# Cat API Scraper - Cat Breeds & Images (`lulzasaur/catapi-scraper`) Actor

Scrape cat breed data and images from TheCatAPI. Get 71 breeds with temperament, origin, life span, weight, and photos. Generate random cat image datasets.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/lulzasaur/catapi-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [lulz bot](https://apify.com/lulzasaur) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $10.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Cat API Scraper - Cat Breeds & Images

Scrape cat breed data and images from TheCatAPI. Get detailed information on 71 cat breeds including temperament, origin, life span, weight, and photos. Generate random cat image datasets.

### Features

- **All breeds**: Get all 71 cat breeds with full details (temperament, origin, description, life span, weight)
- **Random images**: Fetch batches of random cat images
- **Breed images**: Get images for a specific breed (e.g. Bengal, Siamese, Persian)
- **Fast**: Direct JSON API calls, no browser needed

### Output Fields

#### Breeds Mode

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `id` | Breed ID (e.g. "beng", "siam") |
| `name` | Breed name |
| `temperament` | Temperament traits |
| `origin` | Country of origin |
| `description` | Breed description |
| `lifeSpan` | Life span range (e.g. "12 - 16") |
| `weight` | Weight in kg |
| `wikipediaUrl` | Wikipedia article URL |
| `imageUrl` | Reference image URL |
| `scrapedAt` | ISO timestamp |

#### Random / Breed Images Mode

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `id` | Image ID |
| `url` | Image URL |
| `width` | Image width in pixels |
| `height` | Image height in pixels |
| `breeds` | Array of breed info objects |
| `scrapedAt` | ISO timestamp |

### Input Options

- **Mode**: `breeds` (all breeds), `random` (random images), or `breed-images` (images for a breed)
- **Breed**: Breed ID or name for breed-images mode (e.g. "beng", "Bengal", "siam", "Siamese")
- **Limit**: Maximum results to return (default 25, max 100)

### Use Cases

- **Pet apps**: Build cat breed databases with photos
- **Education**: Research cat breeds, temperaments, and origins
- **Content creation**: Generate cat image datasets for blogs or social media
- **Machine learning**: Collect labeled cat images for training datasets
- **Breed comparison**: Compare traits across different cat breeds

### Example Output

```json
{
  "id": "beng",
  "name": "Bengal",
  "temperament": "Alert, Agile, Energetic, Demanding, Intelligent",
  "origin": "United States",
  "description": "Bengals are a lot of fun to live with...",
  "lifeSpan": "12 - 15",
  "weight": "3 - 7",
  "wikipediaUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_(cat)",
  "imageUrl": "https://cdn2.thecatapi.com/images/O3btzLlsO.jpg",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-04-26T12:00:00.000Z"
}
```

### Data Source

- [TheCatAPI](https://thecatapi.com/) - Free public API for cat breed data and images

***

### Run on Apify

This scraper runs on the [Apify platform](https://apify.com/?fpr=lulzasaur) -- a full-stack web scraping and automation cloud. Sign up for a free account to get started with 30-day trial of all features.

[Try Apify free](https://apify.com/?fpr=lulzasaur)

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

What to scrape: random cat images, all breeds, or images for a specific breed.

## `breed` (type: `string`):

Breed ID or name for 'breed-images' mode. E.g. 'beng' (Bengal), 'siam' (Siamese), 'pers' (Persian).

## `limit` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of results to return.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional proxy to use.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "breeds",
  "breed": "",
  "limit": 25
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("lulzasaur/catapi-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("lulzasaur/catapi-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call lulzasaur/catapi-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,lulzasaur/catapi-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/LHqQpSx6nkU9d4JVc/builds/LURWtS10alX5xD5bP/openapi.json