September 4, 2025

'The Private Life of a Cat': The First Viral Cat Video Was Made in the 1940s

Before YouTube and TikTok, two avant-garde filmmakers captured cats falling in love, raising kittens, and stealing hearts on 16mm film.

When we think of cat videos, most of us picture YouTube in the 2000s or TikTok today. But long before ring lights, hashtags, filters, and greenscreens, people were already glued to moving pictures of cats, nearly 80 years ago.

In 1945, filmmakers Alexander Hammid and Maya Deren made a 22-minute black-and-white short called 'The Private Life of a Cat'. Silent, tender, and instantly relatable, it follows two cats—she (a long-haired tabby) and he (a white shorthair)—as they meet, move in together, and raise a family of five kittens. Think of it as a slice-of-life reality show, only shot on 16mm film.

The Film

It was filmed in New York and released in 1946–47, the movie is filled with close-ups, feline POV shots, and moments that feel shockingly modern. The cats curl up, share kisses, and stumble through the joys and anxieties of new parenthood.

There’s even a scene where the kittens make their on screen debut—gentle, and quietly groundbreaking for its time.

Why It Feels So Modern

The film uses simple title cards like “After two weeks” as we watch the kittens grow, play, and explore. One scene in particular could rack up views on TikTok today: mama cat carefully relocating each kitten out of a cardboard box, while the dad cat hovers nearby, looking utterly out of his depth.

It’s the kind of domestic comedy that proves some cat behavior and human reactions to it, never goes out of style.

A Collaborative Creation

Although Alexander is officially credited, many believe Maya created a narrated version of the film. The silent cut, which spread most widely, is the one remembered today as perhaps the world’s first “viral cat video.”

You can watch the full 22-minute film thanks to Public Domain Review.

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