Furrend Film Archive · Cats
The Private Life of a Cat
Filmed in a New York apartment, The Private Life of a Cat follows two cats, He and She, as they have five kittens and raise them through their first weeks. The camera stays close to the cats, capturing everything from grooming and nursing to the kittens’ first attempts to explore their surroundings.
About the film
Filmed by Alexander Hammid in the New York apartment he shared with filmmaker Maya Deren, The Private Life of a Cat is a 16mm documentary that follows a mother cat and her kittens. The film is commonly dated to 1947, although some sources place its production earlier.
Moments to watch for
Source & rights
The Private Life of a Cat is available through the Prelinger Archives at the Internet Archive, where this version is marked public domain. The film is embedded from the Internet Archive.
