Chisato ShizumeWhich animal do you prefer as a pet, a cat or a dog? Both are popular animals to live with. Adorable and comforting, they have been loved in Japan for more than a thousand years. Cats, for instance, have been useful for getting rid of rats and mice. They have likely been part of the Japanese lives since the beginning of the Heian period (around the end of 8th century). Back in those days, cats were kept for practical use. However, in recent years, such animals are becoming “fashionable” for some people. And unfortunately, for some irresponsible owners, taking care of living animals or spending time and money eventually becomes a burden once they lose interest in their companion.
Every year, over 30 thousand feral cats are culled in Japan. Although this number is decreasing continuously over the years, some 56 thousand cats are brought to municipal pounds yearly. As mentioned above, many were abandoned by their owners for egocentric or upsetting reasons, or even born from a stray mother. Either way, more than 40% of the cats that end up in pounds are culled if not adopted by a foster parent. A quick calculation shows more than 80 cats are killed each day because there is no one to look after them.
Even while many innocent lives are taken, approximately 200 thousand cats were sold in Japan in 2018. This number increased for four consecutive years, as the popularity of cats is growing steadily. If a quarter of these owners-to-be chose to welcome their new family from municipal pounds or animal shelters, there could be an end to the culling of abandoned animals. And some are already making efforts to make it happen.
“Nekotaro” is a new matching platform for people looking for cats as a pet to get connected to those that need adoption, such as captured strays or cats seized from animal hoarding. Septbot, a company based in Shizuoka, planned and developed the platform to connect people and cats to halt pet abandonment and end culling. The Nekotaro app enables foster families to find cats simply through their smartphones. Also, cat owners can use the app to search and book a cat sitter to look after their precious pets while they’re away. Users can ask questions about the registered cats, or get advice using the chat function. The app launched last November, with a simple registration system, allowing users to browse the registered cats or find a foster family for a stray cat.
There are several rescue-animal cafes in Tokyo, where you can interact with rescue-dogs and cats and become a foster parent if the condition meets. Although, in some cases, animals could build up a lot of stress since they are put in an environment to interact with strangers one after another. However, these cafes are an alternative for finding a caretaker for stray cats and their kittens. Platforms like Nekotaro and rescue-animal cafes could help show people that there is always an option to welcome cats from shelters or pounds who are yearning for a new caretaker. If cat adoption becomes a widespread option in Japan, fewer animals will lose their lives to irresponsible abandonment.
