Sonoma resident owned famous cat painting

You may have seen it come across your Facebook feed.

November 3rd, “My Wife’s Lovers,” a 6 ft. x 8.5 ft. sized painting of 40+ cats by Carl Kahler, will be auctioned off at Sotherby’s and is expected to bring in between $200,000 and $300,000.

The painting is, quite possibly, the largest cat painting in the world.

The woman who commissioned it was Kate Birdsall Johnson. She commissioned it from Kahler in 1891, to memorialize her 42 cats. She died two years after the painting was completed, leaving $500,000 behind to support the kitties.

Her favorite cat, Sultan, is centered in the painting. She bought him for a mere $3,000 in Paris.

So what’s the point here?

Well, turns out Mrs. Johnson had a home in Sonoma, near Buena Vista Winery and Bartholomew Park Winery. In fact, the Goth Victorian mansion had up to 350 cats living on the property – or so the rumors claim.

Yeah, 350 cats. Living at her summer home.

Today, these cats feral relatives are rumored to still roam the area. Bartholomew Park Winery actually had a display in their museum discussing the colony of cats.

Do you have any of these famous kitties cousins in your neck of the woods?