If Louis Catorze weren’t French, I am certain that he would be Japanese. This is not only because his alien eyes are straight out of a Manga storybook, but also because the Japanese love cats: dressing up as them, having street festivals dedicated to them, the whole works.
Most of us who claim to love cats probably don’t go quite that far … although this is only because we didn’t think of it until now.
Every October there is a festival in Tokyo called the Bake Neko, which means “supernatural cat”; attendees wear cat costumes (including bell collars/bracelets) and make-up, watch street performances, tell ghost stories and eat spooky and/or catty seasonal treats. Everything about it sounds beyond my wildest dreams and, if you like the sound of it, too, have a look here for more information.
Regretfully the disparity with my school holidays means that I am unlikely to ever attend – unless, of course, I chuck in my job. Catorze is even less likely to attend, although I was very excited when I thought one source said “Bring a feline” and this promptly turned to mild disappointment upon discovering that, in fact, it said “Bring a feline attitude”.
Is Catorze a bake neko in (not a very good) disguise? Incredibly, no, because it turns out that, in order to be one, one must meet a minimum weight requirement of 3.5kg (?). But I don’t doubt that he’s capable of being the puppet master, pulling the strings of his larger comrades in the east, despite being oceans away.
For more Catorzian capers, please visit http://louiscatorze.com
louiscatorze.com 
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