boxes:Maru::baskets:Shiro
July 24, 2011 9:12 PM Subscribe
The Basket Cat Blog: Shiro loves very small baskets. He also wears flowered hats (sometimes vegetables) and enjoys the idyllic Japanese countryside of Iwate Prefecture. He and his brothers are very chill.
Many short but sweet videos of them have been uploaded to YouTube on the shironekoshiro channel. The blog is updated frequently and has extensive archives. More archives here. Twitter Facebook
Kings surveying their domain.
How many cats can you fit in a basket?
Kings surveying their domain.
How many cats can you fit in a basket?
That has to be the most patient cat in the world.
posted by TooFewShoes at 9:36 PM on July 24, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by TooFewShoes at 9:36 PM on July 24, 2011 [4 favorites]
these guys make me think I'm watching some cat-themed wuxia. Surely these lazy, corrupt administrators from the capitol will soon receive their comeuppance at the hands of the wandering hero!
posted by hattifattener at 10:14 PM on July 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by hattifattener at 10:14 PM on July 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me.
posted by device55 at 10:18 PM on July 24, 2011
I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me.
posted by device55 at 10:18 PM on July 24, 2011
The "vegan Jack Sparrow" comment on the vegetable video wins YouTube comments forever.
posted by sweetkid at 10:24 PM on July 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by sweetkid at 10:24 PM on July 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
I only looked at the "chill" link, and it struck me as cat abuse. I don't think a cat would want citrus smell on their fur. Dead fish, yes. Fresh citrus, no.
posted by Goofyy at 10:45 PM on July 24, 2011
posted by Goofyy at 10:45 PM on July 24, 2011
I thought of posting this a while ago after seeing one of their videos (there are hundreds of them! Cats! With things on them!)
I did send a link to the Youtube channel to a friend who was having a rough day. He was thoroughly soothed.
Look at Shiro's face. Look at him and be very calm.
posted by louche mustachio at 11:07 PM on July 24, 2011
I did send a link to the Youtube channel to a friend who was having a rough day. He was thoroughly soothed.
Look at Shiro's face. Look at him and be very calm.
posted by louche mustachio at 11:07 PM on July 24, 2011
Wait
where did those giant apples come from?
I don't even know what
posted by louche mustachio at 11:18 PM on July 24, 2011
where did those giant apples come from?
I don't even know what
posted by louche mustachio at 11:18 PM on July 24, 2011
Iwate-ken ain't quite that peaceful. That's just north of where the "Big One" happened in March.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:25 PM on July 24, 2011
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:25 PM on July 24, 2011
ohgod *snorgle*
Wow. After this week, I needed that. Thanks!
posted by Space Kitty at 12:04 AM on July 25, 2011
Wow. After this week, I needed that. Thanks!
posted by Space Kitty at 12:04 AM on July 25, 2011
One of the strangest sites I've seen in some time. I have no idea how these people got their cats wedged into their baskets, or why.
posted by kmz at 12:56 AM on July 25, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by kmz at 12:56 AM on July 25, 2011 [6 favorites]
Unfair. My cat will run into the basement and howl for hours if you so much as look at her wrong, and these guys will sit while produce and/or custom-made wigs are placed on their heads? Unfair, I say!
posted by xingcat at 4:29 AM on July 25, 2011
posted by xingcat at 4:29 AM on July 25, 2011
omcat.
posted by scruss at 4:33 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by scruss at 4:33 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Ever noticed how every Sanrio character has three or four little buddies that just stand around filling space and looking cute? You buy a notebook and hand mirror with the coffee-drinking puppy on it, and on the back there's a mouse with a spoon and a hamster balancing a cherry on her head and a tiny alligator standing idly around, hoping Coffeepup will stop mugging on the front of the notebook and come around to the back to play with them. And you have no idea what Coffeepup is doing hanging out with a tiny alligator, but there he is again, on the pack of tissues, and the tape dispenser.
These are real-life versions of the Cute Main Sanrio Character and His Three Standy-Around Friends.
Shiro, and Anonymous Trio of Shiro's Sidekicks, I believe there is a lucrative licensing opportunity for you. How do you feel about matching Hello Kitty hats?
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:02 AM on July 25, 2011 [9 favorites]
These are real-life versions of the Cute Main Sanrio Character and His Three Standy-Around Friends.
Shiro, and Anonymous Trio of Shiro's Sidekicks, I believe there is a lucrative licensing opportunity for you. How do you feel about matching Hello Kitty hats?
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:02 AM on July 25, 2011 [9 favorites]
Shiro is no Maru, but this picture suggests that Shiro would wreak awesome destruction if they keys to that tractor could be found!
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:30 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:30 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have no idea how these people got their cats wedged into their baskets, or why.
posted by Jahaza at 5:37 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Jahaza at 5:37 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Because I like accuracy and lest my brothers comment in the post get confusing: Shiro is 9, the orange tabby is 4 and named TyaTora (Google translates this to Tiger Tea), and the two black and white guys are 3 and seem to be collectively named Tibi.
I love that they just happen to all LINE UP IN A ROW. The addition of Macdonalds container hats or citrus fruits is just the pancake on the bunny.
Ho-hum, just chillin with my pals, IN A SOFT SQUISHY ROW OF CATS!
posted by bobobox at 5:49 AM on July 25, 2011
I love that they just happen to all LINE UP IN A ROW. The addition of Macdonalds container hats or citrus fruits is just the pancake on the bunny.
Ho-hum, just chillin with my pals, IN A SOFT SQUISHY ROW OF CATS!
posted by bobobox at 5:49 AM on July 25, 2011
I can't believe this doesn't end in an explosion of yowling and fury.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:27 AM on July 25, 2011
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:27 AM on July 25, 2011
Metafilter: the pancake on the bunny.
posted by jammy at 6:31 AM on July 25, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by jammy at 6:31 AM on July 25, 2011 [4 favorites]
how are they so calm? seriously, how? I wish mine were a tenth that chilled out.
posted by desjardins at 7:25 AM on July 25, 2011
posted by desjardins at 7:25 AM on July 25, 2011
I have no idea how these people got their cats wedged into their baskets, or why.
I prefer to believe that the cat was already there and the basket was woven around him.
posted by arcticseal at 7:27 AM on July 25, 2011 [8 favorites]
I prefer to believe that the cat was already there and the basket was woven around him.
posted by arcticseal at 7:27 AM on July 25, 2011 [8 favorites]
TyaTora (Google translates this to Tiger Tea)
Tya=Cha (茶) tora (トラ) is just the Japanese word for orange tabbies. Shiro means white and Chibi means little, so the owner went for simplicity when he/she named these cats. Shiro is pretty famous in Japan... he's even the official character for a mail order company.
posted by misozaki at 7:32 AM on July 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
Tya=Cha (茶) tora (トラ) is just the Japanese word for orange tabbies. Shiro means white and Chibi means little, so the owner went for simplicity when he/she named these cats. Shiro is pretty famous in Japan... he's even the official character for a mail order company.
posted by misozaki at 7:32 AM on July 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
Metafilter: big in Japan.
posted by introp at 8:08 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by introp at 8:08 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Metafilter: an explosion of yowling and fury
posted by Jahaza at 8:20 AM on July 25, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Jahaza at 8:20 AM on July 25, 2011 [4 favorites]
Upon watching this clip, I would have worried that the poor cats were drugged in some way, except my distinctly non-drugged cats have taken to lounging about with their stomachs exposed, just like this (except not so close together).
In short: no matter how long you spend with cats, they will continue to amaze and befuddle you.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:28 AM on July 25, 2011
In short: no matter how long you spend with cats, they will continue to amaze and befuddle you.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:28 AM on July 25, 2011
Tya=Cha (茶) tora (トラ) is just the Japanese word for orange tabbies.
"Tora" means "tiger." Why orange tabbies are tea-tigers specifically, I don't know.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:37 AM on July 25, 2011
"Tora" means "tiger." Why orange tabbies are tea-tigers specifically, I don't know.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:37 AM on July 25, 2011
It's possible the cats are really this mellow, but I would guess that the owner has trained them to hold still for the videos. I remember being in Europe and seeing animal pyramids on the street as attention-getter's for panhandlers - a dog lying down Sphinx style, with a cat on it's back, and then a rat on the cat's back. Still, I love this post. Shiro with a cherry tomato on his head is one of my all time favorites.
posted by anotherkate at 12:30 PM on July 25, 2011
posted by anotherkate at 12:30 PM on July 25, 2011
Faint of Butt, I know it must seem weird, but cats with stripes are called toraneko (tiger cat) in Japanese and the orange (red?) ones are called chatora. It's just what they're called. The cha (茶) in this case probably means "brown" and not "tea," though the character can mean both. Brown tabbies are called kijitora (キジトラ) or sabatora (サバトラ), depending on the colorings. This site gives visual examples. Sorry for the derail, everyone.
posted by misozaki at 6:15 PM on July 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by misozaki at 6:15 PM on July 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
If I tried this there would be pain and blood and crying.
posted by deborah at 4:43 PM on July 26, 2011
posted by deborah at 4:43 PM on July 26, 2011
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