With all of the bad news making headlines, it’s nice to see a simple story that will bring a smile to your face.
A recently retired man from Kagoshima in Kyushu, Japan who goes by the title of ‘Kyushu Neko Ojisan’, meaning The Cat Man from Kyushu. He probably didn’t purposely start out to bring attention to himself, but has now acquired celebrity status because of what he does with his household cats. Cat man is known for going on regular walks around Tokyo pushing his cats in a baby buggy.
Japanese culture is much different than that in the United States. Cats have been revered there for many generations, and it shows. Temples and shrines have been dedicated to the cat, and a popular symbol of good luck and blessings with the famous maneki-neko (招き猫, “beckoning cat”). We must also remember the Japanese are the ones who came up with the idea of the Cat Cafe.
The video, which is a bit over a minute long, will make you smile. Uploaded to YouTube by Conner Sullivan, it shows the Cat Man walking his Persian cats around Tokyo:
Although the Cat Man has made the news mostly during the past few weeks, he’s actually been walking the cats for several years now. Six years ago The Cat Man took a job transfer that separated him from his family. To pass the time, he took to walking his cats through Tenmonkan Arcade on the weekends. When word got around that he and the cats would be leaving Kyushu after his March 2014 retirement, he was featured in an article by the Kagoshima Keizei newspaper. It’s unclear whether he’s still there, or is walking his cats elsewhere these days.
The Rocket News article with much of the information is from October 2014. Then on June 30, the Pussington Post revived the story, and Conner uploaded his YouTube video the end of June.
It’s important we keep the articles that make us feel good alive. I laughed out loud when I watched the video. Not only is it funny to watch the cats, who don’t seem to mind being out in public in a baby buggy, it really makes me wonder why they don’t all jump off and run when strangers approach and admire them.
It’s nice to be able to report on a happy story, instead of spending time investigating the monsters of the world who abuse and kill cats. So please, feel free to share the Cat Man with someone who needs a good laugh. We all need a break from cruelty and abuse, and this has certainly cheered me up.
Do I see 5 Persians?
I love this.
I’m impressed by how laid back those cats are. They look so at ease I’m guessing they’ve become accustomed to going out in the stroller since they were kittens.
Nice to see some of his Persians have the traditional, open face. For me they are so much more attractive than their punch-faced relatives.
Now I’ve seen everything. Those are some well behaved cats!
This is so pawsome Michael. . . One of my very good furriends who lives in NYC, walks her cat in a stroller every day also — just like this man. so sweet. . . but this guy — with multiple cats — God bless him. . . those babies are so well behaved. . . I wouldn’t trust mine in an open stroller for 2 seconds!! MOL!!! ♥♥♥
The most amazing thing is that the cats stay still and don’t jump out or look frightened. He has to be a bit of an exhibitionist because the whole world looks at him as he strolls by. I’d be scared of losing my cats if I did this. Jumping out or someone mugs you and steals them.
Japan is different and in a nice way it seems. I wish the guy who made the video had filmed him more and asked some questions.