Mysterious Texts Appear in Novels Due to Cat Interference? Renowned Japanese Author Sparks Debate Over "Cat Annotation Incident"!

Recently, Japanese novelist Kawase Nanao shared a humorous incident on Twitter (now known as X). After briefly stepping away from her computer, she returned to find a series of mysterious characters on her screen: "VVVVVVVVVVVVV" and "つつつつzんんんんんんんんん". This baffling string of gibberish was the result of her two British Shorthair cats having a little fun on the keyboard.

This post sparked lively discussions online and resonated with many cat owners. Kawase revealed that this incident was relatively fortunate compared to a previous occasion when her cats had randomly stomped on the keyboard, resulting in several pages of her manuscript being deleted, which left her devastated. She humorously advised fellow creators living with cats: "Always lock your screen before leaving your seat, or the consequences could be dire!"

Many netizens shared their own cat-related "creative experiences." One user remarked, "My cat helped me search randomly and ended up leading me to strange websites," while another lamented, "Because of my cat’s random keystrokes, my input method now predicts words like 'yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.'" This amusing episode of "Cats and Novelists" not only elicited laughter but also inspired a number of witty responses. Some joked that this work should be co-authored by "Co-Author: Cat," while others playfully suggested, "Let’s publish this revised version of the novel!" Even more humorously, someone quipped, "Please grant the cat the Akutagawa Prize!"

Kawase Nanao's X account not only features her literary works but also frequently shares her daily life with her cats, delighting many fans and fellow cat lovers. Additionally, several of her novels, such as The Con Artist and The Con Artist and The Closet Files: Tailor Detective Kurogane Kyosuke, are available for purchase at major bookstores and on Amazon. It seems that whether through novel writing or adorable cat antics, Kawase’s works are beloved by readers!

席を立って戻るとたいがいこうなっている。何ページか消されていることもある。
猫は必ずやる。 pic.twitter.com/cpXHHNSTYg

— 川瀬七緒 (@nanao_nicochai) January 21, 2025