‘猫奴’ (māo nú) is a lighthearted, self-deprecating slang term literally meaning ‘cat slave’. It combines 猫 (māo), ‘cat’, and 奴 (nú), ‘slave’ or ‘servant’, to humorously describe someone who is utterly devoted to their pet cat—often prioritizing the cat’s comfort, whims, and needs over their own. The term reflects modern urban Chinese internet culture, where pet ownership is increasingly common and anthropomorphized.

It carries no negative connotation in casual speech; instead, it signals affectionate surrender to feline charm. People use it proudly on social media, in conversations about pet care, or when joking about how their cat ‘runs the household’. While originally playful and ironic, it has become widely accepted—even embraced—as an identity marker among young cat owners in China and overseas Chinese communities.