What do you think?
Rate this book
Cats. Photographs 1942–2018
On a winter’s night in 1949 in New York City, young marketing student and budding photographer Walter Chandoha spotted a stray kitten in the snow, bundled it into his coat, and brought it home. Little did he know he had just met the muse that would determine the course of his life. Chandoha turned his lens on his new feline friend—which he named Loco—and was so inspired by the results that he started photographing kittens from a local shelter. These images marked the start of an extraordinary career that would span seven decades.
Long before the Internet and #catsofinstagram, Chandoha was enrapturing the public with his fuzzy subjects. From advertisements to greetings cards, jigsaw puzzles to pet-food packaging, his images combined a genuine affection for the creatures, a strong work ethic, and flawless technique. Chandoha’s trademark glamorous lighting, which made each cat’s fur stand out in sharp relief, would define the visual vocabulary of animal portraiture for generations and inspire such masters as Andy Warhol, who took cues from Chandoha’s charming portraits in his illustrated cat book.
Cats leaps into the archives of this genre-defining artist, spanning color studio and environmental portraits, black-and-white street photography, images from vintage cat shows, tender pictures that combine his children with cats and more. This is a fitting tribute not just to these beguiling creatures but also to a remarkable photographer who passed away in 2019 at the age of 98; and whose compassion can be felt in each and every frame.
Long before the Internet and #catsofinstagram, Chandoha was enrapturing the public with his fuzzy subjects. From advertisements to greetings cards, jigsaw puzzles to pet-food packaging, his images combined a genuine affection for the creatures, a strong work ethic, and flawless technique. Chandoha’s trademark glamorous lighting, which made each cat’s fur stand out in sharp relief, would define the visual vocabulary of animal portraiture for generations and inspire such masters as Andy Warhol, who took cues from Chandoha’s charming portraits in his illustrated cat book.
Cats leaps into the archives of this genre-defining artist, spanning color studio and environmental portraits, black-and-white street photography, images from vintage cat shows, tender pictures that combine his children with cats and more. This is a fitting tribute not just to these beguiling creatures but also to a remarkable photographer who passed away in 2019 at the age of 98; and whose compassion can be felt in each and every frame.
293 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 2019
9 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 30, 2019
This book is a compilation of cat pictures.
There are pictures of adult cats and pictures of kittens. Pictures of cats with cats and of cats alone. Cats with children, cats with dogs, cats with a raccoon, cats with cars. Cats being brats, cats being cute. Angry cats, contented cats, startled cats, sassy cats, playful cats, confused cats. Fluffy cats, shorthair cats, mixed-breed cats, show cats. New Jersey cats, New York cats, Italian cats.
It's all cats.
How can it not be purrfect?
There are pictures of adult cats and pictures of kittens. Pictures of cats with cats and of cats alone. Cats with children, cats with dogs, cats with a raccoon, cats with cars. Cats being brats, cats being cute. Angry cats, contented cats, startled cats, sassy cats, playful cats, confused cats. Fluffy cats, shorthair cats, mixed-breed cats, show cats. New Jersey cats, New York cats, Italian cats.
It's all cats.
How can it not be purrfect?
Read
February 27, 2024my coworker lent this to me, her son got it for her for christmas. it was fun. feels like cheating to count a mostly-photo book on goodreads but whatever there are no rules.
July 6, 2021
This is a coffee table book of Walter Chandoha’s gorgeous cat photography. The photos are a mix of the cat photos he took for commercial work (for cat food ads and various magazines), cat portraits, and family photos of his children with family cats. The family photos are wonderful, especially one where his toddler daughter is crouched over a bowl of milk demonstrating how to lap up milk to a kitten. He worked with his wife, a talented cat wrangler, and between them they were able to capture two — or three, or eleven (!) kittens in a row with identical expressions. His photography is very kinetic, with many photos of cats in mid-air or kittens in the midst of play fighting. One page is a series of a single kitten reacting to a mirror with a wild variety of leaps and threatening poses. The quality of his photography is apparent to anyone who has spent time on the Kittenwar! website or who has a kitten-a-day calendar. He used special lighting to make the cat vividly separate from the background. I absolutely loved this book and wish I didn’t have to return it to the library. This would be an excellent gift for any cat lover (sadly, I think none of my family follows my reviews).
February 5, 2020
If you love cats then this is THE book for you. Full of glorious shots of cats, from full-on poses, to stray cats on the street, this book is a delight from beginning to end.
The focus is on the photographs, which shouldn't be a surprise given the title of the book! but the few pages that do talk about Walter Chandoha and the cameras he used, the lighting methods and ways of enticing the cats in order to get the shot means that I will be keeping an eye out to see if there is more that I can read about him.
The focus is on the photographs, which shouldn't be a surprise given the title of the book! but the few pages that do talk about Walter Chandoha and the cameras he used, the lighting methods and ways of enticing the cats in order to get the shot means that I will be keeping an eye out to see if there is more that I can read about him.
October 20, 2020
My heart! My heart!
February 24, 2022
I am a dog person, but these cat photos are amazing. Chandoha was gifted at catching the cats being cats.
There is a companion collection of his dog photos, but I have had to inter-library loan it.
There is a companion collection of his dog photos, but I have had to inter-library loan it.
January 26, 2023
Beautiful photos
April 19, 2024
It’s a book with photographs of the different kinds of breeds of cats, of course I loved this book!
February 12, 2025
Such a beautiful cat photography book, super cute as gift.
January 6, 2026
Beautiful photos of cats by renowned cat photographer Walter Chandoha.
November 29, 2023
Це альбом робіт одного конкретного фотографа, який фоткав котів 75 років, і я дуже гарно провела з ним час
October 7, 2025
Ik was er al bang voor, maar dit boek is onweerstaanbaar. De studiofoto’s zijn super aandoenlijk, maar ik vind vooral Chandoha’s meer natuurlijke, zwart-wit werk geweldig. Mocht je een katten- en fotografieliefhebber kennen dan is dit het kado!
Toevoeging: er zijn twee versies van dit boek verkrijgbaar. De oorspronkelijke, ‘koffietafel’-versie en een nieuwere, kleine editie. Het kleinere formaat vind ik persoonlijk beter passen bij deze foto’s. Er staan wel wat minder foto’s in, maar nog steeds meer dan genoeg. Van wat ik kan zien hebben ze de 'beste' foto's in de kleine editie opgenomen. Enige nadeel is dat de kleine editie minder goed openvalt, maar er zijn betrekkelijk weinig foto’s die over twee pagina’s gedrukt zijn waardoor dit niet zo’n probleem is.
Toevoeging: er zijn twee versies van dit boek verkrijgbaar. De oorspronkelijke, ‘koffietafel’-versie en een nieuwere, kleine editie. Het kleinere formaat vind ik persoonlijk beter passen bij deze foto’s. Er staan wel wat minder foto’s in, maar nog steeds meer dan genoeg. Van wat ik kan zien hebben ze de 'beste' foto's in de kleine editie opgenomen. Enige nadeel is dat de kleine editie minder goed openvalt, maar er zijn betrekkelijk weinig foto’s die over twee pagina’s gedrukt zijn waardoor dit niet zo’n probleem is.
October 2, 2019
Ich frage mich ehrlich gesagt immer wieder, wenn ich mir einen Bilderband des TASCHEN-Verlags anschaue, wie es dieser Verlag schafft, hochklassige Produkte zu verhältnismäßig moderaten Preisen zu veröffentlichen. Klar, es gibt die super-duper-teuren limitierten Editionen, aber der Großteil des TASCHEN-Katalogs ist im bezahlbaren Segment angesiedelt. Und nicht nur das: Im Vergleich zu vielen Bildbänden anderer Verlage ist TASCHEN oftmals geradezu günstig.
Das - aus meiner Sicht - günstige Preis-Leistung-Verhältnis des Bildbandes "Walter Chandoha. Cats. Photographs 1942 - 2018" ist ein perfektes Beispiel. Denn die 40 Euro für den Bildband entpuppen sich als sehr günstig, wenn man das Buch erst einmal in den Händen hält. Es ist großformatig (31,8 cm hoch, 24,1 cm breit und 3,2 cm dick laut offiziellen Angaben, die ich einfach mal übernommen habe, weil das soweit passen sollte. Ich messe das jetzt nicht nach!), fühlt sich in der Hand richtig und gut an. Und es ist schwer. Kein Wunder, denn der Bildband hat ca. 300 Seiten und die haben es in sich!
Wer sich die Frage stellt, warum SCHON wieder ein Katzenbuch veröffentlicht wird - es gibt derer schließlich mehr als genug auf dem Markt: Walter Chandoha war nicht nur ein Pionier der Katzenfotografie, sondern auch ein Meister seines Fachs. Die Bilder sind unfassbar schön und werden in einer Qualität präsentiert, die ihresgleichen sucht. Den Bildband perfekt macht aber das Vorwort des mittlerweile verstorbenen Künstlers, in dem er einen kurzen Lebenslauf niederschreibt und vor allem auch erklärt, wie genau es denn dazu kam, dass er sich auf die Fotografie von Katzen spezialisiert hat. Ein etwas längerer Text zu Chandohas Schaffen und dessen Wirken stammt von Susan Michals, die das Werk einordnet. Beide Texte haben mir sehr gefallen. Sie sind sowohl in englischer, deutscher und französischer Sprache abgedruckt. Nach den Texten, die schon sehr schön bebildert sind, folgt der eigentliche Bildteil und es ist eine Freude, ihn durchzublättern.
Chandoha hatte die Fähigkeit, die jeweilige Persönlichkeit der porträtierten Katze einzufangen. Und jeder Katze, die er ablichtete, hat er ein Denkmal gesetzt. Der Nachwelt bleiben Katzenbilder erhalten, die von einer Schönheit und - trotz aller Inszenierung - Schlichtheit sind, dass es ein echter Genuss ist.
"Cats" ist natürlich vor allem ein Buch für Katzenfans, aber ganz ehrlich, es ist auch ein toller Bildband für Menschen, die sich "nur" für Fotografie interessieren. Dieser Bildband ist fantastisch!
Mit "Cats" ist dem TASCHEN-Verlag eine gelungene Retrospektive des Schaffens Chandohas gelungen - ein Werk, das so einzigartig ist, dass sich der Kauf des x-ten Katzenbuches definitiv lohnt. Dank der hochwertigen Verarbeitung eignet es sich auch hervorragend als Geschenk. Ein tolles Buch mit wunderschönen Motiven und Bildern! Wahnsinn!
Das - aus meiner Sicht - günstige Preis-Leistung-Verhältnis des Bildbandes "Walter Chandoha. Cats. Photographs 1942 - 2018" ist ein perfektes Beispiel. Denn die 40 Euro für den Bildband entpuppen sich als sehr günstig, wenn man das Buch erst einmal in den Händen hält. Es ist großformatig (31,8 cm hoch, 24,1 cm breit und 3,2 cm dick laut offiziellen Angaben, die ich einfach mal übernommen habe, weil das soweit passen sollte. Ich messe das jetzt nicht nach!), fühlt sich in der Hand richtig und gut an. Und es ist schwer. Kein Wunder, denn der Bildband hat ca. 300 Seiten und die haben es in sich!
Wer sich die Frage stellt, warum SCHON wieder ein Katzenbuch veröffentlicht wird - es gibt derer schließlich mehr als genug auf dem Markt: Walter Chandoha war nicht nur ein Pionier der Katzenfotografie, sondern auch ein Meister seines Fachs. Die Bilder sind unfassbar schön und werden in einer Qualität präsentiert, die ihresgleichen sucht. Den Bildband perfekt macht aber das Vorwort des mittlerweile verstorbenen Künstlers, in dem er einen kurzen Lebenslauf niederschreibt und vor allem auch erklärt, wie genau es denn dazu kam, dass er sich auf die Fotografie von Katzen spezialisiert hat. Ein etwas längerer Text zu Chandohas Schaffen und dessen Wirken stammt von Susan Michals, die das Werk einordnet. Beide Texte haben mir sehr gefallen. Sie sind sowohl in englischer, deutscher und französischer Sprache abgedruckt. Nach den Texten, die schon sehr schön bebildert sind, folgt der eigentliche Bildteil und es ist eine Freude, ihn durchzublättern.
Chandoha hatte die Fähigkeit, die jeweilige Persönlichkeit der porträtierten Katze einzufangen. Und jeder Katze, die er ablichtete, hat er ein Denkmal gesetzt. Der Nachwelt bleiben Katzenbilder erhalten, die von einer Schönheit und - trotz aller Inszenierung - Schlichtheit sind, dass es ein echter Genuss ist.
"Cats" ist natürlich vor allem ein Buch für Katzenfans, aber ganz ehrlich, es ist auch ein toller Bildband für Menschen, die sich "nur" für Fotografie interessieren. Dieser Bildband ist fantastisch!
Mit "Cats" ist dem TASCHEN-Verlag eine gelungene Retrospektive des Schaffens Chandohas gelungen - ein Werk, das so einzigartig ist, dass sich der Kauf des x-ten Katzenbuches definitiv lohnt. Dank der hochwertigen Verarbeitung eignet es sich auch hervorragend als Geschenk. Ein tolles Buch mit wunderschönen Motiven und Bildern! Wahnsinn!
October 13, 2023
A Book that can turn any stubborn and adamant dog-lover/cat hater into a cat-lover!!!!
This book is just fantastic. The pictures are magnificent. Words are just not enough. Five star
with respect to the photographs, which are the heart of the book.
However, the book is also a coffee table book at heart and needs to be judged on that too. With
that respect, also, another five stars. The built is sturdily built, having a hard cover and the
spine is held together with strings, not glue. Hence little chance of the spine breaking or pages
falling out prematurely. Plus the pages are plastic coated and large and help to really bring out
the beauty of the photographs.
The only real weakness of the book is there are no tips from the author, Walter Chandoha, in the
book on photographing cats (albeit there are a few pages on his lifelong connection with both cats
and photography). Considering the other strong aspects of this book though, this can be overlooked.
In short, a wonderful five star book that any cat lover would appreciate (and with the ability to
convert dog people to cat-people)!
This book is just fantastic. The pictures are magnificent. Words are just not enough. Five star
with respect to the photographs, which are the heart of the book.
However, the book is also a coffee table book at heart and needs to be judged on that too. With
that respect, also, another five stars. The built is sturdily built, having a hard cover and the
spine is held together with strings, not glue. Hence little chance of the spine breaking or pages
falling out prematurely. Plus the pages are plastic coated and large and help to really bring out
the beauty of the photographs.
The only real weakness of the book is there are no tips from the author, Walter Chandoha, in the
book on photographing cats (albeit there are a few pages on his lifelong connection with both cats
and photography). Considering the other strong aspects of this book though, this can be overlooked.
In short, a wonderful five star book that any cat lover would appreciate (and with the ability to
convert dog people to cat-people)!
February 15, 2020
A gorgeous and beautiful book full of cats. Cats. More cats. Oh and some other animals in one section. This book shows us many of Walter Chandoha's work, I didn't know who he was, but I am definitely curious about him now, if you can capture cats the way this man did, holy wow. The cats are adorable, we see tiny kittens to big cats. We see cats in home, but also outside. This man captured cats the way they were. At times I had such a laugh at what the cats were doing, and I was constantly awwwing and squeeing and showing my husband all the cuteness that this book has.
I liked seeing his family as well, his kids really grew up in heaps and heaps of cats. :P I wish I could have a cat, but sadly I am allergic. Otherwise I would have definitely have many cats in my life.
I like how a lot of the photographs were black white, but that there were also plenty in colour. Cats often have the most gorgeous eyes so I am glad we saw many of those in colour.
Highly recommended!
I liked seeing his family as well, his kids really grew up in heaps and heaps of cats. :P I wish I could have a cat, but sadly I am allergic. Otherwise I would have definitely have many cats in my life.
I like how a lot of the photographs were black white, but that there were also plenty in colour. Cats often have the most gorgeous eyes so I am glad we saw many of those in colour.
Highly recommended!
December 31, 2024
One of my dear friends gave me this beautiful hardcover for Christmas. I'm an incurable Cat Mommy, and whenever I'm home I have my little furry children surrounding me. As a matter of fact, three of them are beside me as I write this review.
The photographer was walking home one day in New York City when he passed a kitten in distress in an alley. He took him home and his lifelong love of cats turned into a lucrative career in cat photography. He took pictures for cat food brands, magazine ads, etc for 75 years. Along the way he discovered that cats are like potato chips, (you can't have just one). He won some major awards for his photographs, too.
I enjoyed the heck out of this. It's one of my favorite subjects! He captured different cats in various poses or moods, whether regal, playful, mischievous or loving. He published several books so I'm going to look for some more!
The photographer was walking home one day in New York City when he passed a kitten in distress in an alley. He took him home and his lifelong love of cats turned into a lucrative career in cat photography. He took pictures for cat food brands, magazine ads, etc for 75 years. Along the way he discovered that cats are like potato chips, (you can't have just one). He won some major awards for his photographs, too.
I enjoyed the heck out of this. It's one of my favorite subjects! He captured different cats in various poses or moods, whether regal, playful, mischievous or loving. He published several books so I'm going to look for some more!
June 28, 2025
Il lavoro della vita di Chandoha, un libro con le sue fotografie di gatti in diverse situaIoni, domestici e randagi. Indubbia maestria del fotografo, trasmettono emozioni. Per chi ama i gatti è un libro da avere e sfogliare ripetutamente.
November 17, 2019
Beautiful kitty portraits!
December 27, 2019
Superb, beautiful pictures ❣️
January 14, 2024
I love photography and cats. This is beautiful.
February 14, 2024
Got this off my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. An amazing, beautiful book that made me so happy to see these beautiful animals.
November 17, 2024
Increíbles fotografías para todo amante de los gatos.
Además el libro cuenta un poco de la técnica y vida del autor, lo cual es complementario a sus grandes resultados.
Además el libro cuenta un poco de la técnica y vida del autor, lo cual es complementario a sus grandes resultados.
April 27, 2025
Probablemente lo que consideras una buena foto de un gato se debe a la obra del señor Walter Chandoha. Bellísima edición.
October 11, 2025
Imeline! Kassid on juba niisamagi ägedad ja armsad. Selles raamatus on pildile püütud nende lahedad emotsioonid ja hetked.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews