Cats are heart-stealers in real life and hold a special place in the hearts of anime fans as well. Even if you are not really a pet lover, chances are high that these feline creatures can instantly make you fall in love with their kawaii character, unique abilities, and personalities. There have been a lot of cat characters in many popular animes like Dragon Ball, One Piece, etc. These characters come in the form of supporting characters or even the main character, captivating anime fans worldwide. So today, we have compiled a list of the best anime cats and what makes them memorable.
Just kidding! All cats are good and unique in their own way, and there is no way to rank them. So, read on and learn about the 15 best feline characters in the anime world.
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1. Korin – Dragon Ball
Before Death Note became an entry point into the anime world for many, Dragon Ball was the first anime for many OG fans. It introduced us to the world of anime and an immortal cat named Korin. Korin is an 800 years old wise cat in the Dragon Ball universe. He is also known as Karin and is a master of martial arts. He is excellently skilled in martial arts and is hailed as “The God of Martial Arts” in the anime.
A fun fact about this anime cat is that the author Akira Toriyama used his own cat for Korin’s character design. He drew him when his cat was sleeping, and that’s the reason Korin’s eyes are always closed. It is such a cute little fact that brings soul to Korin’s character. He also served as a vital supporting character, training our warrior Goku from the beginning.
2. Luna and Artemis – Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon is another classic anime that was a huge hit among fans, especially the female fanbase. And obviously, this anime featured not just one iconic cat but three of them. At first, we had only Luna and Artemis, who aren’t actually typical cats as they are aliens from another planet with cat-like bodies. We all know the popular catchphrase that cats are aliens, and that fits perfectly in this situation.
Luna and Artemis have the appearance of a typical black and white cat in Sailor Moon, respectively. They have a crescent moon symbol on their forehead. Further, their names are derived from the moon goddesses of Greek and Roman mythologies. Together, they bring a little kitten named Diana to their family later in the show. Luna and Artemis are considered like the North Star for their respective owners, as they lead their life as advisors. This Neko family has been adored by anime fans for decades.
3. Kyo Sohma – Fruits Basket
Kyo Sohma isn’t actually a cat, but he is a human cursed by the cat spirit in the Fruits Basket anime. This anime deals with fantasy themes and is based on Chinese zodiac signs. In the story, when a human of the opposite sex hugs the cursed human, they transform into their spirit animal. That is how Kyo gets transformed into an orange cat numerous times in the anime. In his human form, Kyo sure has some distinct characteristics (mainly his orange hair color) and the attributes of a cat.
Fruits Basket is a wonderful wholesome anime overflowing with beautiful emotions, but fair warning, it can break your heart instantly too. Don’t worry, though, as they patch the broken heart with wholesome moments back again. Kyo is a highly popular character in the fandom, and we can’t miss out on him in our list of best anime cats.
4. Doraemon – Doraemon
The only cat who has his name as the title of the anime show and has been ruling the hearts of millions of fans for years is Doraemon. Even though Doraemon is a kid’s anime, it gained massive popularity from the start. But even adults nowadays tend to rewatch this anime to feel the nostalgia. Furthermore, its popularity skyrocketed when it was dubbed and released in global regions like India, Bangladesh, etc. Thus, Doraemon is an irreplaceable legendary figure in the history of anime.
Doraemon is a robotic cat who was sent back in time from the future to the owner’s great-great-grandfather, Nobita Nobi. It was primarily sent to help Nobita become a great person in his life. This cat with a gadget pouch is blue in color primarily. But his face and stomach are covered in white color. Doraemon has been a fan favorite for years and still continues to entertain children to this day. Doraemon will continue his entertaining journey for generations to come and is inarguably one of the best anime cats.
5. Nekomamushi – One Piece
Nekomamushi is running riots all over the raid on Onigashima in the recent episodes of One Piece. He is a feline-type character from the Minks race, much like Carrot, who is one of the best female characters in One Piece. Master Nekomamushi is widely known as the “Ruler of Night,” as he ruled over the Mokomo Dukedom at night. He is one of the Nine Red Scabbards, who are the retainers of the Kozuki family.
Nekomamushi is a giant yellow feline who mainly resembles a wild cat with the characteristics of a lion, especially in his face. He has sharp claws and teeth and laughs in a special tone. He’s one of the popular characters in One Piece right now, as he can be seen helping the Straw Hat Pirates in the important raid against Kaido and Big Mom. Nekomamushi is not a normal cat like some others on this list. He can talk and fight on a great level, making him the perfect example of a main supporting character.
6. Kuro – Blue Exorcist
The Ao no Exorcist anime series, popularly known as Blue Exorcist, deals with concepts like demons and exorcisms like Jujutsu Kaisen, so you can pretty much guess the type of cat we have here. In this anime, the cat named Kuro is a Cat Sídhe (cats possessed by demons). He is a black cat with a little bit of white on his chest and chocolate-esque brown accents on his face. Kuro also has two tails, unlike any other cat on our list, and that two tails design is considered sacred by the Japanese.
Kuro is a vibrant cat who is always seen with the lead Rin Okumura and likes to sleep on his back. As he is a Cat Sídhe, he can transform into a nekomata (giant Demon cat), which immensely boosts his strength and the powers he possesses. He is one of the most unique cat characters on our list.
7. Arthur – Code Geass
Code Geass is one of the greatest anime to be ever created, and of course, it has a cat character to claim that status (just kidding!). Arthur is the name of the black cat that shows up in numerous instances in the Code Geass anime. Although the cat has a male name, it was officially confirmed on Twitter that Arthur is actually a female. Many mistakenly considered her a male due to her name.
Arthur is a black stray cat who was adopted by the Third Princess Euphemia. Later, she was seen on the school grounds as she moved here. She is more of a comic relief character, as she can be seen carrying Lelouch’s mask, biting Suzaku randomly, and so on. Unlike many of the other cats on this list, he doesn’t have any power or magical abilities, he is just a cute Neko.
8. Kuroneko – Trigun
Trigun is one of the OG classic animes, which will forever live in the hearts of anime fans. Recently, it has received a massive overhaul in the form of a remake called Trigun Stampede. Now, coming to the topic at hand, Kuroneko is a black cat that randomly appears in almost every episode of the anime. She is called Kuroneko-sama, which literally means Mr. Black Cat, by the characters in the show.
Kuroneko is similar to Sakamoto in our list (read about them below), but he has a mouth. Although most of the time, he merely appears in the background, he played a major role in the plot at times, such as when he stopped Wolfwood from cheating in a game of chess.
9. Jiji, Lily, Baron, and Nekobasu – Ghibli Cats
Ghibli Studios’ projects have always been special when it comes to the art style, characters, and story. So, who would not love to learn about the best anime cats from one of the genius studios in Japan? Here are four cats from the Ghibli movies:
- Jiji and Lily from Kiki’s Delivery Service: Jiji is the protagonist Kiki’s cat. He helps Kiki in her hard training to become a witch. He has a girlfriend as well, named Lily, who he meets in the anime. It was revealed later in the credits that they both had lots of kittens together.
- Baron from Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns: Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, better known as “The Baron,” is the main character in both of these Ghibli movies. He is a cat but possesses the characteristics and attributes of a human, making him an anthropomorphic cat. He is a statue by day and comes to life at night.
- Nekobasu from My Neighbour Totoro: Neko means Cat, and basu means Bus in Japanese slang. Thus, nekobasu together means “Cat Bus.” This gigantic cat was seen in the form of a bus helping Mei and Satsuki. The Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland is said to be remarkably similar to this character.
10. Meowth – Pokémon
We bet no one can forget Team Rocket from the Pokemon series, a huge part of our childhoods. Meowth was one of the members of Team Rocket, alongside Jessie and James, and always made us laugh. He is so popular in the fandom that even a person who hasn’t watched the Pokemon series can easily recognize him. Moreover, he is one of the talking feline characters we have on our list.
In fact, he is considered the only talking Pokemon who can speak to his owners in their own language. That’s what makes his character so unique. Further, if you didn’t already know, Meowth resembles the maneki-neko (a famous cat figurine in Japan). He’s the brain behind Team Rocket and has captivated fans all over the world.
11. Sakamoto – Nichijou
Nichijou (My Ordinary Life) is one of the most highly-rated slice-of-life anime and is celebrated by fans worldwide. And a black cat named Sakamoto appears in this anime. Due to his previous owner’s bad behavior, Sakamoto escaped and was found on the streets by Hakase (one of the main characters). Soon, he was adopted by Nano and Hakase and got his deserving home.
Sakamoto is said to be older than both of his current owners. Hakase made him a red scarf and tied it around his neck, which somehow gave him a superpower that enabled him to talk. He is another one of the best-talking anime cats on our list.
Sakamoto may look like an innocent and quiet kitty, but he is more than that. Since he can talk, he considers himself superior and acts like one around Hakase and Nano. He likes to be called “Sakamoto-san,” which further proves his superiority over others. But he can also be seen playing with toys like a normal cat, which he hides from his owners.
12. Chachamaru – Demon Slayer
With Demon Slayer season 3 fast approaching, we need to talk about this lovely hero named Chachamaru in the anime. It might have gone unnoticed by many fans, but we are here to remind you that it is one of the best anime cats we have here on our list. Remember the highly skilled demon doctor named Tamayo, who is an important ally to our hero Tanjiro. Yeah, Chachamaru basically works for her and helps in her research with Demon Blood.
Chachamru is well-trained to carry out his medical duties. It is a tricolored cat, and thus, it belongs to the calico cat family. We have seen Chachamru helping Tamayo and Tanjiro collect demon blood to help Nezuko turn into a human. There is not much information available about its family, past, or gender. But most calico cats are considered to be females, so there is a high chance that Chachamaru is a female cat.
13. Nyanko-sensei – Natsume’s Book of Friends
We all remember the terrifying Madara from the Uchiha clan in Naruto, but here is a cute cat named Madara (aka Nyanko-sensei) from the anime Natsume’s Book of Friends. As calm and peaceful as he looks, he is a strong white wolf youkai who can fly as well. He regularly takes the form of a maneki-neko. This youkai form can’t be seen by people who don’t have any spiritual energy. So in the eyes of many, he is a simple round cat.
Madara is a chonky kawaii anime cat that resembles the design of maneki-neko, and he is considered to bring good fortune. He is also scarily powerful in his original youkai form, having many powers such as flying, superhuman strength, and more. Currently, he is working as Natsume’s bodyguard in the hope of getting the Book of Friends back.
14. Chi Yamada – Chi’s Sweet Home
While the other anime on this list had cats as more of a supporting character, Chi’s Sweet Home breaks all the rules by keeping the cat as the lead protagonist. Chi Yamada is our beloved lead here, a stray kitten who lost her mom. But luckily, she got a new family as she was taken in by the Yamada family. The apartment where they lived had a strict “no pets allowed” rule, but the Yamada family still took her in, which shows how much they loved her.
Chi is a grey cat who has stripes like a mackerel fish around her. She is so loving and always goes on an adventure out in the world. She can be a little loud and stubborn, but she is adorable. Although the anime has 100+ episodes, they all have a runtime of only 3 minutes, so they can be binged quickly to witness the cuteness of Chi.
15. Sorata – Sekaiichi Hatsukoi
Sekaiichi Hatsukoi (aka World’s Greatest First Love) is one of the best BL anime to release in the last decade. In the anime, there is a cute little double-colored cat known as Sorata. Sorata was abandoned by his family and left in an alley inside a small box. On a rainy day, our protagonist Masamune Takano rescued this poor little Nekowhile he was in high school and started raising him. Finally, this cute cat got the love he deserved and was full-grown in the next 10 years. He was also raised by Takafumi Yokozawa, Takano’s ex-lover.
Yokozowa offered Sorata to Hiyori Kirishima because she had long desired a cat, but as his workload increased, he had to do so. Sorata is currently having his finest life and has always been in good hands. In an anniversary interview, it was discovered that Sorata can read – just like the rest of us – and that non-fiction is his preferred genre.
And that concludes our list of the best anime cats who have entertained us and made us fall in love with them all these years. We hope you were able to find some of your favorites as well as other well-known anime cats on our list here. We will update this list if a captivating new Neko character appears in an anime in the near future. Moreover, we have tried to include all the popular cat characters on our list, but if you believe that we have left out any adorable kitties, feel free to let us know in the comments below. Also, let us know about your favorite cat characters in anime in the comments section.
Cats are often regarded as a lucky sign and known to bring good fortune in Japanese folklore. They are also thought to have some powers. Because of this, cats are highly valued in Japan and thus appear in many anime.
There are many animes in which the cat has the ability to fly, but the most popular cat among them is Happy from the famous anime Fairy Tail.
Every cat character we have seen in anime is lovely and distinctive in its own style, so it’s difficult to choose the best cat in anime. So, in the end, everything boils down to personal choice. But we can’t forget Doraemon, Kuro (Blue Exorcist), and Kyo (Fruits Basket), to name a few.
Ajith Kumar
