The history of what has been referred to as “one of the finest cat pictures in the world” (Oakland Tribune, February 4, 1930, p. 50) dates back to the early 1890s when it was commissioned by cat enthusiast, Kate Birdsall Johnson of San Francisco. In 1891 Mrs. Johnson, possibly America’s greatest cat enthusiast, commissioned artist Carl Kahler to paint a portrait of some of her 350 cats who all lived in great luxury in her California home.