We all know that Japan loves cats. But what do Japan’s cats love? If these photos are anything to go by, the answer is simple: figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.
With seven gold medals to his name, one for men’s singles in the 2014 Winter Olympics, 21-year-old figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu has built up quite the following since his professional debut, without thousands of adoring fans tweeting about him whenever his performances are broadcast on Japanese television.
Known for his signature Biellmann spins and impressive triple axels, Hanyu’s technique has impressed judges and won over viewers the world over, but none more so, it would seem, than Japan’s feline residents, whose owners have been sharing photos of them staring at the skater on their TV sets, seeming transfixed by his performances:
▼ “My cat concentrating hard on watching Hanyu skate. LOL Even after I took this he continued watching for over a minute!”
https://twitter.com/0324_Rin/status/670583472914698241▼ “My cat is also transfixed by Yuzuru Hanyu.”
うちの猫も羽生さまに魅了された模様です。 pic.twitter.com/8bSlczUMqJ
— 30までに結婚出来なかったら〇ぬ (@peeee_moe) December 13, 2015
▼ “He’s rooted to the spot watching Hanyu spin…”
https://twitter.com/kaya0628/status/675271701974806529▼”Hanyu was amazing, wasn’t he? Even Kohana got excited.”
https://twitter.com/mikohamin/status/676042009220538368▼ Yet more feline love for the young skater.
羽生さんPチャンではテレビにくっついて全然見せてくれなかったうちの猫、ダイスの時はどけてくれた pic.twitter.com/6DHaPsr9Ne
— ろこひー (@uroko65) November 1, 2015
▼ “I couldn’t watch Hanyu’s amazing performance because the cat was in the way…”
https://twitter.com/FunLolcat/status/671950408886181888▼ Adoration or jealousy?
猫さんも興奮しちゃう程の羽生くんの実力‹‹( ˙▿˙ )/››シメジ pic.twitter.com/FJvAHuLh1Q
— えのきとしめじ(猫) (@eno_shime_cats) December 13, 2015
▼ “He’s been like that ever since Hanyu appeared…”
羽生くんが出てからずっとこう pic.twitter.com/E0LbyYw7tH
— まろとえん (@hi_maro_ho) December 13, 2015
▼ “He stole the best spot for Hanyu’s performance.”
そしてこちらが、羽生くんが滑る時に急にテレビの一番前に陣取り出したうちの猫(♀5歳) >RT pic.twitter.com/EVxP53PEBn
— suika@目黒マドンナ (@raki723) December 14, 2015
▼ This cute little pair love Hanyu’s crazy spins!
https://twitter.com/10969kaho_mfs/status/676024659687563264
Perhaps we’ve been getting cats wrong all these years by giving them fluffy toys to chase and posts to scratch; maybe what they really want is to glide majestically across the ice and perform spins before an audience of adoring fans…
Source: Naver Matome
Featured images: Twitter 1, 2, 3

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