Simple and effective! Great narrative progression! Every element works to support the vibe.
As someone who grew up with cats, the story hits pretty deep. This is a really nice little homage.
Playing blindly and jumping into the first level creates a bit of disconnect (trying to figure out what is going on without any context). I feel like the addition of a little narrative moment before the game starts could help establish the player's expectation.
You guys hit that "A Little to the Left" satisfaction spot on!