snail, it could be a cat. We like to think it's both

    Cheezburger Image 10663191552
    via Design You Trust
  • 18

    This one is kind of realistic (in a very specific way)

    Cheezburger Image 10663191808
    via Jcmassou
  • 19

    This one plays some tunes

    19
    via Twitter Inc
  • 20

    This one too

    Morgan Library, New York
    via Morgan Library, New York
  • 21

    Maybe they should have a band at this point

    Cheezburger Image 10663192320
    via XineAnn
  • 22

    And finally, whatever this is

    mit me meruel it il faites uous
    via Liina

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Tags

humor painting style drawing renaissance art medieval history spooky art history Memes cute cats painting Cats funny weird animals image creativity
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