Thanks mate, its glad to hear you dig it. I've known many a good cat, though I was always a dog person; which I think is what made cats all the more enchanting. They're turning cogs up in their head, and while an old dog may wear the face of its favorite thing for many years (snoozing, walking, swimming; that smile they do when you offer it up) a cat makes you read its eyes.
There's certainly a Ghibli quality, I used to babysit kids when I was in HS and they'd watch The Cat Returns until it lost all meaning; and so there's some well of experience; nostalgia coupled with this imagery coupled with uncertainty; which definitely plays a factor into the idea of the Catlands.
I truly appreciate this kind post and your reading of the material.