History of Hep Cat

In 1986, Anna Grupke designed the Cats Coming and Going t-shirt, featuring a whimsical front-and-back "Cat Butts" illustration. This iconic design sparked the birth of the Hep Cat Catalog, unique cat theme designs created by A. Grupke, printed on apparel. As the collection of her original designs grew, she sought out high quality cat theme gift items, many designed by cat loving artists, to include in the catalog. At the time, the business was known simply as "Hep Cat" within the feline-loving community. Over the years, more original shirt designs were added, with A. Grupke working alongside the incredibly talented illustrator, Tanya Whitley.

The catalog grew to a 64 page full color cat lovers dream book with a plethora of cool cat items found nowhere else. Some believe that Hep Cat sparked the cat-loving mania of the early ‘90s.

A “crazy cat lady” herself, artist and entrepreneur, A. Grupke understood what cat lovers value: high quality art that captures the quirky, irresistible nature of their beloved felines.
Throughout the decades, Hep Cat was renowned for premium quality in the world of cat lovers. The art, the garments and printing, the gifts and customer service were second to none. Hep Cat was also committed to helping homeless cats, donating to animal rescue groups and endlessly promoting the importance of spaying and neutering cats.

Starland Vintage & Unusual is honored to be the new and exclusive purveyor of the remaining, vintage Hep Cat inventory. As longtime admirers of Hep Cat’s quirky spirit and feline-forward mission, Starland is thrilled to continue the legacy of A. Grupke—offering the original Hep Cat designs and preserving the magic of this beloved, independent brand for a new generation of cat lovers.

Hep Cat designs are copyrighted. Use of any Hep cat designs is strictly forbidden by law!