If you live in San Francisco, chances are you’ve come across Ian “the Meow” Thomas, the squiggly-eyed cat on murals, flyers and sidewalks throughout the city.
“Over the years, he’s become a familiar little friend to many San Franciscans,” said Ian the Meow’s creator, a San Francisco-based artist who prefers anonymity.
Depending on his location, Ian may be basking in a sunny spot. But in other respects, he’s unusual for a species that is normally standoffish: He’s here to remind San Franciscans to take care of themselves, no matter what life throws their way.
“Be nicer to yourself,” “Breathe in, breathe out,” “Hang in there” and “The world is a better place with you in it,” he conveys to passersby.
“I think we all need a sign sometimes — a sign to make us remember we matter and are here for a reason,” the artist explained.
Ian, an homage to the artist’s family pet, first took shape as a stuffed toy. The artist then expanded to illustrations. When the COVID-19 pandemic upended people’s lives in 2020, they decided to share Ian with San Francisco via stickers, spray paint-stenciled art and flyers.
“He started as a way for me to express care and connection in the city, especially during hard times,” they said. “It was my way of offering tiny moments of comfort when everything felt uncertain.”
My own introduction to Ian took place in 2023 on Steiner Street, the location of one of the first large public murals of him in the city.
Years earlier, resident street artist fnnch had reached out to peers to put together a panel of murals along the metal fence encasing the Painted Gentlemen site, a vacant lot near the Painted Ladies and across the street from Alamo Square Park. The first batch of murals appeared in March 2019, with the plan to rotate the display every several months.
Four years after the inaugural panel, Ian the Meow joined the fence lineup. There was a golden cat with outstretched appendages, resembling an octopus, floating sideways on a backdrop of blues, pinks and yellows. Above the cartoonish depiction was the statement, “Life is Weird.” Below it, in lowercase, it read, “you’re enough” and “just breathe.”
I encountered this sweet, bizarre-looking creature and his message after a series of life-changing events: The losses of my cat Ripley and other loved ones, cancer and neurodivergence diagnoses, a major surgery and, the kicker, heading out for a run five weeks post-op and being hit by a car while in a crosswalk.
I was very much in the process of rebuilding myself, unsure of what the future held yet hopeful. Ian, I found, met me where I was, and confirmed that things would work themselves out. I just needed to keep going, to continue trying.
Ian the Meow is everywhere in San Francisco, including underfoot. JL Odom came across this spray-painted rendering on Haight Straight. Photo by JL Odom
“I think Ian’s story is really about small moments of connection — those times when you’re walking down the street, feeling a little lost, and something reminds you that you’re not alone,” the artist said. “If Ian can be that tiny spark for someone, then he’s doing exactly what he’s meant to.”
In recent months, Ian the Meow has taken up residence on the windows of the Wishy Washy Laundromat in the Lower Haight, on a garage door in Noe Valley and on the exterior of a building in Nob Hill.
He’s also the current star of an exhibition this month in the Peoples Barber & Shop on Valencia Street in the Mission.
As Ian the Meow’s presence expands throughout San Francisco, he’s likely to become as recognizable as fnnch’s honey bears and as commonplace as visual odes to drag artist and LGBTQ+ activist Juanita MORE!
You may also encounter him on keychains, magnets and other merch. Yes, life is weird and Ian the Meow has been monetized.
To commission the artist behind Ian the Meow for a project, contact them at ianthemeow@gmail.com
Several Ian the Meows appear on the windows and door of Wishy Washy Laundromat and Cleaners on Page Street in the Lower Haight. Photo by JL Odom
Ian the Meow can be found on murals throughout San Francisco — as well as on utility poles. Flyers like this one have appeared in Hayes Valley, the Inner Richmond and other neighborhoods. Each tear-off tab on the flyer has Ian the Meow’s face and hearts on it. Photo by JL Odom
The artist behind Ian “the Meow” Thomas is a mental health advocate (as is Ian), and their artwork features phrases, such as “Life is weird,” that can be helpful reminders to come across, particularly when going through a challenging time. The reverse side of this utility box, located on Polk St., reads “Be nicer to yourself,” and the narrow sides have “Breathe in” and “Breathe out” painted on them. Photo by JL Odom
As part of the Paint the City project, the artist behind Ian the Meow painted 11 city utility boxes on Polk Street. Photo by JL Odom![A painted utility box on a city sidewalk reads "I left my [cat drawing in heart] in San Francisco" with colorful hearts and the Instagram handle @iam.thee.meow.](https://www.newsbeep.com/us-ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG_6785-899x640.jpeg)
San Franciscans love Ian the Meow, and he loves San Francisco. The artist behind the beloved cat has lived in the city for nearly a decade. “There’s this openness here, a sense that it’s okay to be yourself, even if you don’t totally fit in,” they said. The other side of their utility box mural in this photo reads “I ❤️ SF,” with colorful, smiling hearts appearing on the box’s narrower sides. Photo by JL Odom
The Steiner Street-facing side of Wishy Washy in the Lower Haight includes the creative work of the artist behind Ian the Meow. Photo by JL Odom