We all know what it’s like to want a closer look at the beautiful adornments in a traditional Japanese home, but this kitten got a little too close for comfort.
When it comes to traditional houses in Japan, we’ve learnt that kitties have no qualms with sleeping under kotatsu heated tables and holding down new rugs with their bodies, but if there’s one thing they just can’t get enough of, it’s ripping through sliding paper doors to steal a peek into what lies behind them. We’ve seen owner after owner post photos of the mass destruction caused when cats get their claws into the highest corners of the doorway, with their bodies squeezed through the small squares of wood, leaving them looking half-puzzled, half-proud of what they’ve achieved.
▼ Case in point: these daredevils.
「恐れていた事態」 pic.twitter.com/IBbrIf9u4I
— ココニャ@猫写真集、発売中! (@kokonananya) October 26, 2016
One Japanese family was recently shocked to find their cat had gone one step above and beyond peering through paper doors, when they discovered the animal up in the elaborate ranma, the traditional transom panel found between the ceiling and the sliding doors. According to @pon_afro, who snapped this photo and shared it on Twitter, the cat, called Ponko-chan, simply woke up one morning and then got itself stuck in this unusual place.
朝起きたらぽんこがえらいとこにはさまってた pic.twitter.com/PPlvIcj2OJ
— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 25, 2016
Ranma are used in traditional Japanese homes to allow air flow and light to circulate between rooms, not curious kitties, so the tiny space the feline had squeezed into became a snug fit.
すぐに救出してもらったのでご心配なくですよ〜
— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 25, 2016
助けてすぐ私の足に噛み付くぐらい元気なのでご安心を(怒 pic.twitter.com/O0adtVbHfM
The puzzled cat was immediately rescued by a family member, despite the fact that the kitty was determined to make it out to the other side on its own.
なんとか自力で脱出しようとがんばるぽんこ pic.twitter.com/1ZetTGsKIm
— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 26, 2016
After fending off its owner a few times, Ponko-chan finally realised it might be best to let its human handle this situation.
自力脱出は無理だと悟り途方に暮れるぽんこ pic.twitter.com/cRb7oJ5pMq
— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 26, 2016
After being gently eased out of the hole, Ponko-chan seemed unfazed by the incident, curling up in between two cushions for a much-needed catnap.
https://twitter.com/pon_afro/status/802436458602598400Surprisingly, a number of fellow cat-owning Twitter users mentioned their own experiences with felines getting stuck in ranma, which suggests Ponko-chan isn’t the only cat with an insatiable attraction to the traditional Japanese feature. According to @pon_afro, Ponko-chan had climbed up on some nearby furniture in order to reach the high ledge, in an apparent attempt to get into the other room while the sliding doors were closed. Following the incident, however, the tall furniture has been moved well away from the transom, and @pon_afro urges other cat owners to do the same in their houses too.
Source: IT Media
Featured Image: Twitter/@pon_afro

Yawns can be contagious for cats too, Japanese pet owner’s adorable felines prove【Photo】
Cute cat surprises owner with ability to walk through walls
Curious kitty makes a froggy friend, loses him just moments later【Pics】
Japanese Twitter users prove that cats and expensive TVs don’t make good friends
Cute cat’s curiosity kills the Japanese sliding paper door 【Video】
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
What’s up with the “mosquito buzz” noise at Shibuya Station?
Japanese film studio Toei announces first three video games from newly created Toei Games
7-Eleven Japan’s cooked-in-store takoyaki is here! How does it fare against the street food king?
Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos]
Japanese convenience store brings rice balls back to 100 yen – Is this deal worth it?[Taste test]
Japanese convenience store sandwich becomes a hot topic on Reddit, but is it any good?
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Japanese convenience store gives away free ice cream with creative ad at Shinjuku Station
Secret staff cafeteria in Tokyo is a hidden gem you won’t find in travel guides
Tinder just opened a convenience store in Japan, aimed at adults only
Japan is so hungry for workers it used up its five-year visa quota in record time
“Disaster”: 2018 Kanji of the Year unveiled by Buddhist monk at Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto
Tsujihan sushi bowl restaurant goes viral with foreign tourists, but is it worth the hype?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Cat has Internet in stitches after getting itself stuck in awkward position
Cute “koala” cat sings when she’s cuddled【Video】
Japanese cat who can’t sleep unless it chats with owner melts hearts across the Internet
Cats in Japan still unable to resist destroying sliding paper doors in most dramatic way possible
Cats are actually caterpillars?!? Japanese cat caught emerging out of cocoon of cute
Japanese cat masters a fidget hand spinner without even lifting a paw
Is this the oldest cat in the world? Japanese kitty Ai-chan turns 27 【Pics】
Cute cat fights yearning desire to eat food on table with adorable results【Video】
Japanese cat owns all the things and he won’t be letting you near his fan this summer
Cat says good morning to its owner in Japanese【Videos】
Japanese cat wows the internet with an insatiable hunger for vegetables
Japanese Twitter’s latest feline celebrity proves that cats will literally attack anything
Traditional Japanese inn offers ultimate amenity: A cat companion to spend the night with
Watch as these Japanese cats treat their brand new, giant cushion with extreme suspicion