Why we do what we do
Founder's "MEOW"
"You don't choose a cat,
the cat chooses you "
Hey there! I am Harmeet, and with me is Rani, my sweet & gentle cat. If you had told me someday, that my entire life & career will be about cats - I would have just laughed it off. I was an Honours Graduate in Physics, an MBA in Marketing, and in my best cushioned corporate jobs. You see, where does a cat fit in?
2023 was a turning point of my life when I adopted Rani. She was a street side rescue, and a malnourished kitten. She ate stones as a kid and as such, lost her front 2 teeth. She had low immunity, and contracted FCV (Feline Calici-Virus) through other cats in the rescue shelter. FCV in cats feels like a sinus that never ends. It gets triggered by dust, and temperature changes. The more I took care of her, the more I realized what's missing - products that were "Cat Health Centric". That was the birth of GISHIKI, our "Cat-First" Philosophy, and our Health-Pro litter which is super dust-free!
To understand Rani's needs better, I took formal education & became a Certified Cat Behaviorist. I now apply principles of Cat Behaviour (& Physics) in our Cat toys, to make play stimulating.
It's my personal mission to give Rani the best life I can, and as such, I work on building GISHIKI as a home for "Best-in-Class" Cat products.
Because Rani chose me.
what does gishiki mean?
In Japanese culture, the word "GISHIKI" (儀式) translates to "ritual" or "ceremony". It signifies a sequence of actions or procedures performed in a certain, solemn manner. The word is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, reflecting a sense of order, respect, and reverence.
For us cat humans, "GISHIKI" honors the rituals with our cats. It symbolizes the daily, intentional routines & bonds shared with them. Its our "GISHIKI" with them that inspires us to create products that support a cat's life as it is actually lived: with dignity, autonomy, respect, and that signature feline elegance.
GISHIKI is pronounced as
"Gee-Shee-Kee" / गी-शी-की
"Cats over Cute" -
Our Materials
bringing outdoors, indoors
Our favourite materials begin with what cats are naturally drawn to: texture, scent, resistance, and sound. Coir and jute offer the firm, fibrous grip cats seek when scratching, while raffia and gunny create layered surfaces that satisfy their instinct to pull, tear, and explore.
Linen and ethical wood add breathability and stability, keeping forms cool, grounded, and safe for everyday use. We use premium catnip, silvervine gall, and handcut matatabi sticks as sensory tools, each chosen for its distinct chemical profile that stimulates play, confidence, and calm in different cats.
Even our plush elements are selected for density and recovery, so they invite kneading without collapsing. They also replicate the "touch of prey", instigating hunting instincts in cats.
Every material we choose has a purpose rooted in feline behaviour, not "cuteness" or "trending", because, to be honest, cats don’t care how something looks, they only care about how it feels, smells, and responds to them!
Social media responsibility
Real cats, real homes
The internet is saturated with cat "memes" and "funny cat videos" - much of that content is built for reactions, not respect. Cats are generated via AI, dressed as props, placed in stressful (=funny) situations, or framed as entertainment before their humans.
At GISHIKI, we are against that treatment of cats as "trends" or "objects of entertainment". We have consciously chosen a slower approach. We post less, but what we share is real, unforced, and rooted in the well-being of the cat first. No staging, no distress, no performative moments, rather only honest interactions and natural behaviour. For us, trust cannot be built through volume or "funny videos", but through integrity & respect for cats as family.
our end goal is "human"
with cats, its actually "we" who become better.
Being a cat parent has made me realize that, to love & care for a cat, is to accept a relationship that cannot be rushed, negotiated, or controlled. Cats do not respond to authority, they respond to safety. And so, without saying it, they ask us to soften our tone, to observe their body language more closely, to respect the boundaries we cannot always see.
Over time, the discipline of caring for my cat, Rani, has changed me. I've become more patient because impatience simply doesn’t work. I've become more attentive because small shifts in behaviour matter. I've become more honest, because Rani responds to what I am, not what I pretend to be.
In my attempt to give Rani a better life, she has refined my own. She is who she is - but me, us, you as a cat parent, if we pay attention, we become better. That's the magic of living with cats.
So who are we serving - cats or humans? I'd say both :)
With lots of purrs,
Harmeet.
