The guy on the middle is Kuroneko, the shougun. The nice kitties around are male bake-nekos. Not quite the typical display being friendyl to a human, I know, but it has the reason. And it is not like Kuroneko has any special magical skill to tame them, he is quite avarage in that world actually it is sth else.
The other person in the right is Kikka, the Dog daimyou. Dog as the 11th sign of the Chinese zodiac. In this story the land is devided into 12 main clans and are named after the sign of the Chinese zodiac.

Kuroneko likes to meditate in this hidden spot with the kitties, it calms his disturbed mind. =)