The portrayal of cat-girls goes back until at least 1924 when Kenji Miyazawa created 水仙月の四日 “The 4th of Narcissus month” where the first “Modern Day” Nekomimi Cat girl appears as 雪婆んご “Yukibaba” in the story as a beautiful, cat-eared woman. (Catboy being the counterpart but showed no history)