From the 1940s through the 1960s, the Alfred Mainzer Company of Long Island City, NY published a series of linen and photochrome humorous cat postcards illustrated by Eugen Hartung (or Hurtong) (1897–1973), sometimes referred to as “Mainzer Cats”. These postcards normally illustrate settings that are filled with action, often with a minor disaster just about to occur. While the dressed cats were by far the most popular and most plentiful cards, Hartung also painted other dressed animals – primarily mice, dogs, and hedgehogs.

“The most serious health problem in the U.S. today is obesity.” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But that pronouncement about obesity’s primacy in the hierarchy of national health problems is not new. Rather, it’s the opening line to a remarkable article published 60 years ago in LIFE magazine. This photographs made by Martha Holmes to illustrate that March 1954 article, titled “The Plague of Overweight.” Photo: Dorothy Bradley (left), photographed for LIFE magazine article on obesity, 1949. (Photo by Martha Holmes/Time & Life Pictures)

Sudanese refugees living in Tel Aviv dance as they celebrate independence from the Republic of Sudan on July 10, 2011 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel recognizes the Republic of South Sudan as independent state. South Sudan became a state on July 9 after it separated from the north, with its capital in Juba, following a vote for independence. The country was recognized on July 8 by the government of Sudan. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Space shuttle Atlantis (R) remains docked to the International Space Station photographed by NASA astronaut Ronald Garan during a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk July 12, 2011 in space. Space shuttle Atlantis has embarked on a 12-day mission to the International Space Station where it will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts. This was the final mission of the space shuttle program, which began on April 12, 1981 with the launch of Colombia. (Photo by NASA via Getty Images)

A girl looks up at the trophy she won after competing in a child beauty pageant at Northcote Town Hall on July 30, 2011 in Melbourne, Australia. The controversial child beauty competition, kicked off today in Melbourne despite complaints and demonstrations by pageant opponents. Organised by the US-based pageant company that produces reality TV show “Toddlers and Tiaras”, Australian contestants will have the opportunity to pose with the reality show star, six year-old Eden Wood. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

A baby pangolin sits with its mother inside a cage prior to their release into the wild in Sibolangit, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Monday, April 27, 2015. The anteaters are part of dozens of live pangolins and around five tons (11,000 lbs) of pangolin meat ready to be shipped abroad confiscated in a police a raid last week. (Photo by Binsar Bakkara/AP Photo)

Tourists watch illuminated snow sculptures during the 31st Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Exposition on January 4, 2019 in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province of China. The 31st Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Exposition officially opened to public on December 29. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

The Chinese community in Glasgow celebrate Chinese New Year in Glasgow City Chamber on January 29, 2017. The Chinese Lunar New Year also known as the Spring Festival, which is based on the Lunisolar Chinese calendar, is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)