The entrance of the fairy cat in Whittington and His Cat, 1845.

From Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs and illustrated by John D. Batten, 1892.

Here's a precursor to the David Bowie lyric about "putting out fire with gasoline" ("Cat People," 1982).  From Kladderadatsch, 1923.  Speaking of cat people, see How to Be Your Own Cat.

Reblog if you agree: "I will always love them more than words can say, including my future cat children."  From L'Assiette au Beurre, 1910 (though the sentiment is our own).

From Live Language Lessons, First Book by Howard Driggs, 1920.

"Because I knew that it had loved me."  From Twenty-five Ghost Stories by West Bob Holland, 1904.

Here's a precursor to How to Be Your Own Cat.  From Le Rire, 1900.

From Kladderadatsch, 1935.

Thanks to Steven Svymbersky, who praised our non-surgical method for How to Be Your Own Cat as "a scientific breakthrough."  Prove it to your own satisfaction, at Quimby's Bookstore in Brooklyn or at Amazon.

A black cat takes a ride on a soap bubble balloon.  (One of the very few things we've believed in vintage Popular Mechanics.)  From 1931.

The mouse is saved when the cat gets spooked.  From Fliegende Blätter, 1937.

The changing of the year, via bowling cats.  From Harper's Young People, 1886.

"A reasonable explanation."  From Judge's Library, 1887.

From Harper's Young People, 1886.