The new summer anime The Cat and the Dragon has quickly become one of the most talked-about shows of 2026. The fantasy series from animation studio OLM tells the story of a fire-breathing dragon raised by a family of magical cats. Episode 4 is set to arrive on Saturday, July 18, 2026. Fans around the world are waiting to see what happens next in this unusual tale about a dragon who protects cats from cruel humans.
The anime is based on the popular light novel series Neko to Ryū written by Amara and illustrated by Mai Ōkuma. The novels originally gained attention on the user-generated novel website Shōsetsuka ni Narō, where they achieved first place in the daily rankings for short stories. The series has since sold over 1.4 million copies across its novel and manga adaptations.
The Cat and the Dragon Episode 4 Release Schedule and Streaming Details
New episodes of The Cat and the Dragon release every Saturday. The show follows a weekly schedule that began with early streaming on June 27, 2026. Regular broadcasting started on July 4. Episode 4 will premiere on July 18, 2026 at the following times:
- Pacific Daylight Time: 6:30 a.m.
- Mountain Daylight Time: 7:30 a.m.
- Central Daylight Time: 8:30 a.m.
- Eastern Daylight Time: 9:30 a.m.
- Greenwich Mean Time: 1:30 p.m.
The series is expected to have 12 episodes in total. Here is the full release schedule for upcoming episodes:
- Episode 1 – June 27 (available now)
- Episode 2 – July 4 (available now)
- Episode 3 – July 11
- Episode 4 – July 18
- Episode 5 – July 25
- Episode 6 – August 1
- Episode 7 – August 8
- Episode 8 – August 15
- Episode 9 – August 22
- Episode 10 – August 29
- Episode 11 – September 5
- Episode 12 – September 12
Where to Watch The Cat and the Dragon Episode 4
The Cat and the Dragon is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. Viewers can also watch the series through the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel. The show is available in Japan and 22 other countries on platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Crunchyroll.
The series received early streaming on ABEMA and d Anime Store in Japan starting June 27, one week before the regular TV broadcast. Regular TV broadcasting began on July 4 on TOKYO MX, BS Nippon TV, and Yomiuri TV.
Currently, there are no free streaming options available for The Cat and the Dragon. Viewers need a subscription to Crunchyroll or access through the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel to watch the show.
The Story So Far: Recap of Episodes 1 and 2
The Cat and the Dragon tells the story of a dragon orphaned since hatching. The dragon, known affectionately as “Uncle Wings,” is taken in by a family of magic-wielding cats and raised as one of their own.
Episode 1: “The Cat and the Dragon”
The first episode opens with a dragon attacking a human nation. The story then rewinds to explain the dragon’s past. The dragon was the sole egg of a mother dragon who died while hunting. A pregnant cat from the Cait Sith species chose the same cave to give birth to her kittens. The warmth from the cat’s nest caused the dragon egg to hatch. The mother cat raised the baby dragon as one of her own.
As the dragon grew, he learned he was not a cat. During a hunting trip, he discovered that humans had killed many cats for their fur. This made the dragon extremely angry. He attacked the human kingdom and left a warning: humans must only kill cats for food, not for fur.
The episode also introduced a prince who struggled with magic. A cat watched the prince practice and helped him succeed. The cat wanted to stay and teach the prince magic. The dragon agreed but wished to speak with the king.
Episode 2: “The Mother Cat and the Girl”
The second episode picks up where the first one left off. The mother cat gets summoned to a magic school by a girl named Anne Rossa. The episode follows the mother cat’s adventures at the magic school as she becomes Anne’s familiar.
Episode 3 Preview
Episode 3, titled “The Kittens and the Winged Uncle,” released on July 11. The episode continues the story of the dragon and the cats he protects. The dragon watches over curious cats, including one that goes on an adventure with a human prince.
The Cast and Creative Team Behind The Cat and the Dragon
The Cat and the Dragon features a talented voice cast:
- Takehito Koyasu as Nekoryū (the dragon)
- Kikuko Inoue as Mama-nyan (the mother cat)
- Fūka Izumi as Shirotae
- Show Hayami as Kurobane
- Noriaki Sugiyama as Haibuchi
- Maki Kawase as Chiikuro
- Shinnosuke Tokudome as Kurotama
- Atsumi Tanezaki as Gally
- Chika Anzai as Anne Rossa
- Junya Enoki as Stan
- Yū Serizawa as Haneko
- Makoto Koichi as Prince
- Kazuya Ichijō as King
The creative team includes:
- Jin-Koo Oh as director
- Mitsutaka Hirota handling series composition
- Rie Nishino and Chiaki Kurakazu as character designers
- Takahiro Obata composing the music
- Noriyoshi Konuma as sound director
- OLM as the animation production studio
Music and Theme Songs
The opening theme song is “Nekobi” performed by Suis from Yorushika. The ending theme is “Tadaima no Basho” performed by shallm. Both songs were featured in the second promotional video for the series.
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What Makes The Cat and the Dragon Special
The Cat and the Dragon stands out because of its unique premise. A fire-breathing dragon who hates humans gets raised by cats. The dragon becomes the protector of the cats in the forest. He watches over curious cats and gradually warms up to humans.
The show presents a fantasy world where magic-wielding cats, known as Cait Sith, live alongside humans. The series explores the bonds between different species. It shows how a dragon raised by cats learns to care for others and protect those who cannot protect themselves.
The light novel series originally gained attention on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, where it achieved first place in the daily rankings for short stories. The series has since been published in print by Takarajimasha since April 2016. A comic adaptation by Izumi Sasaki is also in development.
The anime adaptation has been praised for its emotional storytelling. Scenes showing the separation of the mother dragon from her kittens and the Cait Sith being hunted by humans have been noted for their emotional depth. The show balances these heavier moments with lighter, more hopeful scenes.
Viewers have shared their thoughts on social media. One fan on Tumblr wrote:
I had no idea that a fantasy anime with the name The Cat and The Dragon would be all about raising kittens and not just standard fantasy adventure stuff. I am not complaining. … I think we will have some adventure in the future with the grown up cats. But the first three episodes was a lot of child rearing. It was so cute.
Another review noted:
The episode ends with a shot of the dragon and its giant cat family. Everything is just so hopeful.
The Cat and the Dragon continues to attract viewers with its unusual story and charming characters. Episode 4 arrives on July 18, and fans are eager to see where the story goes next.
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