Claiming you were born the wrong gender is one thing — but born the wrong species?
That’s the ridiculous statement from Nano, a 20-year-old Norwegian who says she’s a cat born in a woman’s body. She claims to have superhuman vision and hearing, hisses at dogs on the street and, yes, communicates by meowing.
In a video posted to YouTube this week — including English subtitles — Nano explains how she came to the conclusion that she was a cat, and how being an actual “cat lady” has impacted her life. The video has been viewed over 1 million times.
“I realized I was a cat when I was 16,” says Nano, who sought counseling from doctors and psychologists before receiving a diagnosis. She now wears plush ears and even a tail when venturing out in public.
“[I can hear] suitcases rolling on the ground, keys clinking in pockets, people with ice crampons under their shoes,” she says in regard to her cat-like hearing. As for her sight, she says she actually sees better in the dark than she does in the daylight; she’s even chased mice at night — though she’s yet to actually catch one.
And like ordinary felines, she considers dogs her enemy.
“Sometimes I hiss when meeting dogs on the street. It’s because of their behavior, and my instinct automatically reacts by hissing.”
And, no surprise, she hates water.
When at home, she gets around by crawling on her hands and knees, and spends hours in front of the door, pawing to be let outside. Her favorite places to sleep are the kitchen sink and the windowsill.
“It’s obvious that I’m a cat when I start purring and meowing,” she adds.
While Nano doesn’t address how her parents feel about her species-identity disorder, she’s managed to make friends who are sympathetic to her plight.
Nano’s best friend, Svein, is a man with multiple personalities — one of which is a cat. The pair claim they communicate by meowing.
“Suddenly I start meowing, or she does. And then we answer each other and communicate by cat language,” says Svein.
Though a psychologist advised Nano that she may one day grow out of her cat-like behavior, she’s committed to maintaining her lifestyle.
“I’m born like this. Born in the wrong species,” says Nano. “I think I will be a cat all my life.”