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Monday, January 26, 2009

The Guy with a Cat on His Head

Man with Cat on His Head, Union Square
Photo by myself, in Union Square.

A man walked around with his cat on his head Sunday afternoon in Union Square. Despite being windy and very cold, the area was crowded as usual. People stepped aside to let the two pass.

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I came home Sunday after doing a little shopping. I told Mark I thought I'd seen it all - cats on leashes, rabbits on leashes, cats on park benches, people wielding pet parrots and pythons.

'Today I saw a guy with a cat on his head.'

'Was he wearing a hat?' I couldn't remember.

'Was there a leash involved?' I hadn't noticed.

On to Google, where we did a search for 'guy with a cat on his head'. We were rewarded with photos of this acrobatic duo in various New York neighborhoods.

Here's a video of the same pair on the Upper West Side, with Broadway behind them. The guy looks a bit hairier but it's obviously the same, stoic cat:



Related posts: Cats on Leashes, The Hills Are Alive In Prospect Park, Brooklyn and Out Getting Some Air.

34 comments:

Olivier said...

beau portrait, surprenant comme chapeau ;o))
nice portrait, being surprising as hat ;o))

chimesey said...

I would love to leave a comment featuring the joke;
'what do you call a man with a cat on his head?'

but am neither funny nor clever enough to think of the answer...

Anonymous said...

clearly, the guy must shampoo with catnip...or else this was all the cat's idea ( a cat wouldn't do such a thing on command!)

Emilie said...

So funny shoot XD

Marcel said...

that is funny, sometimes cats have typical habbits, my cat used to like to sit on my shoulders and indeed, I could walk around with him.

Mom Knows Everything said...

That looks funny. I hope the cats de-clawed.

A said...

I'm curious... Did you have to give him money for that picture?

Ken Mac said...

what a nut

Kitty said...

Hi everyone

Glad you all enjoyed the portrait!

By the way A, interesting question. Yes, I paid the fellow what change I had. I wasn't obligated, but he was expecting a little something.

It was a rather cold day, and anyone sane would either walk to a destination or be indoors!

dianasfaria.com said...

I'm just really curious,I'd love to know the sum total of his contributions over the years.
I love Marc's question, was he wearing a hat?
It seems like the hat would make it possible, otherwise it would be hard to believe.
This is a great capture Kitty. I'm glad there are people(& animals) like this, they keep life interesting.

Kengot said...

No wrong man, who loves cats.

tr3nta said...

:-D
curious portrait!!!...

SP said...

Did you name your email address after this guy!? You have some great photos on here!

Anonymous said...

That is the oddest thing I have seen this year so far. No wonder is is on Youtube. I used to have a cat very like this one, but she never balanced on my head.
A few years back a work mate came in with scratches on his face, he explained his new girlfriend had a cat, he awoke in the morning feeling suffocated, sat up real fast then realised cat was on his face clinging on with its claws.

Dottie Jo said...

I dont know if it is the same guy, but I have pics of a man with a cat on his head also! I thought it was the strangest thing! I wonder if there are two of these guys out there.....

Monica said...

I saw this guy at Times Square a few months back prior to Christmas. Made for a very good picture and something I laugh at whenever I look at my phone

Anonymous said...

He's such a jerk! He scared the crap out of me...I took a picture from far away with my cell phone, and I gladly would have paid him but he immediately started yelling at me to delete it and creepily followed me right after!! Yikes...

George said...

I met a man with a cat on his head near times square in June this year.I was about to click a picture and his agent stopped me demanding One dollar.If it was a request for a donation I would have obliged..I decided not to take the picture.I am not sure if this is the man.

Carol King said...

I saw that guy today on Broadway near Vesey Street. He was letting tourists take a picture of him and then asked for a dollar or two.

I don't know if the tourists were paying up, but that cat would have to do a lot more than just sit on someone's head before I gave him a dollar. (really, we ARE in a recession.)

Anonymous said...

great post

Anonymous said...

Just returned from a visit to New York City and saw this guy with the cat on his head! Made my trip!! I took a photo and his did ask for a dollar which I thought was fair enough! I just hoped that the cat hadn't been drugged!

Review Daddy said...

Cool

dress pants said...

Its real funny the guy who have cat on his head.

Walter Masterson said...

This is a new video of the NYC Cat Guy!
http://youtu.be/Xe76042R2yo

Anonymous said...

honestly, him asking for money like a beggar ruins all happy thoughts about this. what a loser, poor kitty

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Anonymous said...

this is animal abuse. the cat isn't happy and wanted to get down. someone stop this!!!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, f this guy. I personally experienced this low life a few weeks ago. He started yelling at me after I told him I had no cash. I bet he's making a good amount of $ abusing this cat.

AJSab said...

I ran into this guy in February 2012 when I was there. http://i.imgur.com/BmBeP.jpg

San Patrick said...

The guy was looking great with the cat. It is nicely captured (really like a photographer shot the phot).

Regards,
emirates new york office

yönetici portreleri said...

yes, the 2nd guy is probavbly him and it's a bit werid but more than seeing a coller on a cat?
those are cats, not dogs.

Anonymous said...

just in case it matters to you, it seems that whenever you post one of your own pictures you say "photo by myself". that is grammatically incorrect - it should say "photo by me".

Brian Dubé said...

I saw this guy last year outside one of my favorite restaurants at Father Demo Square in the West Village: http://newyorkdailyphoto.com/nydppress/?p=6922
Apparently he figured that there's nothing better to do while waiting for your food than to give money to a man with a cat on his head doing nothing. I love cats but it's not worth it at all - just a money-desperate hustle.

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