Cats of the Pre-Internet Era (25 Photos)

Long, long ago, back before anyone knew what a meme or a viral video was... cats were already ruling the world! And they were just as grumpy or adorable as their modern-day internet-famous counterparts.

These retro felines weren't quite as lucky—they lived in a time before Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Instead of millions of adoring fans across the globe, only their owners' friends and family got to admire them. But we decided to set things right and give them the web fame they always deserved. This time, right here on the internet.







Grumpy Birthday: This 27-year-old cat doesn't look particularly happy to be celebrating her birthday on August 22, 1977.







This picture was taken 35 years after the grumpy birthday photo.



"Hold still!": Tim the cat can barely sit still while Laddie the dog "takes his picture," all because he spotted a mouse running by. Photo from the 1920s.



Three's company: This little kitten seems perfectly comfortable squeezed between two puppies.



Hello? Care to chat?



Mischief-makers: A playful kitten having fun with Christmas tree ornaments.



Mischief-makers: An 8-month-old cat decides to treat herself to milk straight from the bottle.



Making music: Money the cat sings along with her 15-year-old owner in Worcester Park, UK, 1959.



Tabby the cat joined the women's movement by embarking on a career as a typist in the late 1920s.



Fearless swimmer: A 2.5-month-old kitten jumped into a pool in Santa Monica, California, and swam an impressive 12 meters alongside her 10-year-old owner, 1956.



And just to break up all the cat photos—here's a picture of a puppy playing house.



Daredevils: A pair of kittens playing on a railing.



Daredevils: Mitten the black cat hitches a ride on the handlebars of his owner Karl Mitchell's motorcycle.



"Say CHEESE!"



Unlikely friends: Four-year-old cat Fluffens relaxes while a mother mouse and her seven babies use her as a soft playground, 1955.



"Hello, Kitty!": Ginger the cat tries out an old-fashioned telephone in the UK.



Fluffy music lover: Tibby listens to the radio with headphones, 1926.



Nap time: A yawning cat lounging on a wall, 1930.



A Persian kitten playing with yarn, 1950.



And here's a true beauty queen: Blue Persian breeder Mrs. Oglethorpe shows off prize-winning cat Pierrot in Wimbledon, UK, 1935.



Another champion—Twinlight Skipper Wipper, one of the contestants at the 36th Annual Atlantic Cat Club Show, 1938.



And this cat somehow managed to get involved in a car accident back in 1950.



Curious cat Tiggy stares intently into the camera lens, looking like he's trying to adjust the focus himself.



Puppy love: Hans the dachshund puppy kisses a kitten from inside a teapot, 1926.