The Cat That Lived a Million Times

I read the English translation of this through Toshio's review, and based on what I've read of the story in general it seems to be accurate. I'd have loved to read the book and experience the pictures, but good luck finding the English version anywhere and I am a sad little monolingual carrot. (Why a carrot? Why not?!)

This story popped up on my radar when I finally tracked down the story Spike recounts in the finale of Cowboy Bebop. I'd known for years it was based on something from the real world, but back in the day I didn't have access to half as many research methods. (How did we survive in our isolated little bubbles of ignorance in the early 2000s and prior? I can barely remember how it felt, yet a majority of my life was spent with little internet access.) It slipped from my mind, then scurried back during my most recent rewatch... and now here I am.

I'm not sure how I feel about this story. There are so many ways to take it, from the cat being ungrateful to the cat being agitated with a lack of freedom and sick of dealing with negligent owners. His beautiful female cat is so bland and indifferent to him, yet she's what makes him happy. Maybe it's a statement about how true happiness isn't what others perceive but rather having what the heart truly desires. Or maybe it's just about a cat who, as Spike says: “died a million deaths, revived, and lived a million lives.”

Either way, I found it interesting. But no star rating, since I didn't read the official English translation so I can't exactly “grade” the contents of this particular book.

There was a tabby cat who lived a million times. Every time he died a million people cried.

Then the cat met a white cat. The tabby cat wanted to stay with the white cat forever. But the white cat got old and died. The tabby cat came to lie beside the white cat and he, too, died. He never lived again.

One of the 1001 CBYMRBYGU.