The Two Mischievous Girls

Since the emergence of the internet, videos featuring cats have become synonymous with viral culture. If we attempt to trace their earliest appearance in the history of film, a case can be made for Émile Reynaud’s proto-animation strip "The Two Mischievous Girls" (1878). The focus on the two children is equally shared with — if not outweighed by — that of the cat being tossed in a blanket. The animal’s complex movements through the air gave Reynaud ample opportunity to experiment with drawing techniques that enhanced the spectacle of a praxinoscope exhibition. Landing on its four paws, the cat establishes itself as a leading character in cinematic entertainment.