Free Cats in Costume Printables | Funny Vintage Photograph Ephemera
A Quick Look Inside This Post:
Step into the quirky side of vintage ephemera with these free printable Cats in Costume sheets! Taken from a 1911 children’s book, these photographs of cats dressed up in human clothing (or, more likely, doll clothes) are equal parts charming, funny, and just a little spooky, making them perfect for everyday junk journaling and whimsical Halloween projects. Inside this freebie, you’ll get:
Two printable sheets of Cats in Costume ephemera
2.5” x 3.5” ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)
2.5” x 4.25” Journal Cards
Authentic vintage photographs cleaned up for crisp printing
A mix of humor, nostalgia, and lighthearted weirdness for your journals, scrapbooks, and collages
About the Cats in Costume Photographs
These hilarious images were first published in 1911 in a children’s book that featured staged photographs of cats dressed in clothing. Imagine Edwardian-era kittens in bonnets, hats, and coats, posed just like little people. At the time, anthropomorphic animal photography was wildly popular, and more than a century later, it’s still delightfully odd.
What makes these photographs so fun is the way they balance humor and strangeness. The cats’ deadpan expressions combined with their costumes make them look both comical and slightly eerie, which is why they fit so well in Halloween spreads as well as playful everyday projects.
As someone who grew up with cats in the house, I can recognize the look of a cat who is annoyed with its circumstances. I see that look on the faces of some of these cats. I can remember trying to put doll clothes and other garments on my cats when I was a kid and being met with the same squinty glare. As was the case with a friend who lived in an apartment and thought it would be a great idea to put her cats on leashes so she could take them for walks outside without having them run off. The plan was a dismal failure. She received the same glare and a refusal to move even an inch.
What’s Included in the Free Printable Sheets
You’ll get two free collage sheets featuring Cats in Costume:
2.5” x 3.5” ATCs – Ideal for swapping, layering in collages, or tucking into pockets.
2.5” x 4.25” Journal Cards – Larger pieces that can stand alone as journaling spots or focal points.
Each sheet has been carefully curated and prepared for easy at-home printing.
Creative Ways to Use Cats in Costume Ephemera
These whimsical cat photographs are versatile and fun to play with:
Add humor to junk journals – They make great focal points that always spark a smile.
Whimsical Halloween spreads – Their costumed look makes them perfect for October pages that lean spooky-but-funny.
Mixed media collage – Layer them with text, florals, or dark backgrounds for surreal and amusing spreads.
Scrapbooking accents – Use them in family layouts for a touch of vintage silliness.
For this sheet, I left the illustrated frames that accompanied the photographs in the book, but cropped them out in the following sheet.
2.5” x 3.5” ATCs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are these cat photos from?
They were published in a 1911 children’s book filled with photographs of cats in costume.
What sizes are the printables?
There are two sheets to choose from: one with 2.5” x 3.5” ATCs and one with 2.5” x 4.25” journal cards.
Are these just for Halloween?
Not at all! While they’re a great fit for quirky Halloween projects, they’re just as fun in everyday junk journals or whimsical collages.
Can I use them in projects I sell?
Yes — you’re welcome to use them in your handmade projects for sale. Please just don’t resell or distribute the digital files themselves, or printouts of them “as-is.”
More Free Printables You Might Like
Vintage Halloween Postcards - A spooky-but-fun collection of antique Halloween postcard images, perfect for October journals.
Bat Illustrations - Dramatic natural history engravings of bats that pair perfectly with the whimsical cats.
Vintage Photograph Ephemera - A set of authentic old photographs for adding vintage realism to journals and scrapbooks.
Final Thoughts
These free Cats in Costume printables are a lighthearted addition to your collection of vintage ephemera. Whether you use them for a whimsical Halloween spread or just want to inject a little humor into your next journal page, these 1911 photographs are sure to stand out.
Download them now and give your creative projects a quirky, vintage twist.
2.5” x 4.25” Rectangles
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
