25 Free Vintage Cat Images for your Junk Journal

Need vintage cat graphics or photos for your junk journal, but don't want to pay for stock photos? You're in luck! I have a huge list and collection of free vintage cat graphics and am sharing the list here -- all you have to do is choose the ones you want and download or save them.

Each of these images is public domain or original art -- or a combination of the two. You may use them for items for sale. Any items restored or created by me in the list below can also be used in your projects for sale -- just don't sell the files themselves.

Use these free vintage cat images in your junk journal, on pages, and as embellishments. A few of the ones I made are already turned into pockets and tags, making them super easy to add to your journal. Many of these fun vintage images are from my own collection of vintage ephemera -- most date from before 1900, all are copyright free or public domain (or created by me ;)

25 Free Vintage Cat Images for your Junk Journal

Kitten pockets from a vintage postcard

I made these pockets from an old postcard -- you can find the full details (and a high resolution download of the pockets -- here.

For most images, just click to expand, then right click to save. Others have been saved as high resolution PDFs for your convenience -- and a few link to public domain sites where you can choose your own custom size for the image.

Note Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Halloween Cat SVG freebie

This one is from Wikimedia Commons, and is free to use without attribution. I've linked to it below so you can choose the file you want. I've saved this one three times because I like the stylized shape but have yet to actually use it! Let me know what you do with it, I'd love to see!

Find out more about using Wikimedia Commons to find images to use in your own commercial junk journal printables and kits.

Mark Twain with Cat Author Photo

This is one of those rare candid photos of Mark Twain -- most are posed and formal -- this one is with a kitty! Find the restored image in various sizes here, as a high resolution download;

Vintage Cat Graphics -- Cat Selfies

Here are a few cut selfie style cats I made from vintage post card images. The full set is in the shop here -- and is free for premium subscribers.

Here is a free sample from this set, so you can try them out in your own projects:

Vintage Calico Cat Illustration

This free cat graphic is from RawPixel, find it here:

Beatrix Potter Cat Illustration

This is Beatrix Potter's Miss Moppet, shown here playing with a mouse. Find this and other images on Wikimedia commons, and right click the image above to save a copy.

Vintage

I collect old post cards and love the Halloween ones! A bunch of them have cats, including this one. Scanned, optimized and ready to print, just right click to save -- or head on over to the full post and grab the entire Halloween collection, free.

Early Animation Cats Disc from the Smithsonian

Last year, the Smithsonian opened a very large portion of its collection of media to the public, under the Creative Commons License (CCO). This Phenakistiscope Disc with Cats and Donkey is included and can be used however you'd like.

The photo below is just for display purposes, head to the Smithsonian to download your free high resolution copy, and to learn more about this fascinating vintage cat graphic!

Printing Tip for Vintage Cat Images

I love the charming vintage look of these, but hate having a plain white page back. Printing on parchment or colorful paper doesn't help, because then you lose the whites and light colors. I ordered the paper below and put it through the machine so that the image you want prints on the back. This gives you a two sided piece with a distressed back and the chosen image on the front.

Amazon paper -- 6 vintage shades to use as backing for 2 sided vintage images:

Vintage Kitten Illustration

Another altered vintage image, this one is from a book from 1890, a sweet sleeping kitten:

Free Vintage Halloween Cat postcards

A slightly modified scan from my own collection, you can download a high resolution copy of this -- and a dozen others -- free right here.

Free Vintage Cat Image

Another early one, this one is from the mid 1800s and would print beautifully on white or antiqued paper. Get the full sized version from Raw Pixel:

Free Vintage Cat Postcard

Here's another piece of free public domain art I altered -- this was a super dark image -- lightening it up left room for extra color if needed (coloring pencils will do the trick) or just a brighter, lighter image that will pop on darker backgrounds. It is part of the Cat selfies package, found here.

Free Vintage Cat Photograph

This cute kitty is from the Smithsonian, and is available for commercial use under the Creative Commons license. Click on through to learn more about this kitty photo and to download a high resolution image:

Free Cat Ephemera

THese cute musicians are pre-1900 Victorian Scrap, cleaned up a bit and ready to print. Click the photo to access a high resolution pdf of this file.

Free Public Domain Cat Graphic

I cleaned this up and modified it to print well on a home printer --you'll find a high resolution image here.

Vintage Cat Ephemera

Anyone who sews or crafts knows just how irresistible fabrics and actual projects are for cats -- apparently that is not a new thing! Click the photo for a higher resolution download.

Vintage Cat and Kittens Paper Dolls

This one needed a significant amount of cleanup work, as it was in poor condition. It has been restored and will print best at full letter size or smaller, even though the original is a little bigger. CLick the photo for a full sized image :) .

GET Free Graphics Every Day!

More cats are coming, but did you know you can have immediate access to every junk journal kit and file in the store - -including thousands of pieces of new, vintage and original art, like the latest releases, shown below. It's all covered for one low monthly fee! Learn more here and get your printer ready, most folks download over 100 pages the first day they sign up!

Vintage Cat Ephemera Postcard

Cute cats on a vintage postcard, this one is for thread! If I had not seen the back, I would have assumed this was a trade card instead, but it is a postcard, postmarked 1901.

Vintage Cigar Box Tiger

He is technically a cat, and a lovely one at that ! A 1870 cigar box, cleaned and optimized for your home printer.

Vintage Hot Air Balloon Postcard

Another Beatrix potter kitty, this one is Miss Moppet, and she is chasing a mouse:

Cheshire Cat Graphic

The original John Tenniel cat is still my favorite and it is in the public domain -- find it here on Wikimedia Commons, or right click the image below:

Modern Cats -- Creative Fabrica

If you prefer your cats cute and modern, you'll love these whimsical illustrations from creative fabrica -- they're free for subscribers.