Stray Cats of Japan
A photo newsletter about Japan's outdoor felines
Welcome to Stray Cats of Japan. This is the first newsletter.
I started Stray Cats of Japan to share photos I take of outdoor felines in Japan, where I live.
I would say that I snap photos of strays that I just happen to see, but I often plan my walks to take me past where I know cats live. I’m that kind of person.
I have a soft spot for strays because my cat, Kinmo, was once homeless. She lived in a park near my apartment building. I visited her every day, and she rewarded me with a delightful hour or two of lap time. I brought Kinmo inside before a typhoon struck Tokyo, thinking that she’d only stay until the storm passed, but as soon as Kinmo discovered that a soft, warm bed was better than cold, wet ground, there was no going back to the park. She became my forever cat. We are both happier now.
I will publish Stray Cats of Japan randomly because I never know when I’ll see an outdoor cat. You might receive a newsletter two days in a row, but then nothing for a week. There will be videos from time to time, too. I’ll try to tell these cats’ stories as best I can.
There are two kinds of outdoor cats in Japan. One is a “chiki neko,” a community cat that's cared for by neighbors. Kinmo was a chiki neko. Some chiki nekos are TNR cats—cats that have been trapped, neutered, and returned to their outdoor homes. TNR cats have their ears cut so that people know they’ve been neutered and won’t contribute to growing the stray cat population.
Nora nekos are generic stray cats that may or may not be cared for regularly. Nora nekos may be feral; chiki nekos are almost always super friendly.
I hope you enjoy these photos. If you do, please subscribe to Stray Cats of Japan.
My other newsletter is Fiction by Bill Adler, a short story publication. I’d be delighted if you subscribed to that, too.
My other newsletter is Fiction by Bill Adler, a short story publication. I’d be delighted if you subscribed. Readers inspire me to write.
Learned something new! TNR cats, that's so organised! I wonder if they do that in Greece, too. Probably not, stray cats are a big issue, esp in Athens. These stray cats look healthy and well-fed. Great idea and addition to your Substack, Bill!
i had a grey cat like that . . . called him the grey dog because he acted more like a dog than a cat . . . he was feral, we took him in as a baby (against his will) and it took 3 weeks before he even showed his face to us . . . then we became his pride