Neko

[ramchop]

I like cats, and cats like me. Or so I thought until I came to Japan. On my daily walk to work (1 hour commute, what's that?) I pass through a local park and a center for the handicapped. In these places reside a number of cats. Friendly? Difficult to say, when they see me they bolt in terror? What's the reason for this? There are a number of options:

1) Superior Fucked Gaijin Reason
It's not your fault the cats run. For in Japan cats are treated very poorly. The cats you encountered are actually lucky to be alive. Cats are regularly beaten and tortured for pleasure by the evil sadistic Japanese people. Any person is viewed as a potential threat, certain death or at the very least a swift kick to the side.

2) Paranoid Fucked Gaijin Reson
Isn't it obvious? The cats are Japanese. You're an evil babarian from foreign shores. It's only natural for the cats to treat you with fear and comtempt. If they're not running in terror they're almost certainly off to plot your downfall with their friends for the next time your pass by.


Of course there may be a more resonable explaination. Any ideas?


(all I want for Xmas is a funtioning place to put my Avatar)

[ramchop]

Venitian cats and Macau cats like me too.

I don't recall seeing any cats in Venice or Macau... maybe it is just me. Cats of all nations are avoiding me. How sad.

[GomiGirl]

Of course there may be a more resonable explaination. Any ideas?

Perhaps you shouldn't go walking with your german shepard..

What do cats think of the Sony Aibo?

[bluepxl]

hey ramchop, how is your japanese fluency? didn't you know cats speak JAPANESE ONLY? if you want them to not run away, you better quit speaking that evil english tongue of yours when they are nearby. they don't know how to speak it and it truly frightens them. i'd suggest trying to have a conversation in japanese only, and surely they will run to you. it works for me!

[Taro Toporific]

2) Paranoid Fucked Gaijin Reson
Isn't it obvious? The cats are Japanese. You're an evil babarian from foreign shores.

Japanese cats like me]GAIJIN-ken[/i], foreign breeds in Japan don't have any problem with a fellow alien. Go figure.

[ramchop]

I'll try speaking Japanese to them, that is if I ever see the poor animals again.

Yesterday (being the lazy fucked gaijin that I am) I took the day off work. Still passed through the local park though, this time accompanied by my FG son. He approached the cats with all the subtlety of a 2 year old. And they dissappeared faster than ever before.

Not cats this morning. Maybe dealing with all these new intruders is just too much for them.

[ramchop]

Joy! It was all a misunderstanding, Japanese cats do like me after all. Well the ones in Toyama park do anyway. A couple of the friendliest cats in the world reside there, even the FG 2-year old didn't faze them. Seems people here treat feral cats sort of like pigeons and go round parks dishing out free feeds. So unlike domesticated cats which though friendly to their owners may remain wary of strangers, these moggies greet all comers with a friendly "hello". (either that or they're on drugs)

Doesn't explain the ones I see every day though, which leads me to:

3) Politically Incorrect Fucked Gaijin Reason
It's not you it's the neighbours these cats have to deal with on a regular basis. Living next to a centre for the handicapped these poor felines encounter all sorts of hazards ranging from the unsubtleties of the intellectually disabled, to the uncoordination of the physically uncontrolled, to the unfortunate stray wheel chair wheel. Some of the poor things have even had their tails snapped! It's no wonder the cats treat you with suspiscion, your odd gaijin looks are probably mistaken for the strange contorted face of another dangerous encounter.