The Internet’s Favorite Cat “Catwifhoodie” Has a Real Name—Meet Shiro

For years, the internet has been enchanted by a white cat in a tiny gray hoodie—lounging on windowsills, staring pensively into space, or curling up like a furry dumpling on a velvet cushion. Known widely as Catwifhoodie, the feline became an unexpected icon of calm, existential resignation, and quiet rebellion. But while millions know the face, few have known the cat behind the hoodie.

Now, in a rare sit-down interview with the cat’s human companion, we can finally answer the question many fans have asked:

His real name is Shiro.

Yes, that Shiro. A name as simple and pure as the cat himself—Japanese for “white,” a fitting title for the snowy, soft-furred feline who captured global hearts by doing… very little, and doing it with style.

The first photo of Catwifhoodie appeared quietly on the internet sometime in late 2022. There was no viral launch, no curated campaign—just a single image posted on a personal blog run by a Tokyo-based illustrator, who went only by the username “ao_neko.”

The image showed a white cat in a toddler-sized hoodie, sitting on a kotatsu table with a blank expression, seemingly watching the world disintegrate.

The photo was reposted, reshared, and reinterpreted by users around the globe. Memes exploded overnight. One called it “when the cat has seen too much.” Another labeled it, “when you realize you are the side character in your own life.”

Within months, Catwifhoodie became an internet mood board: an icon of modern malaise, introvert energy, and quiet dignity.

But behind that now-legendary expression is a very real animal—with a personality far more vibrant than his hoodie might suggest.

Shiro was born in April 2019 in Chiba Prefecture. According to his owner, Ayaka Mori, he was the smallest in a litter of five rescued from under a shed behind a seafood market.

“He was pure white, no markings, and very quiet,” Mori says. “The others would meow or explore. Shiro would just stare at people. I thought something was wrong with him.”

It turned out, he was just thinking.

Mori, a part-time illustrator and full-time cat enthusiast, adopted Shiro when he was about 8 weeks old. She gave him his name on the spot.

“It wasn’t just his color. It was his feeling. You know that kind of blank space that feels peaceful? That’s what he gave off. So I called him Shiro.”

At home, Shiro is known for his peculiar routines. He watches television. He taps glasses when he wants fresh water. He insists on sitting in the laundry basket—only when it’s empty and warm.

And the hoodie?

“That was actually a dog hoodie I bought by mistake,” Mori laughs. “It was meant for my sister’s Chihuahua. I put it on him for fun, and he didn’t mind it. He just sat down and stared out the window like he was processing a tax return.”

She snapped a photo and uploaded it to her blog with the caption: “今日のしろくん。パーカー似合う。” (Today’s Shiro. Looks good in a hoodie.)

She had no idea what would happen next.

When the photo went viral, Mori considered deleting her blog.

“I got scared,” she admits. “There were emails, messages, even people asking if I sold the hoodie.”

But over time, she embraced the strange fame. She never monetized the image, though fan art and plush replicas of a white hoodie-wearing cat started appearing across the web.

“I didn’t want him to be a product,” she says. “Shiro is just… Shiro.”

Today, Shiro is six years old. He still lives in Mori’s small apartment in Suginami Ward, Tokyo. He still wears the hoodie occasionally—though only for a few minutes at a time.

“I put it on when he’s having a ‘deep thought day,’” she jokes. “Otherwise, he’s just in his usual fur.”

Despite his quiet fame, Shiro has remained grounded. He greets guests with a soft blink. He tolerates being held, but prefers to sit beside you in silence. He does not pose for photos. He just happens to be photogenic while living his life.