'I am convinced it is superior to all other cats': 9th-century Japanese emperor writes in awe of his actual master, his new cat, in ways every cat pawrent can relate to

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Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Feb 21, 2026 1:00 PM EST

Even the most adored man in the world, the "heavenly sovereign", understood there's a being much higher than him - his cat.

It's a truth shared by all cat pawrents, and our status, stature, and financial situation don't matter in acknowledging that cats are superior to us. Since the domestication of cats (or, rather, the human domestication done by cats), people saw something in them that they didn't see in other animals. Sure, dogs are loyal companions and generally cute, and yeah, birds are beautiful, but cats are something different. They don't need to demand respect to get it. It's as if they have an aura that meowgically makes everyone around them revere their feline fabulousness - even the Japanese emperor.

Cats are literally the kings and queens of our lives, which makes them sort of emperors themselves. They govern the living room, rule the bed and all comfy places around the house, and collect the treat and pet tax with meowing might. They are sovereign over their domestic kingdoms with an iron paw. And us? As humans, we're mere peasants in their world. Cats rule our lives, and we're happy to serve.

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  • 01
    11th March 809, A 22 year old Japanese Emperor writes about his new cat.
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    Cheezburger Image 10606862848
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    "On the 6th Day of the 2nd Month of the First Year of the Kampo era. Taking a moment of my free time, I wish to express my joy of the cat. It arrived by boat as a gift to the late Emperor, received from the hands of Minamoto no Kuwashi.
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    The color of the fur is peerless. None could find the words to describe it, although one said it was reminiscent of the deepest ink. It has an air about it, similar to Kanno. Its length is 5 sun, and its height is 6 sun. I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long.
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    In rebellion, it narrows its eyes and extends its needles. It shows its back.
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    B 式後集余 4 字 B 源氏後集人
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    When it lies down, it curls in a circle like a coin. You cannot see its feet. It's as if it were circular Bi disk. When it stands, its cry expresses profound loneliness, like a black dragon floating above the clouds.
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    By nature, it likes to stalk birds. It lowers its head and works its tail. It can extend its spine to raise its height by at least 2 sun. Its color allows it to disappear at night.
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    I am convinced it is superior to all other cats."
    via Fbaselleruae
  • 10
    猫饲好五十足 人とね
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  • 11
    Rabbitrules87 Well, we know who was running that country.
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    Blue_Shirt_Hornet "I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long." Ah, the joys of learning that it is not you who can exert your will upon the cat. That you have found a new master. Important lesson for an Emperor. Edit: Also, does my man the emperor have cat ears in that image? Perfection
    via Blue_Shirt_Hornet
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    Some_Deer_2650 "Its color allow it to disapear at night" Classic black cats. Mines like to stay on black clothes and stuff. One day I was calling and searching for one of them during a long time, she was sit on my black backpack, staring at me all the time.
    via Some_Deer_2650
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    Delicious-Phase-5854 How curious that an emperor, no less, who in feudal Japan was considered barely just a step below a god, acknowledges and recognizes with such naturality the independent character of a cat. That says A LOT about both the cat and the person.
    via Delicious-Phase-5854
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    [deleted] Recognizes the cat's independence and doesn't give it a name. Nice.
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    Tal-Star This is actually a very asian philosophical thing and very in line with his style of observation! He is not anthropomorphising the cat at all! He accepts and observes the cat as the creature it is, not as "Mr Snuffles". It is absolutely logical that the cat is a cat and does not need a human name. This is so restrained, yet abundant Japanese.
    via Tal-Star

  • Not only did medieval Japanese adore cats - they practically gave them VIP status - but they were far from the only civilization to fall under feline enchantment. In Japan, cats were treasured for protecting precious silk scrolls from mice, and noble households even kept them as elegant companions. But on this you can read here already.

    Meanwhile, over in Egypt, cats achieved full celebrity status: harming one was illegal - your life was in danger if you caught treating a cat badly. Families mourned them like relatives, because they were seen as such. And they were associated with the goddess Bastet, symbol of protection and homey goodness - much like cats themselves. Archaeologists have found elaborately mummified cats there, proving humans have been extra about their pets for millennia.

    In ancient Rome, cats were valued as pest control experts and symbols of liberty, admired for their independence and self-sufficiency - basically the same reasons modern people respect a cat who ignores them. This proves a cat person from ancient Rome isn't that different than you, reading these words 2,000 years later.

    Sailors across many cultures also welcomed cats aboard ships to guard food stores from rodents, turning them into whiskered naval officers. In more modern times, these sailor cats were also issued passports, signed with the country stamp they landed in.

    Across continents and centuries, societies repeatedly decided that the small, purring hunter with dagger toes was worth protecting, revering, and occasionally worshipping. So if your cat struts through your home like royalty, that’s not arrogance - it’s historical accuracy passed down through generations of very successful public relations.

  • 17
    saigon567 I love how, over 1200 years ago, a cat owner describes his cat and it sounds just like the cats we know today.
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    SyrusDrake I've unfortunately not been able to find the exact passage, but I vaguely remember an ancient Roman description of a cat. It's from some sort of official, who sends his wife back home a cat, to keep her company. He writes that it is soft and smells nice (Romans would often keep ferrets to hunt mice, and they are notorious for their odour), and it makes rumbling noises when content.
    via SyrusDrake
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    猫の
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    Cautious_Ice_884 Its funny to think about but for thousands of years people have not only loved their pets but have spoiled the h I out of them.
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    Ancient times in Pompeii & Rome, they would actually make marble statues that look like their pets. They would also have huge banquets where the pets would just run amok and eat whatever food they wanted. They would grieve like we do for their pets, perform burials and rituals for their animals. Its so crazy to think about it that we have been loving and spoiling cats and dogs for thousands of years. If you're interested, on Youtube "Tasting History" does a fantastic historical run down about ho
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    I mean... Ancient Egypt is a pretty good testament to that; cat gods and statues. Think about how they might have treated pet cats, they would have been living the life like a king.
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    The times have changed, but we are the same with our animals as our ancestors thousands of years ago. And our animals are the same with us. The spoiling's and creature comforts just being slightly different.
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    少ゑその内 加賀安
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    boldodo There are intact wall paintings in Pompei where pigeons are depicted. The same you find in any city across the world. We live in the same world. Animal are the same as they've been for millenia, and so are we.
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    MD_Dev1ce "I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long." Some things never change. This passage brought me profound joy
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    EmperorJack If someone read this with no context to what a cat is, they would think it is a mythical beast of legends. Makes you wonder what other ancient literature is misunderstood.
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    TheAnanasKnight "A magnificent serpent, imprisoned in my castle!" The world's derpiest ball python lounges around in an area of its enclosure the King made d n sure had ample sunlight. It just had the finest rat the King could possibly find for dinner.
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    Proud-Alternative-96 "I am convinced it is superior to all other cats." Cat owners -
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    Tomb_85 I'm sure my cat thinks it too
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    for
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    JaneksLittleBlackBox I've only had the pleasure to be chosen by one cat that didn't behave like it was god's gift to Earth. She was the most puppy-like cat I've ever met. She was a mouser on a previous landlord's property who once proudly ran up to me with the largest gopher I have ever seen in my life;
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    this thing was at least a third of her size and she was clearly very pleased with herself for catching and killing this beast. I was so shocked by its size that even I had to praise her for her hunting prowess, giving her lots of verbal praise and scritches.
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    After that, she became my shadow and quickly learned my daily routine. In the mornings, she'd be lying on the sill of my kitchen window, right by my front door, knowing I was about to leave for work. She could hear my bedroom door open and would leap down to be standing expectantly when I opened my front door, where she'd give me an excited chirping meow then stand on her hind legs to place her front paws on my leg. I knew what this meant after initially being surprised to find out that she not
    via JaneksLittleBlackBox
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    In one fluid motion, she'd leap into my arms, purring, and twist her body around so her belly was up and showing, and I'd start rocking her.
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    Had to keep a stock of lint rollers in my car, because she shed like crazy and my job uniform was black jeans and a black shirt, so her grey fur would be everywhere once I put her back on the ground. Really miss that baffling enigma of a feline; still alive and happy as far as I know. She got injured by a hawk once, leaving her with a quarter-sized wound right above her tail.
    via JaneksLittleBlackBox
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    One of my neighbors, whom was also adopted by this cat, got worried about the wound and took her to a nearby Humane Society who happily healed her and eventually got her adopted by a new loving family. The Humane Society kept my neighbor in the loop on the cat's treatment and eventual adoption, so I was so
    via JaneksLittleBlackBox
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    happy to hear that news when I asked my neighbor about the cat; I knew my neighbor enjoyed all the mousers on the property as much as I did, so I was hoping she may have learned the fate of the wounded cat I was worried might've d d from that wound. Nope! My neighbor got her help and adopted!
    via JaneksLittleBlackBox
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    361 中
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    Lisa Mikky Really enjoyed reading your cat story. Made me smile in the bus on my way to work, while scrolling my Reddit feed with all the news about madness & chaos going on in the world... I hope you and the cat both have happy lives. ②
    via LisaMikky
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    spinachjam I read this story to my orange cat and at the end, I told him "that's only because he hadn't met you yet", then gave him a kiss on his forehead.
    via spinachjam

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