"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."
Ian the Meow is a squiggly-eyed cat featured on murals, flyers, and sidewalks across San Francisco. The character conveys self-care messages such as "Be nicer to yourself," "Breathe in, breathe out," and "The world is a better place with you in it." Ian originated as a stuffed toy as an homage to a family pet and later expanded into illustrations. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ian was shared with the city through stickers, spray paint-stenciled art, and flyers to offer tiny moments of comfort. A large public mural appeared on Steiner Street in 2023, joining the rotating mural panel on the Painted Gentlemen fence that began in 2019.
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