These artworks were made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), one of the last great Japanese masters of the ukiyo-e style were really a novelty of its age. Kuniyoshi started to use cats instead of humans in satirical kabuki prints in the early 1840s.


Cats Enjoying The Evening Cool, 1839-1842


via Tokyo National Museum

Engaged in Various Activities, 1840

via Matome

Practicing Their Music, 1841


via Wikimedia Commons

Dancing, 1841


via Livedoor

Three cats at an indoor party, playing a game of ken


via Suttonde

Two cats as sumo wrestlers in a famous scene from the kabuki theater


via Kuniyoshiproject

Cats imitating the tenth chapter of the novel The Tales of Genji, 1842


via Kuniyoshiproject

Cats' kabuki with some degatari chanters, c. 1842


via Kuniyoshiproject

"Six Immortal Poets" or "Six Cats with Fur of Different Colors" (the title is a pun, so both are correct), 1843-1846


via Tokyo National Museum

The view of Yoshiwara

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