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There’s something serene and elegant about cherry blossoms. Maybe it’s their soft color, or the way the delicate petals flutter in the breeze, but the sakura are at once aesthetically enticing and deeply soothing.

Unfortunately, the flowers are also incredibly fickle, suddenly blooming and gracing us with their presence for just a few short days, before coolly vanishing, often leaving their admirers wanting more. In a way, you could say they’re like a group of adorable but capricious cats.

In that case, why not combine the two?

It’s been several weeks since cherry blossom season ended in Japan, and soon the nation’s favorite flowers will all have withered even in northern Tohoku and Hokkaido. But if you’d still like to gaze upon their ephemeral beauty, with some lounging felines mixed in to add an extra dash of cuteness, these photos should do the trick.

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▼ Animals, not being caught up in the workaday sensibilities of human society, still understand that it’s important to take time to stop and smell the sakura.

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▼ This guy gets it, too.

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▼ Taking into account the size of the cat, these sakura must appear huge to it, which explains the expression on the kitty’s face.

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When the breeze picks up, the sakura petals really do blow about like a blizzard, just like you see in countless anime and Japanese TV dramas.

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While there’s no set superstition about a cherry blossom petal falling on you being good luck, it’s still something that can put a smile on anyone’s face in Japan. Considering that this little guy seems content to leave the flower there, we’re guessing he’s pretty pleased, too.

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As a matter of fact, felines seem to enjoy cherry blossom viewing in pretty much the same way humans do. Here we see them engaging in the three most common ways to enjoy the pastime.

▼ Quiet reflection

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▼ Taking an outdoor nap

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▼ And general revelry (although we’re guessing they’re sober, unlike a lot of people you’ll find in a park with sakura trees)

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You know something? Maybe we aren’t so different after all.

▼ Well, except for the whole tail thing

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Source, images: Neko Memo