Maru (cat)

Maru had one talent, and it was enough: squeezing himself into cardboard boxes far too small for him, then sliding, diving and wedging his way out again. His owner in Japan simply filmed him growing up, with no gimmick beyond patience and a stack of boxes, and the quiet videos became a global comfort watch. By September 2016 his videos had passed 325 million views, and Guinness World Records named him the most viewed animal on YouTube. The Scottish Fold died on September 6, 2025, at 18, after a diagnosis of lung cancer. Start here if you want the gentle, slice-of-life side of cat fame rather than the joke format.