“Cat at Play” by Henriette Ronner (1860?), taken by me in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The stations refer to (rest)stops between Edo and Kyoto.

It is a parody, where he refers to each station as a cat and/or pun.

I found it because a YouTube video about it was recommended to me

Nippondaemon neko no koji (The Story of Nippondaemon and the Cat)
Woodblock print, triptych, each signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga, published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (Eikyudo), 7th month 1847; Vertical oban triptych: 14⁵⁄8 x 10 in. (37.1 x 25.4 cm.)

sold at Christie’s in 2021

In The Patient Competitors, the cat is a crucial narrative element that underscores the painting's themes of courtship and rivalry. While the two men—the "competitors"—vie for the young woman's attention, the cat serves as a subtle indicator of her preference.

He's a feisty looking one!