Life — June 11, 1925 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts two anthropomorphized cats in a domestic interior examining what appears to be taxidermied animal heads and specimens on display. The title "The Killer" likely satirizes the contrast between the cats' nature as predators and their current civilized setting among collected fauna. The cartoon appears to comment on the incongruity of keeping wild animals as trophies or pets while coexisting in polite society. The black and white cat seems to present the specimens to the white cat, suggesting a proud display of hunting prowess now translated into interior decoration. The satire likely targets either the pretensions of trophy-hunting as "civilized" behavior, or perhaps critiques the keeping of animals in captivity for display—a commentary relevant to early 20th-century attitudes toward nature and domesticity.