Makoto Oya was convicted in 2017 for torturing and killing at least 13 cats, sparking international outrage and leading to significant legal reforms in Japan. Although the acts occurred earlier, the case resurfaced in 2021 as the four-year suspended sentence neared completion and following the enactment of stricter animal welfare laws. Read a summary of the court details at Facebook .
While the original crimes and trial took place between 2017 and 2018, the case remains a significant focal point for animal rights activists in Japan: Makoto Oya Cat Videos 2021
In 2021, Oya’s camera work became a study of negative space. He understood that a cat is not just a pet, but a moving piece of furniture—a living sculpture that dictates the flow of a room. A typical video from this era didn't feature a cat doing a "trick." Instead, it featured a cat being . We saw the slow blink of a tabby against the backdrop of a perfectly lit tatami mat, or the twitch of an ear syncopated to the distant sound of rain. Makoto Oya was convicted in 2017 for torturing
In 2021, Oya’s videos became a quiet corner of comfort on the internet. No loud edits, no over-the-top effects — just pure, unfiltered cat magic: While the original crimes and trial took place
In 2017, the Tokyo District Court sentenced Oya to one year and 10 months in prison, which was suspended for four years. While his case sparked significant public outrage and calls for stricter animal protection laws in Japan, there are no legitimate "cat videos" associated with his name from 2021.
calling for stricter animal cruelty laws and harsher sentencing. Regarding "2021"
Oya’s videos emerged as a form of digital palliative care. Because they were boring by conventional metrics, they required a specific contract with the viewer. You could not watch an Oya video while also checking Twitter; you would miss the tail flick. The comment sections (now largely scrubbed) were filled not with jokes, but with timestamps: “3:45 – shadow moves,” “1:12 – possible ear twitch.” This collective slow-looking became a ritual. In a year when the algorithm rewarded speed, Oya rewarded patience. His work was a Trojan horse for mindfulness, smuggled inside the most disposable genre on the internet.