de bene esse: Vintage Cat Photos on International Cat Day

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

Image credit:

Getty Images

Happy International Cat Day! Get your feline fix with these vintage photos of big cats in action. All photos and captions courtesy of Getty Images.
An alarming number of historical photos of big cats are of their skins or dead bodies. Many of the species in these photos are endangered or threatened. To find out how you can help, check out this article.
1. June 1928: In the same cage, a lion and a tiger are outstaring each other.

2. 1930: A thylacine or "Tasmanian tiger" in captivity. These animals are thought to be extinct, since the last known wild thylacine was shot in 1930 and the last captive one died in 1936.

3. A woman circus performer, dressed in a leopard skin gladiator costume, places her head in a lion's mouth. (Date unknown.)

4. 1935: A Leopard cub in a cage at the zoo.

5. 1955: Kiba, a South American puma sleeping in the front room of her master's home, while the family watches television.

6. 1930: A lion lies on a couch while his trainer kneels beside him.

7. June 1956: A three month old tiger cub abandoned by her mother at birth tackles a bone at the London zoo.

8. 1939: Habiba, a ten year old lion at Chessington Zoo in Surrey relaxes while keeper Hans Brick manipulates its hind legs.

9. February 1937: The game hunter, Mr Gandar-Dower and one of the cheetahs which he brought back to Hackbridge Kennels, Surrey, from Kenya.

10. 1940: Melvin Koaants cleaning the African Lion at Los Angeles Zoo.

11. December 1936: George 'Tornado' Smith cleaning the teeth of his pet lioness, Briton, at the Kursaal amusement park in Southend, Essex. Smith is a stunt motorcycle rider on the wall of death sideshow at the park and Briton features in his act, riding in a sidecar.