the baron (mimi wo sumaseba)

A character that appeared first in the Studio Ghibli movie Mimi wo Sumaseba, then in Neko no Ongaeshi. He is an animate cat figurine approximately a meter high, refined in manners and appearance and owner of the Cat Bureau. He is always in a tailcoat and/or vest (with wing collar and bowtie), along with top hat and cane. In the first movie he is an overall light brown color; in the second the lighter area around his elongated muzzle is larger, his ears are smaller, and the color of his suit has changed from tan to light gray. His full title and name is Baron Humbert von Gikkingen (バロン フンベルト フォン ジッキンゲン).