By Bryan Harroun on July 31, 2025 Image I'm a big fan of art history, and I'm also a big fan of cats. Naturally, I decided to review and 'objectively' rank some of the best depictions of cats I could find on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). I took several factors into account while compiling this list, including the accuracy, the essence, and the sheer quantity of cats per work of art. After hours of careful consideration and curating, I've created the most non-biased, objective and correct list of cat pieces at Mia. Sir Edwin Henry’s, The Cat’s Paw, 1824, takes first place just for the sheer number of cats. We see a total of three in this painting based on Jean de La Fontaine's, where a monkey tricks a cat into getting the chestnuts roasting on an open fire. This piece is on view in gallery 305. Water Pitcher, 18th century, takes second place due to it not just being a beautiful piece of art, but a utilitarian one. The bronze leopard’s tail serves as a handle and allows the oba (king) to pour water from its nose for hand-washing ceremonies. According to Benin belief, the origins of these animal water vessels can be traced back to King Ewuare the Great, who retrieved them from the underwater palace of the sea god, Olokun. This piece is on view in gallery 250. Pierre Bonnard’s, Dining Room in the Country, 1913, takes third place for its silly kitty. Tucked in the bottom right corner, we see a cat peeking from behind the arm of the dining room chair. It’s only a small part of the much larger scene in the artist's life, featuring his own dining room, and his wife peering in from the windowsill outside on a sunny day. It’s Bonnard’s impressionist style of brush strokes and bold colors that make this cat’s eyes seem to glow and look through the viewers. This piece is on view in gallery 355. Lyman Fent and Co.’s, Lion, c.1849-1858, takes fourth place for its unique texturing and speckled look. The company was known for its pottery and utilitarian earthenware, and while this lion does not seem to serve a specific function, it still serves as a lovely piece of manufactured art. This piece is on view in gallery 331. Crouching Lion, 330-317 BCE, takes fifth place because it technically has the least amount of cat with its missing limbs. That being said, as is typical of most late ancient Greek sculpture, the sheer accuracy and detail of how the muscles of the shoulder tense we can tell it’s still crouching. This piece is on view in gallery 340. Learn MoreThe Cat’s Paw(artsmia.org)Water Pitcher(artsmia.org)Dining Room in the Country(artsmia.org)Lion(artsmia.org)Crouching Lion(artsmia.org)