Modern painter and art professor Xu Bei-Hong is considered as one of the most influential figures in the 20th Century. Born in Jiangsu Yixing, Xu changed his name from Shoukang to Beihong after his father's death when Xu Bei-Hong was 19 years old. His father Yuanzhang was an artist and taught Xu Bei-Hong painting. At the age of 10, Xu Bei-Hong sold artworks for a living and he further developed his career in Shanghai by 17 years of age. At 25, he practised oil painting and life drawings at Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France, and studied Western art in Japan and Germany. He started teaching after his return. Since then, he refuted ideologies of Chinese art and promoted an adaptation of both the Western and Chinese styles. His influence towards modern Chinese art and education was paramount.

He promoted a blend of Western styles into Chinese paintings by paying attention to the anatomy and body forms. The use of light and perspectives was also emphasized, this makes his Figure, Animal, Flower-and-Bird paintings realistic and vivid in character. The most famous subject of Xu Bei-Hong's art is horses. However, he took most pride in his cat paintings. In 1934, he led a group of students to a life drawing trip at Tianmu Shan. He asked his students which of his art is the best. Some replied horses, others said roosters. One student in particular, named Yang Jianhou, replied to cats. Xu was rejoiced and praised Yang for his keen aesthetic sense.

Xu Bei-Hong excelled in cat paintings as he kept a few at home. Through constant observations and studies, he was able to capture every form with their unique character. The subject "Two Cats" has been recorded in many versions of Xu Bei-Hong's chronograph. From 1933 to 1934, Xu Bei-Hong created three works with the same title. This work, created in 1934, was inscribed with a poem on the top. This could be traced back to the period when Japan invaded China and Xu Bei-Hong sarcastically refer the innocent cats to those who were negligent towards the current situation. This work served as a warning to its viewers. Despite the warning message, the two cats were realistic and adorable. Two cats were relaxed in a courtyard, one crouched with eyes closed, while the other yawn with its tail raised high at the back. This work shows an ideal combination of Chinese ink and Western realistic approach. The trees and rocks were sketched with dry ink, followed by light colouring and details with fine brush. The cats were drawn by steps, first the eye frame, nose, mouth, stomach and hips, then the limbs. The shapes of muscles and the fluffiness of their fur were drawn to detail. Lastly, the patterns of the cat and tail were painted with dense ink. The eyes were coloured with dry ink. The whole painting was thus vividly created. Xu's teaching notes revealed the steps and skills to draw cats, with a note "familiarize the muscle and bone structure of animals, then study their movements and characters." This work would be a perfect example to demonstrate this belief.

According to documentations, this painting along with a thousand more produced during the period were taken from Nanjing to Guangxi to flee the war. They were sheltered in a stone cave in Qixingyan, Guilin in 1937. After many struggles, this painting was eventually chosen by Xu Bei-Hong to be showcased at the"Exhibition of Paintings of Prof. Ju Peon" at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Singapore in 1939. It was also featured in the Nanyang Siang Pau on 16 March, 1939. The exhibition received tremendous attention from the international ink art scene, as it was held with the aim to raise money for the Sino-Japanese War, and was regarded as the first exhibition that showcased works by an international modern ink artist. According to the records, the exhibition attracted 5% of Singapore's total population. In the preview, Xu Bei-Hong welcomed many social elites and prominent political figures in person, including H.E. the Governor and Lady Thomas of Singapore, Mr Kao Ling Pai, the Chinese Consul-General. This event was recorded by the artist in his own photographs. This work escaped the war and fled from Nanjing, Guangxi, Guilin, Singapore and eventually Taiwan. This shows the value of the work to the artist, the artist's melancholy towards the devastation of war, and the patriotic spirit towards his homeland.