diff --git a/tools/cmd/icat/main.go b/tools/cmd/icat/main.go
index 3f483dad1..5092d2b8b 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/icat/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/icat/main.go
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"kitty/tools/cli"
@@ -49,6 +51,10 @@ var direct_query_id, file_query_id, memory_query_id uint32
 var stderr_is_tty bool
 var query_in_flight bool
 var stream_response string
+var files_channel chan input_arg
+var num_of_items int
+var keep_going *atomic.Bool
+var screen_size loop.ScreenSize
 
 func parse_mirror() (err error) {
 	flip = opts.Mirror == "both" || opts.Mirror == "vertical"
@@ -155,6 +161,15 @@ func on_initialize() (string, error) {
 	if sz.WidthPx == 0 || sz.HeightPx == 0 {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("Terminal does not support reporting screen sizes via the TIOCGWINSZ ioctl")
 	}
+	keep_going.Store(true)
+	screen_size = sz
+	if !opts.DetectSupport && num_of_items > 0 {
+		num_workers := utils.Max(1, utils.Min(num_of_items, runtime.NumCPU()))
+		for i := 0; i < num_workers; i++ {
+			go run_worker()
+		}
+	}
+
 	direct_query_id = g(graphics.GRT_transmission_direct, "123")
 	tf, err := graphics.MakeTemp()
 	if err == nil {
@@ -298,8 +313,22 @@ func main(cmd *cli.Command, o *Options, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
 	lp.OnInitialize = on_initialize
 	lp.OnFinalize = on_finalize
 	lp.OnEscapeCode = on_escape_code
+	items, err := process_dirs(args...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 1, err
+	}
+	if opts.Place != "" && len(items) > 1 {
+		return 1, fmt.Errorf("The --place option can only be used with a single image, not %d", len(items))
+	}
+	files_channel = make(chan input_arg, len(items))
+	for _, ia := range items {
+		files_channel <- ia
+	}
+	num_of_items = len(items)
+	keep_going = &atomic.Bool{}
 
 	err = lp.Run()
+	keep_going.Store(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/tools/cmd/icat/process_images.go b/tools/cmd/icat/process_images.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79c10f894
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/cmd/icat/process_images.go
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2022, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package icat
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"image"
+	"io"
+	"io/fs"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"kitty/tools/tty"
+	"kitty/tools/utils"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+type BytesBuf struct {
+	data []byte
+	pos  int64
+}
+
+func (self *BytesBuf) Seek(offset int64, whence int) (int64, error) {
+	switch whence {
+	case io.SeekStart:
+		self.pos = offset
+	case io.SeekCurrent:
+		self.pos += offset
+	case io.SeekEnd:
+		self.pos = int64(len(self.data)) + offset
+	default:
+		return self.pos, fmt.Errorf("Unknown value for whence: %#v", whence)
+	}
+	self.pos = utils.Max(0, utils.Min(self.pos, int64(len(self.data))))
+	return self.pos, nil
+}
+
+func (self *BytesBuf) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	nb := utils.Min(int64(len(p)), int64(len(self.data))-self.pos)
+	if nb == 0 {
+		err = io.EOF
+	} else {
+		n = copy(p, self.data[self.pos:self.pos+nb])
+		self.pos += nb
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+func (self *BytesBuf) Close() error {
+	self.data = nil
+	self.pos = 0
+	return nil
+}
+
+type input_arg struct {
+	arg         string
+	value       string
+	is_http_url bool
+}
+
+func is_http_url(arg string) bool {
+	return strings.HasPrefix(arg, "https://") || strings.HasPrefix(arg, "http://")
+}
+
+func process_dirs(args ...string) (results []input_arg, err error) {
+	results = make([]input_arg, 0, 64)
+	if opts.Stdin != "no" && (opts.Stdin == "yes" || tty.IsTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd())) {
+		results = append(results, input_arg{arg: "/dev/stdin"})
+	}
+	for _, arg := range args {
+		if arg != "" {
+			if is_http_url(arg) {
+				results = append(results, input_arg{arg: arg, value: arg, is_http_url: true})
+			} else {
+				if strings.HasPrefix(arg, "file://") {
+					u, err := url.Parse(arg)
+					if err != nil {
+						return nil, &fs.PathError{Op: "Parse", Path: arg, Err: err}
+					}
+					arg = u.Path
+				}
+				s, err := os.Stat(arg)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, &fs.PathError{Op: "Stat", Path: arg, Err: err}
+				}
+				if s.IsDir() {
+					filepath.WalkDir(arg, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, walk_err error) error {
+						if walk_err != nil {
+							if d == nil {
+								err = &fs.PathError{Op: "Stat", Path: arg, Err: walk_err}
+							}
+							return walk_err
+						}
+						if !d.IsDir() {
+							mt := utils.GuessMimeType(path)
+							if strings.HasPrefix(mt, "image/") {
+								results = append(results, input_arg{arg: arg, value: path})
+							}
+						}
+						return nil
+					})
+				} else {
+					results = append(results, input_arg{arg: arg, value: arg})
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return results, nil
+}
+
+type opened_input interface {
+	io.ReadSeekCloser
+}
+
+func process_arg(arg input_arg) {
+	var f opened_input
+	if arg.is_http_url {
+		resp, err := http.Get(arg.value)
+		if err != nil {
+			report_error(arg.value, "Could not get", err)
+			return
+		}
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+			report_error(arg.value, "Could not get", fmt.Errorf("bad status: %v", resp.Status))
+			return
+		}
+		dest := bytes.Buffer{}
+		dest.Grow(64 * 1024)
+		_, err = io.Copy(&dest, resp.Body)
+		if err != nil {
+			report_error(arg.value, "Could not download", err)
+			return
+		}
+		f = &BytesBuf{data: dest.Bytes()}
+	} else if arg.value == "" {
+		stdin, err := io.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
+		if err != nil {
+			report_error("<stdin>", "Could not read from", err)
+			return
+		}
+		f = &BytesBuf{data: stdin}
+	} else {
+		q, err := os.Open(arg.value)
+		if err != nil {
+			report_error(arg.value, "Could not open", err)
+			return
+		}
+		f = q
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	c, format, err := image.DecodeConfig(f)
+	f.Seek(0, io.SeekStart)
+
+}
+
+func run_worker() {
+	for {
+		select {
+		case arg := <-files_channel:
+			if !keep_going.Load() {
+				return
+			}
+			process_arg(arg)
+		default:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}