ABOUT
Part One: Why Cats?
In 2022, my wife and I went to Big Bend National Park in south Texas. If you’re not familiar, it’s in the middle of nowhere with the closest major city being 135 miles away. We’d flown into Austin, then drove seven “West Texas” hours to our tiny Airbnb.
It was evening when we pulled in, and the first thing I saw was a small black cat at the back of the parking space. I jumped out, and to my surprise, it ran to me! I quickly squatted, held my hands out, and scooped it up.
“Oh my god, oh my god,” my wife said, stroking his cold black fur. It was young, definitely malnourished, and all alone. So, we obviously broke the Airbnb rules and brought him in.
I knew this was my cat. It chose me. Still, we have four cats already, and we can’t take home every stray cat we find (you know exactly the feeling I’m talking about). It was such a terrible dilemma. I absolutely knew we were going to keep that cat, but I was being impulsive, and…and…
“We probably shouldn’t keep him in here,” I said, glancing at my wife.
Without looking at me, she said, “Go to the store and get wet food, a small litter box, and litter,” and kept playing with the sweet little black cat.
“...okay.” I obeyed.
He stayed with us at the Airbnb for the entire trip, and we became defenseless against his cuteness. We checked with the Airbnb owner and he confirmed it was a stray. So, we made a vet appointment in Austin, got him checked out on the way to the airport, and flew him home with us.
The ongoing joke in my family is that I’m the only one he likes. He sleeps next to me at night, cries if he can’t get to me, and won’t sit on anyone else’s lap. There’s a small university in Alpine, Texas called Sul Ross, so we named him Sullivan Ross. Sully for short.
Before we found him, Sully was malnourished, cold, and alone. Now, he has one cat brother, three cat sisters, two human brothers, one human sister, a mom, and a dad. He has more than enough food, his choice of five litter boxes in the basement, a safe outside space, and all the love a cat can handle.
Part Two: Why Japan?
In my last year of high school, I had enough credits that I didn’t have to be there all day, but I still needed to be there. It was a terrible dilemma for a 17-year-old guy. So, the school counselor suggested I find a class that sounded “fun.”
I laughed on the inside.
After searching through the school catalog, I narrowed “fun” down to: Japanese. Oddly, my midwest high school had a thriving Japanese program, even though none of the other schools in the district did. I still have no idea why.
It was indeed quite fun. And that’s when the seed was planted. It wasn’t from reading manga or watching anime, it was a sincere desire to know more about, understand better, and eventually travel to Japan.
Today, Japan is my favorite place to visit. When I’m there, I don’t want to leave, and when I’m home, I want to go back. I suppose I don’t have a great answer as to why. Maybe, “it’s just how I feel,” is enough.
Japan has a unique cat culture, and part of that culture is art. Whether it’s on socks, or prints, or chopsticks, or Noren curtains, or the beloved Tenugui towels, Japanese cat art has a unique identity. And I say it should be more accessible to the world.
Part One + Part Two = Part Three: Cats of Japan
Now, I’m not known for having a lot of light bulb moments, but after staring at a painting of a samurai cat for far too long, it hit me. I’ll start a business called Cats of Japan, and I’ll use that business to help the literal cats of Japan. I’ll use the business to spread the joy of Japanese cat art and goods, then do everything I can to support the many volunteer groups who are caring for strays all across the Land of the Rising Sun.
How will it all turn out? I don’t know. But I’m giving it my full effort. I’ll see to it that stray cats are cared for, and hopefully some of them will find a home, just like Sully did.
I hope you’ll join me in this,
Aaron
