Cats-in-residence program kicks off at Worcester Art Museum

The Worcester Art Museum’s new project “Meow” is like something out of a cat lover’s best fever dreams: A historic and encyclopedic deep dive into felines’ roles in art from the institution’s archives, paired with real life “Cats-in-Residence” that will chill on-site while awaiting adoption. So, pretty much, heaven on earth.

According to WBUR, “Meow” came to be while researching a potential (gasp) dog (boo hiss!) exhibition to honor the museum’s mascot, Helmutt — a dog. (Rolls eyes.) But in the end, they made the right choice.

The museum’s Head of Curatorial Affairs Jon Seydl tells WBUR: “I will be the first to confess I’m a dog person; I’m not a cat person, but I deeply, deeply respect the love of cats. And it’s something you never, ever want to fool around with.”

Approximately 70 pieces of art spanning decades and eras make up the collection on display, including a fun selection of paintings by Rob Reger of coolest goth girl on the block, Emily the Strange, and her cats, Mystery, Miles, NeeChee and Sabbath. Additionally, cat-themed craft and art classes — make your cat a ribbon wand! draw pop art cats! — will be offered throughout the exhibit’s duration.