#vintage cats
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The nastiest habit of medieval cats seen via illuminated manuscripts.
10. Regular licking
Thomas of Cantimpré, Liber de natura rerum, France ca. 1290 (Valenciennes, Bibliothèque municipale, ms. 320, fol. 72r)
9. Licking and mouse-hunting
Ashmole Bestiary, England 13th century (Bodleian Library, MS. Ashmole 1511, fol. 35v)
8. Licking, mouse-hunting and bird-stealing
Bestiary, England 13th century (Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 764, fol. 51r)
7. Hey cat! Stop licking your butt on the Book of Maccabees or you’ll get an arrow!
below the cat: 1Maccabees 16:18-20. Bible, France 13th century (Bibliothèque cantonale et universitaire de Lausanne, U 964, fol. 376r)
6. Otter-like cat
Bestiary, England 15th century (København, Kongelige Bibliotek, GkS 1633 4º, fol. 28v)
5. Devil and the cat worshippers licking the cat’s butt
Jean Tinctor, Traittié du crisme de vauderie (Sermo contra sectam vaudensium), Bruges ca. 1470-1480 (Paris, BnF, Français 961, fol. 1r)
4. Prayerbook cats
Hours of Charlotte of Savoy, Paris ca. 1420-1425 (NY, Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.1004, fol. 125r, 172r)
3. Weirdly long tongue
Book of Hours, Lyon, ca. 1505-1510 (Lyon, BM, Ms 6881, fol. 30r)
2. Villard’s cat
Sketchbook of Villard de Honnecourt, France ca. 1230 (BnF, Français 19093, fol. 7v)
1. Licking Cat of Apocalypse
Christ on Majesty flanked by two angels blowing trumpets of the Last Judgement and a little grey guy licking its butt. Missal, Bavaria ca. 1440-1460 (New York Public Library, MA 112, fol. 7r)
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introducing people to something you like
Kitties have always liked to smell dinner in the oven…
~The day book. (Chicago, Ill.), 13 July 1916. Chronicling America. Lib. of Congress.
my grandma’s cat (Boujee, pic may have been taken anywhere around 50s - 70s) and my dad’s cat (Chillibean, pic may have been taken in the 90s). never met them, but have heard many stories