Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Turns out the 'cat lady' stereotype is centuries old. This 1789 print shows how Georgian society mocked unmarried women, turning women and their cats into a punchline.
You can see this glorious piece of satire, cat history and women's history in person at The Coming of Age exhibition at Wellcome Collection, open now 😻 The postcard is in our shop too.
Fun fact: the artist, Frederick George Byron, was a cousin of the poet Lord Byron. As art critic Laura Cummings points out, Byron didn't get the last laugh because he died at just 28.
Alt text: Our presenter breaks down Frederick George Byron’s satirical print Old Maids at a Cat’s Funeral. The scene shows a group of older women outside a church holding an elaborate funeral for a cat in a tiny cat-sized coffin. The scene is peppered with visual jokes, from brawling cats to exaggerated portrayals of single women, and uses a magnifying glass to reveal little details, like Tabitha's headstone (RIP Tabs). The commentary explores how the artwork turns the “cat lady” stereotype into a punchline, reflecting the way Victorian society viewed unmarried women. Animated pieces appear, spotlighting details from the crowded scene.
Turns out the 'cat lady' stereotype is centuries old. This 1789 print shows how Georgian society mocked unmarried women, turning women and their cats into a punchline.
You can see this glorious piece of satire, cat history and women's history in person at The Coming of Age exhibition at Wellcome Collection, open now 😻 The postcard is in our shop too.
Fun fact: the artist, Frederick George Byron, was a cousin of the poet Lord Byron. As art critic Laura Cummings points out, Byron didn't get the last laugh because he died at just 28.
Alt text: Our presenter breaks down Frederick George Byron’s satirical print Old Maids at a Cat’s Funeral. The scene shows a group of older women outside a church holding an elaborate funeral for a cat in a tiny cat-sized coffin. The scene is peppered with visual jokes, from brawling cats to exaggerated portrayals of single women, and uses a magnifying glass to reveal little details, like Tabitha's headstone (RIP Tabs). The commentary explores how the artwork turns the “cat lady” stereotype into a punchline, reflecting the way Victorian society viewed unmarried women. Animated pieces appear, spotlighting details from the crowded scene.
