Carl KahlerToots Willard
A Mother's Pride Peak A Boo Street Cats Did you know?

July 29, 1893
The Cat Painter

Los Angeles Times by special correspondent from New York City
Carl Kahler is born in 1855 in Linz, Austria. During the 1880s, he becomes known in Germany and Austria as an itinerant artist. He travels to Australia, where his works are well received. He moves to San Francisco in 1891 and opens a studio, where the local press calls him "an erratic genius" because he demands enormous prices for his works. Mrs. Johnson commissions painter Carl Kahler to document her beautiful Angora cats. She owns the finest collection of Angora cats outside of Persia on her 3,000-acre ranch in Buena Vista dedicated to cats, and houses 300 cats total with "Japanese servants" that look after them. The ranch also houses parrots and cockatoos that entertain the cats. Mrs. Johnson requests as many cats as possible be in one composition. Kahler paints a canvas nine feet long and six and half feet wide and fills it with cats. At times, he waits an hour for the right position of cats before painting the masterpiece. Johnson sends the large painting to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Kahler explains he has never painted anything as interesting as cats but does not declare himself a cat painter. Kahler plans on visiting Persia, home of the Angora cat, to study their behavior and natural habitat. “In painting a cat,” says Kahler, “you must notice all its individualities.”

November 12, 1899
Tootsie Willard--the King of Cats

The Los Angeles Times
Unable to take care of her cat Tootsie, Miss Frances Willard gives the responsibility to her friend Mrs. Norton. Tootsie never forgets his first guardian despite being separated for years. Tootsie loves flowers, especially English violets; each time he sees them, he rolls over, sits up, and cries and begs for them, and if he detects their odor, he will not be at peace until he has them. Tootsie also enjoys carnations, but shows more restraint when encountering them. When Tootsie wants to sit on a sunspot, a pink colored cushion is put for him to lay on. According to the Times writer, “Being the privileged character that he is, ‘Tootsie’ always eats at the table with the family; He has his own chair and bib.” He is always served first, is never asked to wait. Norton asks, 'Tootsie, will you take your medicine?' and he leans back and opens his mouth." Tootsie earns his keep, selling over $2,000 in photographs of himself over the last few years.


Stroking a cat can help to relieve stress, and the feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a strong sense of security and comfort.

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