Meet Famous Artists and Their Cats (Cuteness Overload)

Posted on August 10, 2025 by Jim deMaine

from Daily Art – Thanks to Ann M.

artists cats: Gustav Klimt with Katze. Pinterest. Detail.

Gustav Klimt with Katze. Pinterest. Detail.

So many great artists have shared one very special love: the love for cats. Here you will find six modern artists who loved their felines and have taken photos with them.

1. Salvador Dalí with His Pet Ocelot, Babou

artists cats, Dali and his ocelot
Salvador Dalí with his ocelot Babou, 1965. The Library of Congress, Washington, DC, USA.

In the 1960s Salvador Dalí bought a pet ocelot called Babou, which accompanied him on a leash and a studded collar nearly everywhere he went – including, famously, a restaurant in Manhattan. When a fellow diner became alarmed, he calmly told her that Babou was a normal cat that he had “painted over in an op-art design.”

2. Henri Matisse Loved His Cats: Minouche and Coussi

artists cats, Robert Capa, Henri Matisse with cat curled between his legs, working from his bed, Nice, France
Robert Capa, Henri Matisse with the cat curled between his legs, working from his bed, Nice, France. The Robert Capa and Cornell Capa Archive, Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa, 1992.

In the last decade of his life, Henri Matisse suffered from cancer and spent most of his time in bed or in a wheelchair. A number of cats kept him company. (continued page 2 or here)

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