Cat statues in York are an unusual tribute to a long-standing tradition (22 photos + 1 video)

A century-old tradition has resulted in a small but unique collection of cat figurines.





The city of York in England has had a tradition of honoring cats with statues for over a century.



York's cat statues are concentrated in the city centre and perched on eaves, roofs and chimneys throughout the city. The pair of metal cats originally appeared around the turn of the century, and are thought (though this is likely apocryphal) to have been created to keep rats away from the nearby river.





Then, in the 1980s, architect Tom Adams commissioned sculptor Jonathan Newdick to create several new cat sculptures and use the historic originals as inspiration for a new urban tradition. Adams placed a cat sculpture on each of the buildings he designed in the area. And soon, other entrepreneurs and building owners followed suit, creating a new identity for the city and a small industry of cat-related tourist shops.



There are currently 22 sculptures in the city, and many businesses offer maps of the York Cat Walk. However, due to constant thefts and new additions to the public collection, many of the cats on the maps are proving to be as elusive as their real-life counterparts.





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