Shiro is an Internet celebrity cat, often referred to as "the cat with things on his head." Videos featuring Shiro and other cats in his family are known for their simple, peaceful tone, and for the relaxed, "zen-like" attitude of the cats, who may doze while their owners place objects such as fruit or flowers on their heads. The changing seasons in Japan, manifested by variations in the landscape and seasonal produce from the family's garden, are a common theme in the videos and photographs.
Shiro's videos have had almost eleven million views on YouTube[1] and were nominated for the Japanese YouTube Awards in 2010.[2] As of May 2011, Shiro's blog had over 9600 subscribers from all over the world[3] and his Facebook page had almost 3000 fans.[4] There are also several photographic books featuring Shiro and his three feline buddies: Chatora (an orange tabby, born April 2007) and Chibi (the name given to both of two black and white cats, born April 2008).
Shiro (meaning "white") was born on March 8, 2002 and lives on a farm in Japan. His full name is Shironeko (white cat), and is also referred to as Kagonekoshiro, which translates to "White Basket Cat," in reference to his proclivity for falling asleep in small baskets, bowls, and even kitchen colanders.