If Cats Disappeared from the World 2016

Diagnosis and despair

An unnamed young man, who works as a postman, receives a terminal diagnosis of brain cancer. He wrestles with the thought that his life will end and wonders who will miss him when he dies. The moment forces him to confront mortality while returning to his quiet life at home.

The devil appears and offers a bargain

A doppelganger who claims to be the devil materializes, introducing a strange exchange: remove one thing from the world, and he will grant the man an extra day of life. He explains that this is a finite trade, with consequences unfolding in the days to come. The encounter sets in motion a surreal countdown that frames the entire story.

Deal accepted; a day begins

Accepting the terms, the man begins the first day under the deal, clinging to the hope of more time. The day unfolds with a growing sense of fragility as reality and the devil's bargain loom. The stage is set for the first dramatic consequence when the day ends.

First removal: Phones

At the end of Day 1, all telephones disappear from the world. Communication becomes eerily silent and daily routines unravel without calls or texts. The man notices how his relationships depend on instant connection and starts to rethink what truly matters.

Ex-girlfriend memory flashback

Memories of his ex-girlfriend surface, revealing warmth and unresolved feelings from their past. The loss of phones makes reaching out impossible, underscoring how their bond was maintained by contact as much as by care. The flashbacks deepen his understanding of the importance of those lost connections.

Second day begins: Movies removed

On Day 2, movies vanish from the world, taking with them the shared cultural touchstone that once bonded people. The man and his best friend used to connect through film exchanges, and those conversations feel hollow without cinema. The absence of movies exposes how central film-watching was to their friendship.

Flashback: Best friend and movie-sharing

The best friend, who has always related to others through movie-sharing, becomes uncertain without that medium. They try to talk, but without quotes, scenes, or recommendations, their interactions feel awkward and diminished. This shift highlights how a single shared ritual once sustained their bond.

Acquaintance in Buenos Aires

An acquaintance the man met in Buenos Aires remains one of the few living links to his pre-memory life. Their conversations feel tentative as the world loses another layer of meaning, yet a sense of solidarity emerges. The memory underscores how some connections endure despite changing circumstances.

Third day arrives: Clocks removed

Clocks vanish, erasing fixed schedules and the sense of time. The man experiences days that blur, heightening the weight of every choice and memory. The devil watches the countdown as time becomes elastic and personal moments take on heightened significance.

Mother's cat memory and inheritance

The late mother remains a presence through the cat he inherited, a living link to family and memory. The removal of other things makes that cat’s presence feel even more precious, a small anchor to the world he is losing. Flashbacks reveal the tenderness of his mother and the quiet strength she offered.

Final removal: Cats

On Day 4, cats vanish from the world, including the mother's cat he holds dear. The house feels emptier without the purring companion that connected him to his family. He faces isolation anew, even as the countdown continues toward an ultimate reckoning with mortality.