The Walking Cat: A Cat's-Eye View of the Zombie Apocalypse

The Walking Cat #1-3

by Tomo Kitaoka, Caleb D. Cook (Translator), Peter Adrian Behravesh (Translator)

A survival horror tale about a cat’s journey after society collapses.

Zombies roam the earth and civilization as we know it is dead. When Jin—a young man trying to survive the chaos—rescues a cat from certain death, the unlikely duo sets off on a quest to find a mysterious island where Jin’s wife may be alive. Witness the zombie apocalypse through the eyes of a fearless feline whose curiosity may kill him yet.

Genres: Manga, Horror, Zombies, Graphic Novels, Animals, Cats, Comics

554 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be one of the best manga I’ve read it a while, highlighting the best and worst parts of humanity while also shining a spotlight on the beauty of cats.

[Kristan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This immediately has become a new favorite manga of mine and the worst thing about it is there isn't more. I'd read 100 volumes following Yuki on his journey. Amazing.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a cat lover, but I did like the little twist on a zombie apocalypse this book provided as it follows the cat and a revolving cast of human companions it hangs with. It's not groundbreaking, but it's certainly entertaining enough.

This omnibus collects the complete series, but the ending is a bit soft, leaving several unresolved issues, so I wonder if they're hoping to continue it at some point or if it was just prematurely ended.


FOR REFERENCE:

Omnibus collecting The Walking Cat volumes 1-3.

Contents: Chapter 1. What Was I Thinking? -- Chapter 2. Glad for the Visit -- Chapter 3. He's My Partner -- Chapter 4.You Could've Warned Me -- Chapter 5. Play Nice -- Chapter 6. Rooting for You -- Chapter 7. Better Off Dead -- Chapter 8. You Got a Problem with Cats? -- Chapter 9. Satoko -- Chapter 10. Where'd You Come From? -- Chapter 11. The Only Way Is Forward -- Chapter 12. Made It -- Chapter 13. The Kitty's Name -- Chapter 14. Never Again -- Chapter 15. Still Green -- Chapter 16. Men Are Just a Distraction -- Chapter 17. Too Soft -- Chapter 18. Refuse to Believe -- Chapter 19. S'Long as We Understand Each Other -- Chapter 20. I'll Prove it -- Chapter 21. Run! -- Chapter 22. Refugees -- Chapter 23. At This Rate -- Chapter 24. Thank You -- Chapter 25. Choose -- Chapter 26. Let Her Be -- Chapter 27. Have to Save -- Chapter 28. Why?! -- Chapter 29. Stay Alive, Together -- Chapter 30. Like Hell We're Giving Up -- Chapter 31. Who the Heck Are They? -- Chapter 32. I Need Some Help -- Chapter 33. Friend of My Friend -- Chapter 34. Like We Said -- Chapter 35. Just For Me -- Chapter 36. No Way -- Chapter 37. Prove It -- Chapter 38. Savior -- Chapter 39. I Really Love Cats -- Final Chapter: Yuki -- Bonus Gallery

[Key Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely anthology about Yuki, the cat, being passed around to different owners, usually on accident. It’s meaningful and deals with many adult issues throughout. I found it to be funny, and I enjoyed the art style. A new favorite in my graphic novel collection!

TW: domestic violence, minor animal and child abuse, tense situations, violence in general, and death.

Favorite moments (minor spoilers):

When Yuki is revealed to have kittens!! So cute!! I loved when he protected people, too. Makes my cat loving heart super happy.
Also, the mother who ruined the safe haven for her own selfish ordeals was unique and interesting!

[Fariha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this was a fun zombie book. Plus cats! I didn’t know I needed this in my life but I am glad I have it.

[Clara Levi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-in-1
Vol. 1 was my favorite
Vol. 2 dragged on a tad & had a lot less cat
Vol. 3 more cat, enjoyable, but could’ve ended without the wanna be cliff hanger ending.

[Loveland · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this if you like cats or having your heart ripped out then stitched back together into something different but more mature!

[Curious Madra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well lads, I certainly didn’t think at the start of 2025 that I would be reading a cats point of view in a zombie covid-type apocalypse fiasco. I’m usually not a reader of zombie stuff as they are just meh mostly (although like I do The Last Of Us) but thanks to my MAL secret Santa (don’t know who they are yet but thanks a million for sharing me this), I got to experience this blind and I gotta say, it was a pretty interesting read.

I do think that it did rush a bit with each character whom Yuki tags along with. I felt too much was going on at once like every time we get to know every character as they either bugger off somewhere else or literally die. I guess it’s more of the fact that it is about the cat more than the humans in this story but still… it would’ve been nice if the author expands the character development a bit than cut them out entirely.

Regardless I enjoyed Yuki doing his usual cattoo shenanigans in every chapter and as a cat liker, it is worth the read. I liked the fact the art of his expressions were really detailed and he literally looked like a real cat, even his close up piercing eyes!

[Peter Derk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute, not un-serious zombie tail.
Tail? Eh?
I'll see myself out.
Wait, which way is the door?
How did I get in here?
Holy crap, this is embarrassing.
So...do you often find yourself trapped in Goodreads review boxes? I do. Heh, you'd know that if you followed me on here. I'll be two lines into a review about a Jane Austen book or whatever and blammo, a story about a time my buddy puked in the hallway in middle school. Oh, Alec...right in the intersection of the two main halls, too.
Okay, that wasn't totally true. I've never read a Jane Austen.

[Azbaqiyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot - 4 ⭐
Character - 4 ⭐
Writing Style - 3 ⭐
World Building - 3 ⭐
Art - 3 ⭐
Cover - 3 ⭐

Overall - 3.5 ⭐ / 5 ⭐

[LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This follows Yuki the stray cat as he's taken in by various humans in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. First, Yuki travels with Jin, a man looking for his wife, Satoko. When Jin learns that Satoko has left for an island that's supposedly untouched by zombies, he heads there as well. After that, Yuki lives with Kaoru, a girl who's part of the little island survivor community. Kaoru wants to become part of the resource hunting crew that periodically leaves the island, because she can't stand to be around her mother, who's made an abusive jerk the most important person in her life. After Kaoru, Yuki travels with Fuuta, a boy who comes across a group of kids who, for various reasons, hate adults. They travel to a little village only to discover that it's inhabited by a man who isn't interested in having company.

Wow, this was a stressful read. For those who need it, here's a slight animal-related spoiler: Yuki is in peril several times throughout the story, but he survives and is still having a nice cat life by the end of the omnibus volume. There's also a pack of dogs that seems to be doing well.

The artwork in this was occasionally confusing. Scenes didn't always flow well, and some of the characters looked a little too similar. Still, it did the job.

The actual zombie stuff in this will be familiar to anyone who's watched or read any zombie apocalypse stuff in the past few years. There were the usual sad scenes where you know certain characters aren't going to last much longer, even if they're not actively in danger of being eaten by zombies. There are the characters who hide that one of them has been bitten, putting everyone else in danger. There are some survivors who help others and some survivors who are willing to kill other survivors in order to secure their own safety.

Yuki the cat gives the human survivors who care for him something to focus on besides themselves and the world that's falling down around their ears. He adds some relatively sweet and humorous moments too, even though some of it had me rolling my eyes. For example, Yuki spent a period of time pursuing a female cat in heat, with Jin doing his best to ensure that his furry little friend wasn't interrupted by zombie attacks. My favorite was the ex-boxer with a secret soft spot for Yuki - so cute!

All in all, this was okay, but I'm kind of glad that most of the zombie apocalypse stuff I've read and watched doesn't have pets in it. It's stressful enough, worrying about the people.

Extras:

A couple pages of full-color artwork and a bonus art gallery.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason I thought this would be a light-hearted, silly story. And it was. But I also ugly-cried and had to cuddle my cat several times.

The art work for Yuki is absolutely fantastic. His facial expressions are spot on, his exposed gentials made me laugh every single time and he is exactly what you want a cat to be. The parade of different human characters kept the story interesting and gave a reference point to other familiar post-apocalypse stories.

I would highly recommend this to any cat lover, any manga lover, any zombie lover. It was a great story all the way through, that has potential to be continued but also gives us as much of an ending as possible.

[Leah Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great- really enjoyed this. Made the mistake of getting attached to the human characters at times. Do not forget that Yuki is the main character of this story…!!!

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story felt very rushed and incomplete, but a cute story none the less. Gives a good insight into cat people like myself.

[Aria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also on Snow White Hates Apples.

When it comes to zombie apocalypse stories, the narratives typically focus on humans or zombies. In the case of The Walking Cat ? Mostly the human side of the tale but with significantly more cat.

So, it’s crucial to keep in mind that this isn’t really your typical zombie apocalypse tale. Although it doesn’t miss out on the usual action, the usual horror and the (un)healthy dose of tragedy and angst, this one is more slice-of-life, more bits and pieces with multiple plot lines that have been half or barely even traversed, and definitely more questions than answers. If you’re a reader like me, The Walking Cat would certainly have you wishing that there’ll be fewer loose ends, that it took its time to better expand certain plot lines and let the characters gain more depth so the entire manga would in overall, feel less rushed and incomplete.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading the many relationships Yuki has formed with humans — how no matter who these humans are or their circumstances, a single cat can still let them to open their hearts, face their fears and move forward.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not so much through a cat's eyes as following the stories of different people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse, interconnected by their encounters with this cat. There is nothing new here for anyone who has seen or read two or more zombie movies/books before, but unlike many bleak accounts this one has a hopeful tone. It starts with a man crossing zombie-infested territory searching for his wife, then impulsively saving a white cat from a group of ravenous zombies. The cat sticks with him through his quest, proving useful as a zombie-alert, until their separation leads to someone else finding the cat, and so on.
Readers who enjoy apocalyptic fiction focusing on everyday people--not military or survivalist types powering through, but regular civilians including plain adults, teens, lost kids, etc--trying to get by and the lengths they will or won't go to do so might enjoy the familiar themes, and may be pleasantly surprised by the not-bleak-and-miserable tone despite this still being a story of man-eating zombies.

Trigger warnings: zombie violence including animals getting hurt or messily killed (seriously, don't let your 8-yr-old read this, it's for teens & up), domestic violence, murder

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a world, zombies attack humanities and the perspective of this book is from Yuki a white male cat, who gets adopted by various humans fleeing the zombie attacks. This book is dystopian and life is not great, but watching the life of Yuki is interesting, though the people around him has lives falling apart.

[Mary Neverland · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Vol 2 was my fav of the 3. The only reason I didn't it this 4 stars was because I couldn't connect with the first volume as much, but overall a good and interesting plot.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this manga, even if it was an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. I loved the 'main character' Yuki, who's just a lost cat trying to survive in a zombie apocalypse, and keeps getting help from random humans.

I enjoyed seeing each human character ever few chapters, getting to see their story and way of survival whilst caring for Yuki was interesting, and I equally liked that 'human' problems are still prominent even in the apocalypse (check TW's before delving in, this manga features abuse, lots of death, gore and the death of animals).

The pacing was fast, with every chapter being intense and somewhat emotional, especially the ones with first human character Yuki spends time with. I did feel like the ending didn't really wrap things up all too well, and it could've narrowed it down a little despite being pretty open. I was slightly disappointed we didn't get to see Yuki's first saviour again, but then again his fate was on page and didn't leave much hope- but I was still clinging to it!

Overall, this was definitely darker than I anticipated, and a lot more gory too, but still was a fun(?) and exciting read, perfect for lovers of kitties and zombies! (I never thought those two things would go together, haha)

4/5 🌟

[Nicole Westen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this is technically a horror series, because zombies, it really isn't that bad of a read. I kinda thought it'd be a bit more tongue in cheek, but it was a surprisingly good story. You follow the cat, Yuki, as he wanders into and out of people's lives during the zombie apocalypse. There are definitely some emotional moments that I didn't expect, but nothing truly sad. It's interesting how many of the characters come back around even after only seeing them in one chapter, and become much more important as Yuki interacts with them more. It's really enjoyable and ends on a hopeful note, which is nice. Also, apparently the zombie apocalypse has dog-mobs, and I can totally get behind that.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to say, that this is something that reminds me a lot of The Last of Us (the video game), as it shows the truth of humanity based on a singular event, and how people will react to it. The main protagonist of the story, the cat, lives through these events by meeting unlikely companions throughout their own journey's. The difference between the human view and the cat's view, is that animals look at people in a different way, they can see the good and bad, they can tell things that not many would be able. The cat sees those around them in a different way, they pick their companions based on how they feel. It's refreshing to see a story like this because while there is of course the horrors of both the zombie apocalypse and humanity, it also shows how the cat acts around these events and how it's shaped it's own life.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHY IS THERE NO MORE?? I was semi-satisfied with the ending as it was, hopeful and open, but it was such a good read! A few minor issues with a couple plot points but otherwise, weirdly cute considering it's the Zpoc but still disturbing and touching in turns. Highly recommend if you like cats and/or zombies. (I mean, no one LIKES zombies... if you find entertainment reading about them, I guess...)

[Agurt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha gustado bastante.

Me encanta que se centre en las vivencias del gato Yuki.

El final lo hubiera cambiado la verdad, no daré spoilers pero me esperaba un final más tierno y emotivo que el final que ha tenido, no sé, es mi opinión.

Le doy dos estrellas y medio.

[claire jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

i saw this at the library i work at, and as a fan of “The Walking Dead” and “The Last of Us,” there was NO WAY i wasn’t going to read a book about a cat’s perspective of the zombie apocalypse. this was ADORABLE and everything i could want. i typically don’t read mangas but this had me HOOKED.

[Mike Brazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant read pretty much from start to finish that comes with well written emotional highs and lows. The writer obviously understands cats very well as Yuki comes off very realistic. Lost a star because I felt the ending was ruined in the last few pages.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a horror, this was actually really cute! I love the way Kitaoka drew cats. There were a few plotlines that felt unnecessary, and the way action sequences and characters were drawn made me confused what was going on sometimes, but overall I loved this and how it showed the charm of having cat (plus their mischievousness too lol).

"So if you ask me... Having him around makes this shithole of a world all the more livable."

[Kai Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: death, blood, gore, violence, domestic abuse

MY HEART IS WRECKED

[Samantha Sorokin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by a cat person for cat people. I’m never taking milky for granted again. Glad yuki finally became a dad tho.

[Fyre.Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this alot, but I love cats :)

[Nicole Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun.