The cat-shaped bus in “My Neighbor Totoro” is called Catbus.
Catbus is a huge, grinning cat whose body functions as a bus, complete with fur-covered seats, glowing windows, and multiple legs. In the film, Totoro summons Catbus to help Satsuki search for her missing younger sister, Mei. The vehicle carries Satsuki across the countryside and ultimately reunites the sisters.
The name is often written as one word in English: Catbus. In Japanese, the character is called Nekobasu, from neko, meaning “cat,” and basu, the Japanese pronunciation of “bus.” Nekobasu is therefore an alternate Japanese name, not a different vehicle. The other options are fictional descriptions rather than established names.
Catbus became one of Studio Ghibli’s most recognizable creations after the film’s 1988 release. Its design combines a child’s imaginative view of public transport with the film’s broader interest in spirits, nature, and rural life. A short sequel, “Mei and the Kittenbus,” later introduced Kittenbus, Catbus’s smaller offspring.