Purrfect Picks: Cat Manga

By Steph Hocutt | November 2 2021 | Manga, Manhwa, Manhua

Ah, cats! Our feline friends have featured in all sorts of books and comics over the years, and one place they really shine is in manga. Whether you’re looking for clever cats, spooky cats, cats that have jobs (I’d love it if my cat could pay his share of rent!), cats that need help, or cats that help us, we’ve got it all! Check out my top picks, along with the full list of titles below!

 

Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan

This series is just a shot of pure serotonin—kind, funny, sweet, and absolutely adorable! Hinata rescues Kyuu-chan and the pair quickly become best buds, but Kyuu-chan doesn’t really act like a normal cat. He likes to help Hinata with chores, knows how to take the train, and he really loves wearing a bowtie. This delightful slice-of-life series is in full color (a rare treat in manga!) and will certainly leave you smiling.

 

 

I Am a Cat Barista

I pretty much can’t function without coffee every day. The only thing better than a freshly brewed cup would be if that coffee was served to me by a cat barista! Toe beans and coffee beans join forces in this supernatural spin on the classic cat cafe.

 

 

A Man and His Cat

Get the tissues ready for this one! A kitten sits all alone at the pet shop, unwanted by the passing humans who think he’s too ugly. But then one day, a kind older gentleman who lives alone takes him home, names him Fukumaru, and gives him all the love he’s been missing out on. These two bring so much unexpected joy to each others’ lives!

 

 

The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today

Saku is a hardworking young woman who lives alone with her cat. Totally normal life….except that her cat Yukichi walks on two legs, towers over her, does all the housework, goes grocery shopping (and always has a good coupon), and pretty much takes care of the hapless Saku! He might have a grumpy attitude, but this cat is better at being a well-adjusted adult than she is!

 

 

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu Collector’s Edition

We all know cats are cute, but they can also be downright creepy! Master of horror Junji Ito shakes things up a bit with a hilarious memoir about becoming a new cat owner. When his fiancée moves in with two cats, J-kun (Junji Ito) is determined to gain their affection, whether they want it or not!

 

 

 

 


 

Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan Vol. 1
978-1-64505-857-1
An adorable, full-color manga series about a young man who rescues a very special cat. There’s more to this kitty than meets the eye! Kyuu-chan loves snacks, cuddles, and bow ties, but most of all loves Hinata, the young professional who adopted this mischievous wonder cat into his home. As the two adjust to life together, they discover that they have a lot to learn from each other. The ordinary and the extraordinary live side by side in this delightful slice-of-life manga!
$14.99 US
Mar 09, 2021
Paperback
128 Pages
Seven Seas

I Am a Cat Barista Vol. 1
978-1-64827-424-4
Take a coffee break in this supernatural spin on a cat café!
$13.99 US
Nov 30, 2021
Paperback
140 Pages
Seven Seas

A Man and His Cat 01
978-1-64609-026-6
The top manga launch in Japan in the first half of 2018, A Man and His Cat was also voted one of the top ten manga of 2018 by Japanese bookstore employees nationwide. Having won hearts and topped charts in Japan, this hotly anticipated series about an older gentleman and his unique, adorable cat is available in English for the first time!
$14.99 US
Feb 11, 2020
Paperback
144 Pages
Square Enix Manga

The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today Vol. 1
978-1-64827-605-7
A sweetly comedic manga about a cat who cooks, cleans, and succeeds at adulting more than the woman who expected him to be a pet--anime soon!
$13.99 US
Sep 28, 2021
Paperback
180 Pages
Seven Seas

Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu Collector's Edition
978-1-64651-251-5
Is there anything spookier than a silent feline, eyes glinting, stalking you in the night...IN YOUR OWN HOME?? Master of horror Junji Ito turns his twisted eye on his own life in this comedic graphic memoir about becoming a cat owner, now reissued in a deluxe hardcover featuring an exclusive interivew with Ito and a NEW cover illustration by the author that GLOWS IN THE DARK! The perfect gift for the slightly-twisted cat lover in your life.
$24.99 US
Nov 09, 2021
Hardcover
128 Pages
Kodansha Comics

Creepy Cat Vol. 1
978-1-64827-787-0
A full-color young adult graphic novel series that originated as a webcomic about a beloved ghostly cat!
$14.99 US
Oct 19, 2021
Paperback
128 Pages
Seven Seas

Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai 1
978-1-63236-365-7
A gritty historical action story, starring samurai cats, Nekogahara will appeal to fans of everything from Japanese-flavored fantasy like Naruto to more adult historical action like Lone Wolf and Cub.Mix of lighthearted concept and serious, artful fight scenes from the creator of the hit Shaman King is a unique mix in a market of cookie-cutter action manga.Ages 13+
$12.99 US
Oct 25, 2016
Paperback
176 Pages
Kodansha Comics

Cat Massage Therapy Vol. 1
978-1-64827-656-9
A full-color manga about purrfectly professional massage therapists: fluffy cats who knead your troubles away.
$14.99 US
Dec 21, 2021
Paperback
128 Pages
Seven Seas

She and Her Cat
978-1-945054-40-2
Award-winning director and author Makoto Shinkai returns with an adaptation of his very first work. Recently adapted into a tv series She and Her Cat is a slice of life story of loneliness, sadness and eventually preserverance expressed by a young woman many people can relate with.
$12.95 US
Aug 01, 2017
Paperback
180 Pages
Vertical Comics

The Walking Cat: A Cat's-Eye-View of the Zombie Apocalypse (Omnibus Vol. 1-3)
978-1-64827-611-8
A survival horror tale about a cat’s journey after society collapses.
$24.99 US
Oct 26, 2021
Paperback
554 Pages
Seven Seas

Yuzu the Pet Vet 1
978-1-63236-941-3
Join 11-year-old Yuzu at her animal hospital and meet her new fluffy friends! In an engaging and cutely-drawn comic, watch Yuzu navigate issues like bullying, animal care, and understanding illness and deaths of pets and family.
$10.99 US
Mar 24, 2020
Paperback
160 Pages
Kodansha Comics

What's Michael?: Fatcat Collection Volume 1
978-1-5067-1414-1
True-to-life daily cat scenarios and off-the-walls crazy feline fantasies combine in this epic manga collection. Makoto Kobayashi's hilarious New York Library Award and Parents' Choice Award Winning Series returns in a set of oversized collections.
$19.99 US
Feb 25, 2020
Paperback
528 Pages
Dark Horse Manga

The Complete Chi's Sweet Home Box Set
978-1-949980-38-7
Vertical's most popular comic of all time, Chi's Sweet Home, now available in a complete box set.Packaging all 4 volumes of the series into a cute collectors edition box with a cute bonus item included!
$109.80 US
Aug 25, 2020
Boxed Set
1920 Pages
Vertical Comics

FukuFuku: Kitten Tales 1
978-1-942993-43-8
NY Times Best Seller Konami Kanata returns to the States with another collection of all-ages cat comics based on her very first major kitty property - FukuFuku. Focusing on FukuFuku's tales as kitten readers get to experience more of the feline adventures they have come to love from Konami but in a more affordable format.
$10.95 US
Feb 23, 2016
Paperback
160 Pages
Vertical Comics
Age 7-10 years