# Cats by Susan Michals (Hardcover)

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.**

## Details

- **Price:** 16.5 GBP
- **Vendor:** TASCHEN
- **Type:** Susan Michals
- **Tags:** All Books, Nature

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 16.50 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- Cats by Susan Michals (Hardcover) cover

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> Source: [Somiibooks](https://somiibooks.com/products/cats-susan-michals-9783836595315)
> Updated: 2026-10-17