This plugin allows to set a featured image for each category. 
Posts without a featured image set will show the category’s featured image instead. 
Featured images usually are placed by the theme in the single post page, in the latest posts page, etc. 
But can also be shown using the shortcode [cfi_featured_image] or the PHP function cfi_featured_image(). To get the featured image URL I added the function cfi_featured_image_url().
Shortcode/PHP function optional arguments:
<ul>
<li>‘size’: ‘thumbnail’, ‘medium’, ‘large’, ‘full’</li>
<li>‘class’: class of the image tag</li>
<li>‘alt’: alternative text of the image tag</li>
<li>‘title’: title of the image tag</li>
<li>‘cat_id’: select a specific category id</li>
</ul>
Shortcode example:
<pre><code>[cfi_featured_image size="large" title="This is a test..." class="my-image" alt="My image"]
</code></pre>
Function example 1:
<pre><code>cfi_featured_image( array( 'size' => 'large', 'title' => 'This is a test...', 'class' => 'my-image', 'alt' => 'My image' ) );
</code></pre>
Function example 2:
<pre><code>cfi_featured_image_url( array( 'size' => 'large' ) );
</code></pre>
Notes:
<ul>
<li>If a post has more than a category with a featured image the first available is loaded</li>
<li>If a category hasn’t a featured image but it has a parent category with a featured image the parent one is loaded</li>
</ul>

Category Featured Images

This plugin does one thing and it does it well.
It's easy to use, too: install, set up the default category images and forget about it.



Does one thing and does it well

Set a featured image for all the posts of a category.

Themeisle

Valerio Souza

This plugin will completely remove the ‘/category/’ from your permalinks ( e.g. <code>mydomain.com/category/my-category/</code> to <code>mydomain.com/my-category/</code> ).
No configuration is required
<h4>Features</h4>
<ol>
<li>Better and logical permalinks like <code>mydomain.com/my-category/</code> and <code>mydomain.com/my-category/my-post/</code>.</li>
<li>Simple plugin – No configuration is required.</li>
<li>No need to modify wordpress files.</li>
<li>Doesn’t require other plugins to work.</li>
<li>Compatible with sitemap plugins.</li>
<li>Compatible with WPML.</li>
<li>Works with multiple sub-categories.</li>
<li>Works with WordPress Multisite.</li>
<li>Redirects old category permalinks to the new ones (301 redirect, good for SEO).</li>
</ol>
<h4>Heads up:</h4>
Read the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/remove-category-url/faq/" rel="ugc">FAQ</a> before use.
Want to help? Use the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/remove-category-url" rel="ugc">support</a>

Remove Category URL

This plugin removes '/category' from your category permalinks. (e.g. /category/my-category/ to /my-category/)

Category Featured Images vs Remove Category URL