This year’s exhibition will comprise almost 200 works, and feature over 125 paintings, drawings and sketches by Louis Wain (1860-1939), with a particular focus on the highly coloured and patterned cats of the latter part of his life which had descended into insanity.

This year’s exceptional display of works reveals an insight into Wain’s world of anthropomorphic cats and the evolution of his style during the last, productive stages of his life whilst receiving treatment for schizophrenia at Middlesex County Asylum.

His later drawings depict jagged cats with tense, chaotic backgrounds accompanied by tranquil and idyllic landscapes that reflect a mind that had at last found some peace and contentment. The works of four further superlative cat artists feature alongside those by Louis Wain and demonstrate the continued strength and allure of the feline aesthetic.

Kathleen Hale OBE (1898-2000) established a new standard for children’s illustrated books with the immortal creation of Orlando the Marmalade Cat. Preliminary drawings for Orlando and the Three Graces, published in 1965, are included in this year’s Cat Show as well as the original illustration for the back dust jacket and back cover of the book.

Lesley Anne Ivory has gained her reputation as the world’s most popular living painter of cats. The exquisite realism of her cats are enhanced by intricate backgrounds creating an overall sense of complete illustrative accord. Her featured work in the Cat Show demonstrates her skill as a watercolourist and the imaginative quality of her work.

Susan Herbert’s (1945-2014) interpretations of Western Art through the medium of cats provide a highly entertaining and surreal accompaniment. The watercolours featured in this year’s show are previously unseen and include the feline depiction of The Merchant of Venice, Manet’s Eva Gonzales and Modigliani’s Jeanne Hebuterne among others.

Lesley Fotherby’s naturalistic style captures the delicate agility of the domestic cat with charm and immediacy. Paintings included in the exhibition, such as Melbourne, of an exquisitely poised tabby cat, typifies the artist’s sensitive, detailed approach.