19 Cute Anime Cats That You’ll Totally Want to Cuddle

Anime expert Megan Blue shares her picks for the cutest anime felines

Co-authored by Megan Blue and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: July 27, 2026 Fact Checked

Cats are cute enough in real life, but anime and manga cats are almost TOO cute to function! If you’ve ever wanted to spend some time just looking at some adorable cartoon kitties, you’ve definitely come to the right place! We chatted with an anime expert to help us put together this list of the 19 cutest cats in anime, ranked (very) roughly from cutest to…also super cute. Of course, cuteness is subjective, and we honestly struggled to place any of these adorable cats at the bottom of the list! 😿 With that in mind, keep scrolling to learn about these meow-gnificent kitties and squeal in delight at their purr-fect photos!

The Cutest Cats From Anime

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An illustration of several adorable cats from anime and manga.

Anime expert Megan Blue shares these are her picks for the cutest anime cats:

Jiji: An adorable black cat from Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service
Catbus: A twelve-legged cat-bus hybrid from My Neighbor Totoro
Chi: A wide-eyed, grey-and-white shorthair cat from Chi’s Sweet Home
Muta: A grumpy, oversized tan cat from The Cat Returns
Kyo Sahma: A boy who transforms into an orange cat in Fruits Basket
Luna, Artemis, and Diana: An adorable cat family from Sailor Moon
Pokémon Cats: Cat-like Pokémon including Sprigatito, Litten, Meowth, and Mew

1

Chi (Chi’s Sweet Home)

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This adorable, bright-eyed, grey-striped shorthair cat is the star of Chi’s Sweet Home, a manga series that was later adapted into an animated TV show. Chi starts off as a lost little kitten (🥺), but she eventually finds a new family who helps her learn about the world. Blue says this “iconic cutie” has made it into a ton of memes!^{[1]
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Megan Blue
Anime Expert

Expert Interview} Fun fact, Chi loves treats and naps, but hates the vet and being left alone—relatable!
- Where to Watch Chi’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Chi’s Sweet Home on Crunchyroll, or on Amazon Prime with the Crunchyroll add-on.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Megan Blue is an anime expert and content creator known as The Fangirl. She’s spent the last 10 years creating video essays about movies, fan theories, pop culture, unboxings, and more.

2

Xiao-Hei (The Legend of Hei)

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Xiao-Hei is more eyes than fur…but we think that makes him even cuter! Xiao-Hei is actually a forest spirit, but he turns into a black cat who must find a new home when his forest is sadly destroyed. With his huge round eyes, teeny kitten ears, and range of magical powers, we don’t think Xiao-Hei could get any cuter!
- Where to Watch Xiao-Hei’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream The Legend of Hei on Tubi, Crunchyroll, The Roku Channel, or The CW.

3

Eikichi (Yu Yu Hakusho)

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Eikichi is the beloved pet cat of Kazuma Kuwabara, one of the protagonists of Yu Yu Hakusho. Despite not having much screen time, this (assumed) Japanese bobtail cat is a massive fan favorite…and we can see why! With her scruffy brown fur, teeny pink mittens, and big round eyes, she’s one of the cutest anime cats around!
- Where to Watch Eikichi’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Yu Yu Hakusho on Crunchyroll or Tubi.

4

Catbus (My Neighbor Totoro)

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Blue includes the silly cat-bus hybrid Catbus on her list of cutest anime cats.^{[2]
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Megan Blue
Anime Expert

Expert Interview} Catbus is a magical bus with 12 legs, a fluffy tail, and a big grin. He has two mice as his tail lights, and we think he’s pretty much the coolest way to get … well, anywhere!
- Where to Watch Catbus’ Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream My Neighbor Totoro on HBO MAX.

5

Happy (Fairy Tail)

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Happy is so cute that just looking at him makes us feel happy! This sweet little blue cat is part of a magical species known as “Exceed.” He’s the best friend of Natsu, the protagonist of Fairy Tail, and the two of them are always side by side on their adventures. Besides his pretty blue fur, Happy also has a squishy white belly, big round eyes, magical white wings, and an insatiable appetite for fish—adorable!
- Where to Watch Happy’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Fairy Tail on Crunchyroll or The Roku Channel.
  - Are you a big Fairy Tail fan? Take our character quiz to find out who you’re most like!

6

Haru (My Roommate Is a Cat)

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Haru is a stray tuxedo cat that’s adopted by Subaru Mikazuki, a shy, introverted writer and the protagonist of My Roommate Is a Cat. Haru is—unsurprisingly—super cute, and also super caring. She used to take care of her stray cat siblings on the street, and she equally tries to help out and take care of her human owner, Subaru. If that wasn’t cute enough, her teeny-tiny nose and signature red bow certainly put her over the edge!
- Where to Watch Haru’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream My Roommate Is a Cat on Crunchyroll, YouTube TV, or The Roku Channel.
- Haru is a tuxedo cat, but which type of cat would you be? Find out with our “What Kind of Cat Am I?" quiz!

7

Kero and Spinel (Cardcaptor Sakura)

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We have our first cute anime cat duo! Kero and Spinel are two of the magical guardians in the Cardcaptor Sakura universe. Kero is actually an ancient cat-like creature, but he has secret magical powers that he masks by disguising himself as a stuffed animal. Spinel is a sleepy (eepy!) black cat with cute green butterfly wings. Together, they represent the Sun and the Moon, and they couldn’t make for a cuter pair!
- Where to Watch Kero & Spinel’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Cardcaptor Sakura on Netflix or Crunchyroll.

8

Karupin (The Prince of Tennis)

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Karupin is a super fluffy and wide-eyed Himalayan cat who belongs to the Echizen family in The Prince of Tennis. Karupin has brown and white fur, an unbelievable floofy tail, wide blue eyes, and an adorably pouty smile. He spends most of his time napping (same), but he also loves cuddling with Ryoma Echizen (one of his humans) and playing with his favorite foxtail toy!
- Where to Watch Karupin’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream The Prince of Tennis on Crunchyroll.

9

Luna, Artemis, & Diana (Sailor Moon)

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Luna and Artemis are two adorable kitties from the Sailor Moon universe. Luna is a clever black cat who guides the anime’s heroes, especially Sailor Moon, and she also has a crescent moon symbol on her forehead. Artemis is a loyal white cat who helps Sailor Venus, and he also wears a yellow moon on his forehead. Eventually, these two cuties get together and become a kitty couple, and they even have their own (also adorable) kitten named Diana. Blue includes Luna, Artemis, and Diana in her list of cutest anime kitties.^{[3]
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Megan Blue
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Expert Interview}
- Where to Watch Luna & Artemis’ Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Sailor Moon on Pluto TV or Disney+.
  - Are you a big Sailor Moon fan? Take our character quiz to find out who you’re most like!

10

Kyuruga (Nights With A Cat)

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Kyuruga is the main character of Nights with a Cat (and he definitely has the main character energy to pull it off). Kyuruga is undeniably cute, with big, glowing eyes, a wide smile, and an impossible stretchy body. Part of Kyuruga’s cuteness is also due to the fact that he acts like a real cat! Just like any quirky kitty, Kyuruga loves to do nighttime zoomies, stare into empty corners, and get up to all kinds of mischief.
- Where to Watch Kyuruga’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Nights With a Cat on the official KADOKAWA anime YouTube channel.

11

Litten (Pokémon)

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Litten is an adorable fire-type Pokémon who has a feline form. Litten’s fur is black with red stripes, and he has adorably bright but grumpy-looking yellow eyes. But don’t take our word for it—Pokémon expert Eriel Rivera actually names Litten as one of his favorite Pokémon, sharing, “I loved Litten since before I had my cats, and I [especially] love him because he’s a Fire and Dark Type. Just a really cool-looking Pokémon.”^{[4]
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Eriel Rivera
Pokémon Expert

Expert Interview}
- Blue agrees that any list of cute anime cats has to include the adorable cat-like Pokémon, including Litten, Sprigatito, Meowth, and Mew.^{[5]
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- Where to Watch Litten’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream the original Pokémon series on Netflix and YouTube.
  - Are you a big Pokémon fan? Take our character quiz to find out who you’re most like!

12

Jiji (Kiki’s Delivery Service)

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Blue says that Jiji is one of the most famous and iconic anime cats.^{[6]
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Megan Blue
Anime Expert

Expert Interview} And he’s pretty cute, too! Jiji is the sidekick of Kiki in the Studio Ghibli classic, Kiki’s Delivery Service. Kiki is a young witch who has to leave home and find her own place in the world, and Jiji is always riding along on her broom and helping her along on her journey of misadventures. Jiji looks like a classic black cat, with a cute pink nose, big ears, and a wise-cracking sense of humor. Jiji also has his own little romance, with an (also cute) cat named Lily.
- Where to Watch Jiji’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Kiki’s Delivery Service on HBO Max.
- Are you a big Studio Ghibli fan? Take our character quiz to find out who you’re most like!

13

Kuro (Blue Exorcist)

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Kuro is a two-tailed demon cat (or Nekomata) in the Blue Exorcist anime series—but don’t let his demonic ways fool you! Kuro is totally cute, cuddly, and an absolute fan-favorite. In his everyday state, Kuro is a sweet black cat with patches of white and chocolate-brown fur, as well as big green eyes and two tiny horns. However, when it comes time to fight, this adorable kitty can transform into a giant, fierce, and immensely strong Nekomata demon. Still cute, though!
- Where to Watch Kuro’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Blue Exorcist on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

14

Madara (Natsume Yujin-cho)

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In Natsume Yujin-cho (or Natsume’s Book of Friends), Madara is a powerful spirit beast…who takes the form of a perfectly rotund little cat. Also known as Nyanko-sensei, Madara actually looks like a traditional lucky cat, with white, orange, and grey striped fur. With his chubby body and grumpy-but-cute face, Madara spends most of his time guarding Natsume. But, in his off time, Madara enjoys eating fried shrimp and squid, while also noisily complaining about all of his duties and responsibilities!
- Where to Watch Madara’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Natsume Yujin-cho on Crunchyroll.

15

Korin (Dragon Ball Z)

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As the resident immortal cat of Dragon Ball Z, Korin is an 800-year-old master of martial arts—but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a total cutie pie! Korin is a chubby white cat with pink ears, a pink nose, and eyes that are always sleepily (or mystically?) closed. In the series, Korin lives atop a giant tower and uses his wisdom to guide and heal Goku and his pals. And, as a bonus fun fact, Korin was actually modeled after the pet cat of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball Z!^{[7]
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- Where to Watch Korin’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Dragon Ball Z on Crunchyroll or Hulu.
  - Are you a big Dragon Ball Z fan? Take our character quiz to find out who you’re most like!

16

Daru (She and Her Cat)

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Daru is a classically cute black cat with long, fluffy (or floofy!) fur and expressive yellow eyes. Daru’s personality is just as cute, since he lives with Miyu, his female owner, whom he endlessly and sweetly supports and loves. The whole series is told from Daru’s point of view, so we really get to see his gentle nature and total affection for Miyu as she navigates the daily stresses of human life. We’re not crying, you are!
- Where to Watch Daru’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream She and Her Cat on Crunchyroll.

17

Muta (The Cat Returns)

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Muta might not spring to mind immediately when you think of cute anime cats, but we definitely think this grumpy feline deserves a spot on the list. Blue agrees, and includes him on her list of cutest anime cats.^{[8]
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Megan Blue
Anime Expert

Expert Interview} Muta appears in “The Cat Returns,” a lesser-known (but beloved) Studio Ghibli film, and he has a tough, independent, and food-loving attitude that any cat owner will recognize. Underneath his gruff appearance, however, Muta is totally loyal, hilarious, and kind-hearted. Plus, his chubby build makes him totally squeezable and perfect for a cuddle!^{[9]
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- Where to Watch Muta’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream The Cat Returns on HBO Max.

18

Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket)

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Kyo Sohma is a guy, most of the time—but Blue says it’s his cat form that has kept him in the spotlight for over 20 years.^{[10]
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Megan Blue
Anime Expert

Expert Interview} Kyo was cursed by the spirit of the Cat, and he turns into a sleek orange cat when he gets stressed out or if a girl hugs him. We don’t have to talk about his monstrous Zodiac Cat True Form.
- Where to Watch Kyo’s Cuteness in Action: In the U.S., you can stream Fruits Basket on Hulu or Cruncyroll.

19

Honorable Mention: Hello Kitty

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While Hello Kitty isn’t usually lumped in with your typical anime cats, we couldn’t finish this list without including what is arguably the most iconic cat character. Despite starting off as a merchandise character for the Sanrio company, Hello Kitty (aka Kitty White) has starred in several Japanese anime shows and series. She’s also “not exactly a cat,” says trend expert and TikTok influencer Gia Rutkowski. Rather, continues Rutkowski, she’s “an anthropomorphized character who represents a young girl living in the suburbs with her family.”^{[11]
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Gia Rutkowski
Trend Expert & TikTok Influencer

Expert Interview}
- “Though Hello Kitty is a personification of a Japanese Bobtail cat,” explains Rutkowski, “it appears that her creators took great effort into humanizing her while maintaining the on-brand cuteness of the Sanrio universe."^{[12]
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  Gia Rutkowski
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- Are you just as cute as Hello Kitty? Find out if your personality matches hers in our Sanrio Character Quiz.