My neighbor on the outskirts of Tokyo is telling me without much enthusiasm about the latest addition to her extended family: "They've just got themselves a cute kitten; a lilac Persian," she says, referring to her daughter and son-in-law. "I suppose that means we can forget having grandchildren."
This is a good time to be a pet in Japan, especially if you are a cat. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sizeable increase in pet ownership. The number of annual pet acquisitions now surpasses the rate of childbirths. Considering the cramped living conditions in Japanese cities, and the costs involved in bringing up children, this is hardly surprising. And the average expense of keeping a cat is around half the cost for a dog.
