Cats galore

I was surprised to find out that stray cats are scattered throughout Japan. I see them scavenging about during the day and night at odd moments, when I least expect it. I suspect people give up their house pets easily here, which is terrible. Then, they probably repopulate quickly out in the wild, especially if they are not spayed. On my usual return home from work in the late evening, a black cat has crossed my path a few times, usually from the right to left. Luckily, I am still alive and well; fingers crossed. On another account, I've seen a cat being surrounded by several large ravens. I felt like rescuing the poor cat before something ominous would happen. But I dare not cross the path of ravens. Ravens in Japan are known to be bullies to humans and animals alike, allegedly snatching snacks from the hands of children and pecking away at those who have tried to confront them. They are also believed to have a keen sense of memory and can seek repeated revenge to those who have offended them, so the best thing to do is avoid them at all costs. When one hears the loud "caw, caw, caw," from the ravens flying in and out of the train station, keep calm and carry on.

I've seen cats in the office parking lot across from my apartment, usually hiding near the wheels of a car. On a positive note, someone is feeding these furry creatures, as some of them tend to be quite plump (or pregnant) and I've spotted cat food a couple of times near the parking lot. I try to feed these cats whenever I can with seafood inspired junk food. Lately, I've been feeding them dried fish strips, a Taiwanese snack made for humans and not cats. But they seem to like it. I've also seen a beautiful, gray cat a couple of times at the local park. A cat lady was able to get its attention, and managed to pet it, but when I tried, it just ran away. I also hear them at night, through the walls of my boxy apartment, howling and hissing at each other through the darkness.

Cat cafes are found everywhere. I visited one in Tokyo lately, and although the cats were adorable, I felt slightly disappointed. The price was slightly steep, at about $10 USD for one hour, and there was a sharp cat stench. I was surprised, but I guess the ventilation in a compact building doesn't help, and if there are 10 or more cats incased in a room, it is hard to keep up with them all, especially if each one has a mind of its own (uncontrollable). Also, I tried to get their attention, but they could care less about me. I think they recognized that I was a dog, according to the Chinese zodiac. Perhaps I should have acted disinterested; then I would've had their undivided attention. I prefer my previous trip to a bird cafe which housed mostly owls. Although they were still and mostly sleeping, I admired their silent wisdom and beauty.

In addition, there are a few cat islands in Japan. The one that sticks out to me the most is Tashirojima. It is located in Miyagi prefecture, north of Tokyo, which was unfortunately victim to the 2011 tsunami. This island is known for having a higher feral cat population than humans. Most of the humans on the island are elderly. Fishermen here are known to feed the cats. These are some lucky cats, when you think of all the sashimi they are getting every day. Although off the beaten path, Tashirojima is becoming a popular tourist destination for cat lovers. The recommended time to visit is in the summer, as one needs to take a ferry to the island, and traveling by boat in the winter would be really cold, with all the strong wind gusts. Take a moment to Youtube cat island. You'll be entertained with what you see.