🐱 getcat

A tiny, free API for random cat images — as JSON, or as a captioned image.

What is this?

getcat is a minimal HTTP API with two modes. Ask it plainly and it responds with a JSON object containing the public URL of a randomly selected cat image served from a CDN. Pass it a label and it sends back the image itself with your text drawn onto it.

Usage

Send a GET request to the API root:

curl https://api.getcat.dev/

You'll get back JSON in this shape:

{
  "url": "https://cdn.getcat.dev/cats/42.jpg"
}

Use the url field however you like — drop it into an <img> tag, download it, whatever.

Add a label

Pass a label query parameter and the API returns the image itself (not JSON) with your text drawn centered at the bottom — perfect for an <img> tag:

<img src="https://api.getcat.dev/?label=hello%20world">

Labels are capped at 140 characters. Labeled images always come back as JPEG, whatever the original format — an animated GIF returns as a single still frame.

Rate limits

Requests are limited to 10 per second per IP address. Exceeding the limit returns a 429 Too Many Requests response.

The photos

Every cat here is either mine or was shared with me by its human for exactly this purpose. If one of them is yours and you'd like it taken down, send me a message and it's gone.