Cats Have Ruled Art For Centuries And These 65 Works Prove It

If you believe cats became famous only after the rise of the internet, history would like a word. Long before memes and viral clips, felines were already posing proudly in paintings, carvings, and illustrated manuscripts.

From ancient civilizations to classical European studios and modern galleries, artists have been drawn to their grace and mystery. Cats have symbolized everything from protection and independence to elegance and quiet rebellion.

The Instagram page Cats in Art gathers these timeless creations in one place. It highlights how deeply our favorite four legged companions have shaped visual culture across generations.

We have selected some remarkable pieces for you to explore. Scroll down and enjoy a fascinating journey through art history, all told through the watchful eyes of cats.

1. “Cat at the Window” by Antonio Guzman Capel

2. Woman and Cat by Peter Harskamp

3. Artwork by Shou Xin

4. Straight on Till Morning by Maggie Vandewalle

5. “Three black cats” by Carl Karhler

6. “Sita And Sarita, Or Young Girl With A Cat” by Cecilia Beaux

7. The Couple by Inessa Morozova

8. Mother by Sarah Fox-Davies

9. The Bachelor’s Party by Louis Wain, 1939

10. Paintings by Alexandre-François Desportes, France

11. Mother Cat with her Kittens” by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip

12. “Her Favourite Pet” by Léon Jean Basile Perrault, 1800s, France

13. Cat in a Summer Meadow by Bruno Liljefors, 1920

14. Sleeping Girl by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1880, The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, USA

15. Artwork by Maya Perez

16. “Night cat” by Dillon Samuelson

17. “Armed and Dangerous,” England, 15th century

18. Painting by Vanessa Stockard

19. Artwork by Daniel Arthur

20. Artwork by Nanaki Jun, Japan

21. Black Cat and Tomato by Takahashi Hiroaki, Japan, 1931

22. Cat king, Germany, 15th century

23. Artwork by Francis-Marie Martinez de Picabia

24. Great Cat by Miroco Machico

25. “Spring is following the cat” by Volodymyr Kornev, Ukraine

26. Difficult choice by Ricky Way

27. Artwork by Alison Friend

28. “Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog” by Ammi Phillips, 1830, USA

29. “In the yard” by Olga Kvasha, Ukraine

30. Cats’ Christmas Party by Louis Wain, 1910

31. Artwork by Vicky Mount

32. The Sleeping Girl by Jean Leon Basile Perrault, 1890, France

33. Ankle View with Cat by Carol Wilson

34. In a Roman Osteria by Carl Bloch

35. Reading Kitten by Debra Hall

36. Nina with Cats by Gabriele Munter, 1927

37. The Great Cat by Franco Matticchio, Italy, 1957

38. Cat and Fish by Volodymyr Kornev, Ukraine

39. Artwork by Oleksandr Yanuta, Ukraine

40. Artwork by Vicky Mount

41. Room with a View by Stephanie Lambourne

42. Raminou by Suzanne Valadon, 1920

43. Two in blue

44. La Baronne Émile D’Erlanger, ROMAINE BROOKS, 1924

45. Artwork by Franz Mark, 1910

46. Artwork by August Macke, 1910

47. Cat in Front of the Fire by Stephen Darbishire

48. Charming Cat by Léon Charles Huber

49. Artwork by Michael Sowa

50. Artwork by Ricky Way

51. Cat’s World by Regina Shadhan

52. Artwork by Stephanie Lambourne

53. The White Cat by Pierre Bonnard, 1984, Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

54. Children with a Cat, by Dirck Hals, 1631, The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, USA

55. Cat Marysia by Iren Krasiuk

56. Portrait of Pierre Loti, HENRI ROUSSEAU, 1891

57. Artwork by Magrit Selska, Ukraine

58. Cats by Frank Mark, 1909

59. The Cat Card Players by Paul Cézanne

60. “The Tabby Toboggan Club” by Louis William Wain, 1898

61. Artwork by Franco Gentilini

62. Cat by August Macke, 1912

63. Painting by Lee Kaplan

64. Still Life With Green Soup by Fernando Botero, 1972

65. Artwork by Peter Klucik