Top 10 Cats In Anime Of All Time

How dare we not talk about anime cats this past few decades? Meow, meow, meow, meow...

Yes, we heard the better version of that Billie Eilish song. "What Was I Made For?” was written for the Barbie film, but cats would get whatever they want to get.

That’s because in every place, even in the world of anime, cats occupy a special tier. It doesn’t matter if there’s no shortage of memorable animals. Cats and anime girls who purr and meow a lot will stand out.

This time, we’ll list down ten of the most iconic cats in anime. Many anime characters had neko moments, but no, they won’t be sitting close to these highly optimized beings.

We’ll discuss how they are strongly remembered by otakus, hence earning a spot on our very quick top ten list.

#10-  Beerus from Dragon Ball

Is Beerus a cat?

Now that you see his name here, you probably know that this God of Destruction from the popular Dragon Ball series is indeed a purple, anthropomorphic cat with the ability to destroy worlds (as per the official data book).

To prove further that he is, Beerus was modeled after the 14-year-old cat who lived with the late mangaka, Akira Toriyama. However, this cat named Debo is a Cornish Rex, not a Sphynx, which is what many would have believed because of some images of cosplay cats that went viral online.

Despite all this confusion, whether Beerus is a cat or what, he made it in our top 10 list because of his purry good portrayal that signifies cats as creatures of destruction.

#9 - Baron Humbert von Gikkingen from Whisper of the Heart / The Cat Returns

The Baron is another anthropomorphic feline in this list. He is basically elegance personified. Baron Humbert von Gikkingen is that storybook hero in a collab, because we aren’t sure if his noble and charismatic persona fits the cat stereotype and anime exaggerations.

The Baron’s refined demeanor contrasts beautifully with the chaos around him and the pronunciation of his name. That’s what made every scene he appears in feel special.

#8 - Artemis from Sailormoon

Although Artemis plays a crucial supporting role, which has lesser narrative weight than his soulmate, Luna, he is a remarkable anime cat. If Luna appears in your mind, seconds later, you’ll ask about her white counterpart. It’s not clear what breed of cats they are. Some say they are a tomcat, while the data book says that they are out of this world. Still, Artemis is one of those timeless neko spirits that’s a joy to remember.

#7 - Nyanko-sensei from Natsume’s Book of Friends

Nyanko-sensei might look like an overfed lucky cat on the surface. However, he’s far from harmless. He mixes humor with a bit of menace, offering protection without pretending to be selfless. His relationship with Natsume adds a lot of charm and unpredictability to the series.

#6 - Kuroneko-sama from Trigun

Kuroneko-sama is less a character and more a running joke elevated to legend status. But how did that happen?

This small black cat, as the databook describes, appeared in every episode of the Trigun anime. One might think that she’s only there for comic relief. Surprisingly, some of her scenes have plot significance. Yes, Kuroneko-sama saved the day in some instances.

Due to this, she became a fan-favorite Easter egg. You’d basically glue yourself to your seat til she comes out. Her presence adds to the series’s offbeat tone.

#5  - Happy from Fairy Tail

Comic relief and emotional support are Happy’s roles in Natsu’s life. Although the protagonist shares the same qualities as him, loud, loyal, endlessly optimistic, like any shonen lead guy, they gel well and are considered “inseparable.” Happy is definitely the cat companion we wish to have. His catchphrases and expressions became instantly recognizable, turning him into one of the most marketable cats in anime history.

#4 - Luna from Sailormoon

A timeless mascot from the 90s era, a time when we had no Netflix, and only had very limited anime content to watch. If you came from that golden epoch, you must have met Luna, the black cat, and also the emotional backbone of Sailor Moon.

If we think about timeless cats in anime, Luna is the one that pops up in our minds, along with a few others. However, her role as a mentor to Usagi and as a battle tactician gave her that unmatched narrative weight.

#3 - Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service

Jiji represents the quiet loss of childhood innocence. His early sarcasm and constant presence grounded Kiki, making us want to take home a black cat. However, we won’t forget how his eventual silence gave us an emotional hit, and I think it’s one of the most memorable moments that Studio Ghibli gave us. It was heartbreaking and painful. I would cry if one day my talkative cat stopped nagging at me. I assume this is what my Siamese cat is doing.

Jiji is permanently engraved in our hats. Lol. Even when I see a meowing ginger cat, I still see him.

#2 - Meowth

A cat that talks, hangs out with loveable villains, and pays its master?

There’s no other cat that fits the description but this adorable Pokémon Meowth of Team Rocket (because there are many Meowths out there in the grass).

Apart from fan favorites like Pikachu, Meowth stands out because of its uniqueness. When I was a little kid, I was relieved to know that there was a Pokémon that could actually talk back. I don’t care if it’s going to be mean, after all, it’s a cat, but having one like Meowth as a companion checks all the boxes a kid wants from a pet.

Meowth’s loyalty to his team, despite constant failure, makes him oddly sympathetic. That’s why we’re one of the happiest when Team Rocket finally beats Ash fair and square after 20 years.

#1 - Doraemon

With thousands of episodes and several movies, Doraemon is certainly an unforgettable and timeless cat character in the history of anime. He is a resourceful robot from the future, with many gadgets that solve both old-world and modern problems.

Although he has everything we’d want, he was able to forge a deep bond with the lazy, clumsy, and unlucky boy protagonist. This led to a problem-solution theme, which gave the creators plenty of content angles to exploit.

As we grow older with the anime series, we realize that the show is beyond comedy, cool gadgets we wish we had, and getting back at our bullies. Some of its episodes taught us about friendship, love for family, enemies can become friends, the harsh realities of adult life, and more. Many of them are tear-jerkers, and all those important life realizations some otakus look back to won’t exist if not for a robo cat named Doraemon.

Other Notable Anime Cats

Our runners-up include Korin from Dragon Ball, the Cat Bus from My Neighbor Totoro, Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket, Blair from Souleater, Kuro from Blue Exorcist, Chi from Chi's Sweet Home, and Haru from My Roommate is a Cat.

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