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Ever tried to paint a cat? It turns out that it’s not as easy as you might expect. It indeed wasn’t for these Medieval artists anyway! While they excelled at painting religious scenes, portraits of Royalty, and naked ladies, this particular type of pussy offered an altogether different challenge.

There are a couple of reasons why these funny cats look as they do in the Medieval art depictions. One of them is that the primary purpose of these paintings was to translate the religious scripts to the illiterate (bear in mind that there were relatively few people who could read - monks, priests, and the nobility), and the other, unnecessary details weren't so scrupulously painted.

On the other hand, linear perspective, giving a painting depth, was not systemized until the Italian Renaissance. That's why the given ugly cats look so flat and slightly misshapen.

While most of them have got the basic shape of a feline down to a reasonable tee in these cat illustrations, it is the face that seems to provide the biggest problem. Instead of the cute kitten features we all know and love, the artists instead appear to favor a grim, almost human-like look that makes these cat paintings look a bit, well, scary. I guess the drawings do prove, though, that we have been obsessed with sharing cat memes since way before the internet!

Scroll down to check out the list of Medieval funny cat memes compiled by Bored Panda below, and don’t forget to vote for your favorites!

#1

Yeah... Fish Is Not Gonna Work, You'll Have To Try Harder

Ugly medieval cat painting with a distorted body, holding an object, illustrating humorous historical art style.

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    #2

    Done With Life

    Medieval cat painting with a humorous, distorted face, highlighting the quirky art style.

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    #3

    What A Cutie

    Medieval cat painting with comical expression, highlighting the humor in historical art depictions.

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    Jenn
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    did someone start to paint a person then went 'ah f**k it - now it's a cat' ?????

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    #5

    Melancholic Cat Plays The Lyre

    Medieval cat painting with lute, featuring comical and exaggerated features, surrounded by colorful flowers.

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    #6

    Cat With Eyebrows

    Medieval cat painting with quirky features in ornate floral background.

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    #7

    Hey Cat. Stop Licking Your Butt On The Book Of Maccabees Or You’ll Get An Arrow

    Medieval painting of a cat on a manuscript, depicting an unusual scene with an archer and arrow.

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    Agnes Jekyll
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Genius. I hope the guy who drew her got a good long laugh--all the way to his next 7-year transcription

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    #9

    This Must Be A Cat From The Hallucinogenic Meadows Of Scotland

    Ugly medieval cat painting with a cat playing a horn, featuring colorful background details.

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    #11

    I Know I Don't Want To Know What These Two Just Saw

    Medieval painting of a lion holding a lamb against a patterned background, illustrating humorous medieval cat art.

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    #12

    This Bathing Cat

    Medieval cat painting with peculiar features, surrounded by colorful foliage and patterns.

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    stellermatt
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah Frank, I'm taking a bath, so what?! paint a picture, it'll last longer! oh...

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    #14

    I Want To Have Whatever That Cat Is Having

    Medieval painting featuring an amusingly awkward cat and a dog in a room with tiled flooring.

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    #21

    Cat Rider

    Medieval art with a man riding an awkward-looking cat, highlighting the humorous depiction in ancient paintings.

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    Magpie
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At least all the parts of the face are facing the same way this time.

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    #22

    Defiant Cat Riding A Horse

    Medieval cat painting on horseback with dog, alongside decorative script, highlighting quirky historical art style.

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    #23

    I Has Mowse

    Medieval cat painting with exaggerated features holding a mouse.

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    #26

    Zombie Petting A Cat

    Ugly medieval cat painting with distorted human figure holding a cat near vibrant foliage.

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    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a pity that cats had eaten all that giant strawberries at middle ages so they have been extinguished before I was born, I would love them!

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    #27

    This Looks Like A Lizard Pretending To Be A Cat

    A humorous medieval cat painting with unusual features, holding a small creature in its mouth.

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    #28

    Catnip Trip

    Medieval cat painting with awkward design, featuring a blue cat with wide eyes and leafy background.

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    #29

    Magpie Inspecting The Cat’s Butt

    Ugly medieval cat painting with exaggerated features and text above it.

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    #32

    Wild Cats

    Ugly medieval cat painting with cats resembling sheep in a grassy landscape, illustrating humorous historical art interpretations.

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    Jef Bateman
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think they are weasels. I thought that the one in the tree was the body of one turned into some abominable object of worship at first, but it is a weasel getting some bird eggs.

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    #33

    Because Why Shouldn't A Cat Be Playing A Stringed Instrument?

    Ugly medieval cat painting featuring a cat playing a fiddle, surrounded by colorful abstract patterns.

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    #34

    Cat Churning Butter

    Medieval cat painting featuring a quirky depiction of a cat standing upright, holding a stick near a wooden barrel.

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    #35

    Cats’ Habits

    Medieval cat paintings with abstract and humorous features in colorful illustration.

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    Gali Soff
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    the middle one has the pattern of .. The Dress https://www.google.com/search?q=the+dress&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9g57bt4_aAhUOVa0KHWFlA4YQ_AUICigB&biw=1250&bih=652 😂

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    #37

    That Kitten Is Not... Ok

    Medieval cat painting with a monkey holding a bowl, showcasing humorous and peculiar art style.

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    #40

    Cloaked And Flower-Tailed Feline

    Medieval cat painting with a human-like face, blue body, and floral elements, showcasing unique historical art style.

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    #41

    Queen Cat And A Monkey Pope Tripping Balls?

    Medieval cat painting with a humanoid figure and a staff, showcasing humorous artistic style.

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    #42

    Monkey Hugging A Kitten - No Wonder The She Took It As Her Own

    Ugly medieval cat painting showing a monkey holding a peculiar-looking white cat with a green background and ornate details.

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    Jef Bateman
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why do they put so many monkeys with the cats? Is it because monkeys used to be common as pets?

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    #43

    Medieval Cat Or The Ouroboros? 'Tis The Catouroboros

    Ugly medieval cat painting with distorted features in an ancient manuscript.

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    #44

    Alien Cat

    Ugly medieval cat painting with exaggerated features, set against a background of old script text.

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    #48

    He Hates Meeces To Pieces

    Medieval cat painting with humorous depiction of cats in a castle, illustrating the quirky art style of the era.

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    #51

    Someone Please Take That Kitten Out Of It's Misery

    Medieval cat painting with humorous depiction, a monkey holding a cat amid colorful decorative foliage.

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    #53

    The King Of The Cats... Or Maybe Demons That Went Through A Food Processor?

    King cat in medieval artwork surrounded by four cats, showcasing unintentionally humorous depiction of cats in medieval paintings.

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    #55

    Drumming Cat

    Medieval painting of a quirky blue cat holding a framed object, showcasing its unique and humorous style.

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    KismetTheFox
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yo listen up here’s a story... Bout a little guy that’s blue, inside and outside Blue his house, with a blue little window

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    #57

    Devil And The Cat Worshippers Kissing The Cat’s Butt

    Medieval painting of a cat with distorted features surrounded by people, depicting humorous medieval art style.

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