Cats have captured the imaginations of artists throughout hiss-tory. While we know them from memes and video clips, artists of earlier days showed their appreciation for our feline companions in their paintings. Their renditions range from realistic to cartoony to strangely surreal.
At Feline Good, we’ve recently had several cats surrendered to our adoption program. So, we figured we’d introduce them to y’all in a more unconventional way: by assigning them to iconic medieval cat paintings.
No. 1 Smeagol
Smeagol is a grumpy little fella, so this medieval painting featuring a furrow-browed, fed-up looking cat fits him well. He’s been in a bad mood since the day he was born. He also loves eating fish, so our staff decided to name him Smeagol after the Lord of the Rings character. True to his namesake, Smeagol loves to steal food from the other kitties and hog it all to himself, which has earned him quite the formidable reputation among our other cats. Despite his grumpy demeanor, Smeagol gives our staff lots of joy with his mischievous pursuits.
No. 2 Tawny
This questionable artistic painting of cat by a Russian artist inspires amusement. The art depicts the cat as if it had a human face melted and sunken into the cat’s face. They have a tired expression that makes you think they aren’t all quite there. This painted cat is a spitting image of how one of youngest members, Tawny, looks. He is a 3-month-old moggy given to us by a previous owner. He is pretty calm for a kitten and often keeps to himself. When we saw this painting, we knew this was the best match. Although Tawny has a cuter face than the one depicted in the art. Doesn’t the painting have its own charm to it?
No. 3 Ronald
This painting reminds us of our very own Ronald the king, who rules around these parts (only Feline Good Cafe). He’s been ruling over the other cats for ages and is well known for not always playing nicely. Ronald has a bad habit of harassing the other cats. This includes hitting and aggressively bossing around the other cats with his loud meows. Despite this, we still all love Ronald and his cute little face.
No. 4 Vasha
This Elizabethan era black cat created by Vanessa Stockard inspires the black cat energy of Vasha, a sometimes-chaotic member of the Feline Good Cafe. Vasha is a black American shorthair that loves to spend her time giving employees near heart attacks as they see her void black form manifest from random parts of the cafe. It is commonly believed that black cats are bad luck, but we believe in the Irish superstition that they are in fact good luck. Since Vasha has been with us, she invites a world of adventure and new experiences, always keeping us on our toes.
No. 5 Simba
This interesting depiction of an orange cat reminded us of our little lion king, Simba named after the Disney character from the movie Lion King. Just like his Disney character counterpart is also extremely social and outgoing. We thought this medieval cat painting looked like him the most despite this painted kitty’s appearance. He even has the same white tipped muzzle as the cat in the painting. You can see this painted orange cat sit proudly upon his little window perch much like how Simba will gaze at the people coming to and from the Feline Good Cafe.
No. 6 Williard
Williard is one of our older felines who is the chilliest cuddle buddy. He’s the coolest little dude around and loves to participate in staring contests. Trust us when we say that you cannot beat him in a staring contest; he’s very well trained! This medieval cat painting screams Williard. They both have the same blank stare that makes you really question what’s behind those little eyes.
No. 7 Olive
Olive is an industrious little guy. While he has yet to master the butter churn (unlike his medieval twin, found in an anonymous 14th-century illustration), he can be found chasing bugs and visiting guests while they are studying.
We’re not too sure of Olive’s origins. A local student found him in the Winco parking lot. It looked like he had been living outdoors for some time, since he had a runny nose and a wheezy breath. Feral cats, particularly kittens, are prone to catching upper respiratory infections (URIs). Thankfully, Olive’s wasn’t too serious, and after being given supportive care and a lengthy quarantine period, he is now ready for adoption!
No. 8 Lancelot
Lancelot is very similar to this painting, always causing trouble. His favorite pastime is to knock things over when you’re not looking. Especially if you leave your pastry unattended, Lancelot will make a run for it. Don’t let him fool you either with his chubby appearance; he’s still very fast. This fella is able to run record speeds to conquer unattended items.
No. 9 Louie
This whimsical medieval painting matches Louie in both aura and appearance. Just as this medieval cat seems happily tangled up in a colorful array of flowers, Louie loves tangling up in balls of yarn. Louie moves about the world happily and curiously, warming quickly to new people and fellow cats!
Louie was the first rescue cat to enter our adoption program. You can read more about his story here, or check out his custom, limited-edition merch.
No. 10 Boris
Boris is one of our most polite residents. You will often find him sitting contently in his favorite red cushioned chair (just like this medieval painting!) and observing customers from afar. Although he is reserved, Boris will never turn down a friendly scratch behind the ears.
Boris is an older fellow compared to his younger cat companions, and this year he is turning six years of age (an adult in cat years). He was given to Feline Good Café by a nice elderly gentleman who no longer had the means to take care of him. Our staff was heart warmed to see that the previous owner still pops into the cafe to visit Boris when he is able!
Conclusion
The newest cats at our café paw-sitively have just as much purr-sonality as their medieval counterparts. If you’re interested in meeting them in person, stop by Feline Good Café, where you can enjoy your beverage of choice alongside the company of our rescue cats.
If you’re thinking of adopting any of these cats, visit the Café in person and ask one of our team members about the adoption process. Or, if you’re from out of town, send any adoption-related questions to info@felinegood.com.
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