What is it about Japanese cats? They seem to span the most athletic (Maru, of course) to the most contented. The reigning Zen master of Japanese felinity is Shironeko. I love how he’s often smiling.
The commenters at I Can Has Cheezburger accused Shironeko and his humans of photoshopping, but I’m not so sure. Lots of cats like to squeeze into tight spaces. Not all cats appreciate having stuff placed on top of them (see: Stuff on My Cat). Shironeko is so relaxed you could probably park a twenty-pound turkey on his head. Fortunately, his humans have subjected him to nothing worse than eggplants and lettuce:
(Kitteh with stuff on his head from I Can Has Cheezburger.)
If you need more Shironeko, check out his blog. It’s all in Japanese, but when you’ve got a sunflower on your head, it really doesn’t matter. There’s also a nice selection at the Love Meow blog.
Just for the record: The photo showing a slug-like form on Shironeko actually depicts some sort of seedpod. I feel much better knowing that.
See also: Stuff on my Cat. Be forewarned, though, that most of these kittehs are pissed.
Patron cat of Kittywampus (1985-2001)
I think people like to piss off their cats because it’s our revenge on their indifference to us in all other respects.
The crazy thing is that Shironeko isn’t even annoyed! I don’t think it’s possible to piss him off.
Agreed!
I was thinking more of Stuff on my Cat. And thinking of things I’ve done to cats (nothing really mean, just draping towels over them) that I would never in a million years do to my dog. And not because I’m scared of my dog – he’s very tolerant of the shenanigans of my son and my nieces – but because it just wouldn’t occur to me to do that to a dog.
Oh, yeah! I used to drop a blanket over Grey Kitty. But she seemed to enjoy the challenge of tunneling her way out. I also still have a little glittery purple collar I made for her out of ribbon just for “dress up.” She loathed it, of course. I guess she resented the princess look, though lord knows she sure acted like a princess. I’ve got an old-fashioned photo of that, and I really ought to scan it (along with some of those other snapshots).
So, regarding seed pod vs. slug – I always thought it was a seed pod, my husband thought it was totally a slug, and my son said “If my dad says it’s a slug, it’s a slug!” Thanks a lot, kid.
A slug would be animal cruelty – applying slime to a cat’s fur! No way.
Your son is what – four? Get used to these alliances. I’m frequently on the wrong end of them.