The Cat Prisoner

A small yellow chalk cat grips the real bars of a metal sidewalk railing while a tiny drawn mouse stands outside, by David Zinn.

The Cat Prisoner

Seenby 2016

David Zinn · Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA · online by February 2016

Photo: photographer not named in our source, as published on Street Art Utopia.

David Zinn drew a small yellow cat behind the real bars of a metal railing, with a tiny mouse waiting safely outside. His own shop sells a print of it as The Cat Prisoner and says it was drawn in chalk and charcoal in downtown Ann Arbor, on a coffeeshop fence. Source Source Source Checked

Seen by 2016: the photo was online by 25 February 2016. Zinn’s street drawings are temporary chalk work, and we found no independently dated photo of this one. Source Source Reported

💡 5 things to know

The artist’s titleZinn’s official shop sells a print of the drawing as “The Cat Prisoner”. Source Source Checked
A real railing does the workThe photo shows the chalk cat arranged behind real metal bars, with a mouse drawn on the pavement outside them. Source Checked
A coffeeshop fence helpedZinn’s shop says the cat and mouse were drawn in downtown Ann Arbor, “thanks in part to the willing participation of a coffeeshop fence”. Source Checked
Online by February 2016If It’s Hip, It’s Here published a photo of the drawing on 25 February 2016, with the image labelled “cat prisoner and mouse by David Zinn”. Source Checked
Made to disappearIf It’s Hip, It’s Here describes Zinn’s street art as temporary, made of chalk, charcoal and found objects. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

In downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, on a coffeeshop fence, according to the artist’s shop; 121clicks also credits the photo to Zinn in Ann Arbor. None of our sources gives the street or the exact address. Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

Opens a map of Ann Arbor; the exact spot is not known.

🗓️ Sightings

201625 Feb
Photo of the drawing published · If It’s Hip, It’s Here
202627 Aug
Photo republished with title and city · 121clicks

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

🗞️ In the sources

If It’s Hip, It’s Here25 Feb 2016

Street Artist David Zinn Charms With Chalk

“Though David has professional clients, his street art is always improvised on location.”

Read the source →

David Zinn shopUndated

“The Cat Prisoner” print

“This fenced-in feline and his eye-rolling mouse companion were originally drawn with chalk and charcoal in downtown Ann Arbor, thanks in part to the willing participation of a coffeeshop fence.”

Read the source →

✅ The facts

Artist: David Zinn Source Source Source Checked
Title: The Cat Prisoner (title of the artist’s print) Source Source Checked
Place: Downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, on a coffeeshop fence (artist’s description); exact address not given Source Source Source Checked
Materials: Chalk and charcoal, on a real metal fence (artist’s description) Source Checked
Date: Not found; the photo was online by 25 February 2016 Source Checked
Status today: Unknown; the drawing was temporary chalk work and no independently dated photo was found Source Source Reported

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

David Zinn shop: “The Cat Prisoner” print (product page)
David Zinn shop: mice collection
If It’s Hip, It’s Here: Street Artist David Zinn Charms With Chalk (25 Feb 2016)
121clicks: clever and funny street art photos (27 Aug 2026)
Image: photographer not named in our source, as published in the Street Art Utopia post; a 16:9 share image was made from it.

Last checked: 3 November 2026. How we verify art