Nestled among the bars and trendy clothing outlets of the 「America mura」 section of Osaka’s Minami district is a cafe whose primary attraction is not the quality of its coffee but the charms of its somewhat unconventional 「staff.」[2]
Believed to have originated in Taiwan, cat cafes are establishments where cats are let loose indoors for customers to interact with. The cafe, named 「Neko no Jikan,」 which can be translated as cats』 time, is one of the country’s original cat cafes and is home to 21 felines, including a Maine Coon[3], a breed known for its large size.
The overall ambience here is quite relaxed—customers tend to speak in lowered voices, and the soft background soundtrack ranges from vocal jazz to trip-hop.[4] The resident cats seem acclimated[5] to their job of being petted and photographed by admiring visitors.
Many exotic breeds are represented—Norwegian Forest Cats, Ragdolls, Maine Coon cats—and they range from regally stylish to endearingly funny-looking.[6] Cats of all colors and personalities prowl the two spacious rooms, inspecting newcomers and their drinks or looking for a suitable spot in which to nap. The first room is furnished with sofas, low coffee tables and shelves filled with cat-related books and knick-knacks[7]. The other room is more like a cat playground, with trees for climbing, a water fountain and litter-box facilities.
The tea shop is quiet except for cats』 occasional mews. Some of the cats at Neko no Jikan come to customers when called, while others sit or lie on the shelves lining the cafe’s walls. Others still are stretched out on tables. Managed on a time-limit basis, Neko no Jikan charges 840 yen an hour and 1,050 yen with a drink.
The shop is run by Yoko Yoshida, 53, who became the trailblazer[8] for cat teahouses when she opened her first shop in Osaka’s Kita Ward in 2005, when dog cafes were at the height of popularity in Japan. Yoshida originally worked in a pet shop trimming dogs』 hair. 「But I felt like I was in a day care center and got tired of being besieged by dogs every day,」 she said. She likes dogs, too, and keeps a poodle and a Labrador retriever at home.[9]
At a cat 「cafe,」 the emphasis is not on food and beverages but relaxing in the company of cats. Yoshida said she wants customers to enter the cats』 「space」 in order to achieve relaxation. She also said not all customers are obvious cat lovers who like to play with the animals or feed them. Many come in business suits and appear like patrons[10] of any other cafe.
Shop manager Junichi Sakai, 39, describes the 21 felines in the cafe as his 「staff,」 adding they take a rest in a separate room on the second floor 「when they are tired.」
在大阪南區「美國村」的眾多酒吧與時髦服裝專賣店之間，坐落著一家咖啡館，它最引人之處並不在於咖啡質量，而在於其獨特「店員」的魅力。
貓咪咖啡館據說源於臺灣，在這裡，貓咪可以在室內自由行動，供顧客與之接觸互動。這家名為「Neko no Jikan」的咖啡館（店名可譯為「貓咪時光」）是日本最早建成的貓咪咖啡館之一，也是21隻貓咪的家，其中包括一隻緬因貓，該品種以「體形龐大」而聞名。
貓咪咖啡館的整體氛圍十分令人放鬆，顧客們都低聲交談，柔和的背景音樂從人聲爵士樂到神遊舞曲一應俱全。這裡的貓咪居民們也似乎很能適應自己的工作，被顧客愛撫，並任由愛貓人士拍照留影。
店裡還有許多外國品種的貓咪，像挪威森林貓、布偶貓、緬因貓，從帝王似高雅的貓咪到長相可愛有趣的貓咪無一不全。不同顏色和個性的貓閒逛在兩個寬敞的大房間內，審視著新到的客人和他們的飲料，或是找個合適的地方小睡一下。第一個房間配有沙發、矮咖啡桌，還有擺滿與貓相關的書籍和小裝飾品的架子。而另一個房間則更像是貓的樂園，有攀爬的樹、噴泉和貓沙盆。
除了貓咪偶爾的「喵喵」叫聲，咖啡館裡很安靜。「貓咪時光」的一些貓一聽到顧客招呼就會走過來，而其他的貓則在沿牆排列的架子上或坐或臥，還有一些貓四肢伸開著躺在桌子上。「貓咪時光」按時收費，一小時840日元，一杯飲料1,050日元。
該店是由53歲的吉田洋子經營的。就在2005年狗狗咖啡館在日本大受歡迎之時，吉田在大阪北區開了她的第一家貓咪咖啡館，成為開設貓咪咖啡館的先驅者。吉田原先在一家寵物店工作，為狗修剪毛髮。她說，「我覺得自己像是在一家日託中心，每天都被狗包圍著，感到有些厭倦了。」她也喜歡狗，家裡還養著一隻長毛貴賓狗和一隻拉布拉多獵犬。
在貓咪咖啡館，重點不在於食物和飲料，而在於有貓咪陪伴的那份輕鬆愉快。吉田說，她希望顧客走進貓咪的「天地」來放鬆自己。她還說，並不是所有的顧客都是喜歡與動物玩或給它們餵食的愛貓人士。許多人穿著西裝進來，就跟其他咖啡館的顧客一樣。
39歲的咖啡館經理坂井純一將咖啡館裡的21隻貓咪稱為自己的「員工」，還說「當貓咪覺得累了」，可以在第二層一個單獨的房間休息。
（來源：英語學習雜誌）