Mewla here.
Several fun shows that feature cats are streaming right now on web TV sites. The Mewla Young family subscribes to (the U.S. accounts for) Netflix and Amazon Prime, so we’ve been doing our best to catch shows featuring cats as they become available. Below are our current favorites that are free with the subscriptions in no particular order.
- Chi’s Sweet Adventure – Cartoon Series
Our family is crazy about Chi’s Sweet Adventures, a cartoon series from Japan. In the series, the Yamada parents and their young son adopt an adorable kitten and name her Chi.
A clip from the Japanese language version of Chi.
Chi poses typical kitty problems for a family that doesn’t know a lot about cats. This provides many lol’s.
When Chi doesn’t get her way, her reactions are priceless. For example, when the family placed a collar around Chi’s neck, as shown in the clip above, her reaction was hilarious.
I recently mentioned in our Mews in the News section that images of baby animals bring about strong emotional reactions in people. Chi—with her big eyes, large head, and tiny body—is bound to do the same for you. The series will be a favorite for cat-loving kids but cat lovers of any age seeking a funny, heartwarming story will like it too.
The television show originated as a Japanese manga (comic book) series Chi’s Loving Home (Chīzu Suīto Hōmu, 2004-2015) written and illustrated by Konami Kanata. [1]
Chi’s Sweet Adventures season one and two are currently showing (in the U.S.) on Amazon Prime (at https://www.amazon.com/Chis-Sweet-Adventure-Season-1/dp/B08KYJYGFC). Shows are also available on YouTube.
The third season is currently streaming on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/81712502.
2. Inside the Mind of a Cat – Documentary
Another of our favorites is Inside the Mind of a Cat, a 2022 documentary that highlights cats’ many amazing abilities.
Throughout the show, cat experts share about different aspects of cat behavior and thinking. For example, Dr. Kristyn Vitale (see our interview at MewlaYoung.com/Kristyn-Vitale) discusses how cats think and interact with humans.
Watch the trailer for Inside the Mind of a Cat.
Dr. Bruce Kornreich talks about cats’ amazing physical traits and capacities, including how exactly their spine and tail allow them to land on their feet. Dr. Wailani Sung shares about the cat-human bond, and Dr. Saho Takago explains how different human cultures help to shape cats’ individual behavior and personalities. The circus team the Savitsky Cats from Ukraine also appear in a section about cat training.
The show can help viewers better understand and appreciate cats’ intelligence, affection, and loyalty.
Inside the Mind of a Cat, directed by Andy Mitchell,[2] currently airs on Netflix.
Watch Inside the Mind of a Cat on the Netflix Official Site
3. A Whisker Away – Anime Film
Lots of films featuring cats are anime, the colorful animated medium that refers to cartoons in Japan.
A favorite of ours is A Whisker Away, or, in Japanese, Nakitai watashi wa neko o kaburu (literally ‘Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to Be a Cat‘).
Watch the trailer for A Whisker Away.
The film features a quirky eighth-grade girl named Miyo who has a crush on her classmate Kento. Miyo sees Kento giving loving attention to a cute white cat and gets an idea about how she could be close to him.
She requests a magic mask from a cat who sells them. The mask allows her to become the cat for short periods. As a cat, she steals into Kento’s room to be close to him.
When Kento tells Miyo (in her human version) that he hates her, a heartbroken Miyo decides to permanently become the cat. However, she regrets her decision once she is treated like a cat, especially after she learns that Kento really did like her in her human form. The story becomes strange and complex as Miyo and Kento discover a secret island of cats and learn its secrets. Overall, we loved the beautiful visuals as well as the sweet cat.
The story was originally created by Mari Okada.[3]
A Whisker Away, directed by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama, was released on Netflix in 2020.
The film is available at https://www.netflix.com/title/81281872
4. Cat People – Docu-series
The Netflix documentary series Cat People consists of 30-minute episodes, each featuring a story about cat advocates from different walks of life.
The opening episode follows the TrapKing Sterling Davis, a former rapper who found his calling in Trap-Neuter-Rescue/Return (TNR) programs.
Watch the trailer for Cat People.
Today, Sterling (see our interview at MewlaYoung.com/Sterling-Davis) is a celebrity promoter of TNR programs.
Another episode highlights a couple who moved to the Greek island of Syros, which was overrun by strays. There, they opened a sanctuary where they keep cats safe and find them homes. Yet another show features Moshow, a rapper based in Portland, Oregon who raps about cats on various social media channels.
The series was a favorite of ours so be sure to check it out.
The six-episode show, written by Glen Zipper[4], was released on Netflix in 2021.
It’s currently playing on Amazon at https://www.netflix.com/title/81173728
5. Kitten Rescuers – Doc-series
Cat lovers will enjoy this doc-series that originally aired in England under the title Jo Brand’s Cats and Kittens.[5] Now, the show is also streamed in the US on Netflix under the title Kitten Rescuers.
In the show, the British comedian Jo Brand follows hard-working animal control officers, veterinarians, and volunteers as they rescue and rehabilitate cats and kittens.
Episodes feature days in the life of an animal control inspector from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). In one episode, an Inspector saves a cat who became stuck up a chimney during the first day in her new home. In another, the Inspector traps and rescues a cat and her four kittens who had been living under a cabin that was set to be demolished.
In one of the most daring saves, an emergency responder was called out to save a cat who had been stuck in a tree for five days. This wasn’t just any tree. The man climbed thirty feet up into the highest branches, and now the cat is back in her home and safe. Each episode also features stories from the local veterinary clinic. Lots of heartwarming moments here!
NOTE: This series is not to be confused with Cat Rescuers, a 2018 film we have not had the chance to watch. You can learn more about that show at https://catrescuersfilm.com.
Kitten Rescuers is currently playing on Amazon at https://www.primevideo.com/detail/
6. Happy as a Cat – Documentary
The 52-minute documentary Happy as a Cat provides another fun portrayal of cats in all their glory. The French writer Bernard Werber visits Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean to cover diverse topics, such as where cats come from, artists who have portrayed them, and people who communicate with them.
Locations visited range from a cat temple in Japan to a British museum with the largest collection of ancient Egyptian cat mummies.
Happy as a Cat is directed by Stéphane Krausz[6].
The show is currently available on Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/Happy-as-Cat-Nathalie-Spitzer/dp/B0C14SD8KK
What are your favorite cat shows?
There are several more shows that we didn’t have time to review. Have we missed any good ones? Let us know your favorites.
– Mewla
Please share a comment below.
REFERENCES
- Chi’s Sweet Adventure (TV Series 2016– ), dowloaded May 2024 from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6356032/
- Uys, Chrystal (2024). ‘Inside the Mind of a Cat’ Netflix Documentary Review 2024: Pros & Cons. Catster. dowloaded May 2024 from https://www.catster.com/guides/inside-the-mind-of-a-cat-netflix-documentary-review/
- A Whisker Away, dowloaded May 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Whisker_Away
- Cat People (TV Series), dowloaded May 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_People_(TV_series)
- Jo Brand’s Cats and Kittens, downloaded May 2024 from https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/jo-brands-cats-and-kittens/1000596428/
- Happy as a Cat, downloaded May 2024 from https://www.amazon.com/Happy-as-Cat-Nathalie-Spitzer/dp/B0C14SD8KK
The Mind of a Cat is very good and I recommend that as well. All the others are new to me but look very interesting.
Thanks for letting us know, Celia.
Thanks for sharing these shows. Will check them out.
Always happy to spread the word about cats. : )
Great article! I didn’t know about most of these shows, but enjoyed the two documentaries (cat people and the mind of a cat). I look forward to watching more.
Fantastic! Let us know what you think of them. : )
Another great article! No I can’t get enough of cats and will look into these shows.
Thank you very much!
These look so interesting. I have to explore some more. Time doesn’t allow me too much flexibility but when I steal a few minutes, I head straight to a kitty video or show. So relaxing. Thanks for letting us to know about these shows.
You’re welcome, Celinne! I hope you share with us what you think of them. : )