Gustav Klimt's love for cats is legendary. Known as the "crazy cat lady" of the art world, he had as many as eight cats living in both his studios at any given time. He allowed them to roam freely, even though they would sometimes disrupt his work and damage his sketches. 

Klimt was pointedly unbothered by the chaos around him. "No, my friend, even if they crumple and tear one or the other pieces of paper," he told an art critic. "It doesn't matter; they only pee on the others, and, you know, it makes the best fixing agent."

It's unlikely that Klimt used cat pee as a fixative on his work. He obviously made the claim in jest, leaning into his reputation as an obsessive cat lover.

The painter was equally known for his reclusiveness. Klimt used his art to lift him out of poverty, moving from the Austrian countryside to the glamorous city of Vienna. Though they were buying up his work, Vienna's wealthy social elite shunned him. His rural dialect and mannerisms were deemed unfit for high society. He also never participated in the cafe culture central to European artists' lifestyle.

So he turned to his furry friends for company. An iconic photograph depicted him standing outside his studio, wearing one of the floor-length caftans he painted in, cradling his beloved cat Katze, a testament to his deep affection for his feline companions.

Despite his enormous talent, Klimt died relatively unknown and in poverty. It was not until several years after his death that his works gained the recognition they deserved and became highly sought-after, a testament to the enduring power of his art. 

This gorgeous image is an homage to his fascination, inspired by the idea that if his soul were to return to earth, it would do so in the form of a black kitten.

The perfect gift for wooden cat puzzlers and cat lovers, this traditional adult wooden cat puzzle can be done time and again. Our wooden cat puzzle artists have included many cat-themed shaped whimsy wooden cat puzzle pieces that match the subject of the image, and we have integrated them in ways that will delight and surprise you as you put the wooden cat puzzle together.