Cats Name Sam

Before a storied life of celebrity, glitz, and glamour, Andy Warhol lived in an uptown apartment in New York City with his mother, Julia—and 25 cats. Working as a freelance children’s book illustrator, Warhol painted his feline companions in his spare time before casting them in a book of his own. In 1954, Warhol published a book of his cats accompanied by Julia’s calligraphy. The children’s book was titled (in incorrect grammar) 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy, and, incidentally, only contained 16 cats. Despite its technical mistakes, Warhol’s “Cats Name Sam” continue to endear and delight—represent some of the earliest works available by the artist on the market.