A young girl in 1920s Volendam, Netherlands, poses in traditional dress with a cat in her arms.
A young girl in 1920s Volendam, Netherlands, poses in traditional dress with a cat in her arms.
Photograph by Donald McLeish, National Geographic

Cat Day: Nat Geo’s archival pictures of felines

Any day is a good day to celebrate cats.

Although known for their coy, contrarian nature, cats have proved themselves to be the most photogenic of creatures. Cat curiosity is not just a product of the digital age; the photos in this collection show that cats have been popular photographic subjects for decades.

In celebration of International Cat Day, we hope you enjoy these pictures of felines from our archives.

Also check out some of our favorite stories about cats:

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