How I Got My Cat Fix In Japan

(This is part 3 of my series of my #kawaiitothekitties post from our October Japan trip)

I'm a cat lady through and through and I can't deny it. So as you can see, part of the things I would want to see in Japan are - the CATS!!!! Japan is practically Asia's neko capital. There's even an island where there are more cats than people. Hmmm... this is an island I would want to be in! I love my babies back home but it's also nice to make new furry friends around the world.

A pleasant kitty surprise came on Day 2 of our stay when we chanced upon East Ikebukuro Central Park. It's located right next to Sunshine City, which is like a small mall somewhat like Podium or Rockwell. We discovered this after having coffee and taking photos at the terrace of Sunshine City. We saw there was a park next door and took a look. Then surprise surprise, it had a number of cute and fat kitties.

 It's literally a very chill park (chill too because it's autumn) and it's super quiet. I see students reviewing their lessons after school, older people getting some fresh air, and even those who are working taking a quick smoke break.

It was practically an outdoor cat cafe open 24/7 available to the public no need for entrance fee. There are cats walking around the park and scrambling on the bushes. They are also very friendly. Some allowed me to pat their heads and stroke their backs. There are some lap cats who were cuddling with some humans all wrapped and bundled in their coats and shawls. I saw also several people play with them and some locals were feeding the cats and giving them treats. They had collars and from how they behaved, they seem to be used to people and are treated very well.

When I did my research about the place, reviews and travel blogs mentioned the cats a lot.  The Japanese clearly love their nekos and even if these cats were strays, they were well taken care of and loved. Kinda wish it was the same here too.

Also, one thing I noticed, the cats there are fat to the point that Candy looked so normal-sized compared to them. It looks like they have been spayed and neutered too because I don't see kittens loitering around anywhere.

Just a few steps away was Nekorobi cat cafe located at Toshima, Tokyo. They have really friendly cats and yes, they are also open on weekdays. Before spending time at the cat cafe, we were given instructions to leave our shoes at the door, our belongings at the locker (with keys), and also wash and sanitize our hands before we play with the cats.  We originally settled for a short time stay of 30 minutes to play with the cats for 800 Yen but we had so much fun and they were so cute we decided to extend our stay. Even if the cats were in their sleepytime mode, they still allowed us to pet them and play with them.

Peko being a cat giving me ultimate judgement

 You also know what's funny? The cats in Japan do not respond to our usual "swswswswswswsws". Believe me, I've tried. But they are so funny they are so used to gigil play and some of the cats liked being patted near their tails. They would even arch their backs.

Kurosuke: Loooove meeee foreign cat lady

Among the cats at Nekorobi, I bonded most with Kurosuke (I also found the name cute). He's this super cute gray Minuet cat that looked like a giant dust bunny when lying down. I even named one of my cat plushies Kurosuke.

Fukomori was also an adorable bebi. He was all cheeks!!!!

Sofi is also this gorgeous and regal cat that sat down like a princess.

I was contemplating on going there on our last day but I decided against it because it would be like saying byebye to the cute Nekorobi kitties and I would definitely cry. I followed them in Instagram to keep updated with my new kitty friends.

Also, I love how the staff of Nekorobi cat cafe was super helpful in answering questions and even understood when I asked them if we could extend our time at the cafe. They were even playing with the cats as well and helping out the other customers. I guess they were just shy with us, being foreigners and me all cooing with my cat lady self.

As an added bonus for my cat lady fix, we bought our babies pasalubongs such as toys from Don Quixote and cat treats, which they absolutely loved. The first-ever pasalubong we bought our babies though? I'm not sure if they loved it but I love taking photos of them wearing these.

I don't think the models of the product liked their jobs too.

Sebastian, inasmuch as he loves me so much was not amused at this. They loved the treats and toys though.

Being a cat person, omigod Japan was such heaven for me. So much cat-themed anything and cats all over. One thing I also like with this place is the marriage of greenery and city. I'm not too much of a green all nature fan because you know me I'm such a city person but I actually found their parks kind of refreshing as in it's super quiet with everyone doing their own thing. I took lots of photos and IG photos, yoga photos and doll photos. People were having picnics, kids were playing, and there's this group doing acro yoga stuff and it's all good.

I really was missing my babies during their stay cation but these cat fixes got me my fair share of cat fur on my clothes. When I come back, I will probably know the Japanese version of "swswswswsws."


Nekorobi Cat Cafe is located at 〒170-0013 Tokyo, Toshima City, Higashiikebukuro, 1 Chome−28−２８番1号 タクトT・Oビル 301号室 
check out their site at http://www.nekorobi.jp/english/

Purr-fect Gift Ideas For the Crazy Cat Lady

The moment September hit our calendars, immediately Christmas carols started blaring in malls and some malls are decked out in Christmas lights telling everyone that the -ber months are here and soon the Holiday-inspired drinks and dishes come in and limited holiday collection sets are out in the market. Are you the type who starts their Christmas shopping early to avoid the rush when November and December hits? I really should start getting on that habit as well, because I really don't want that much traffic and I know I'll be working double time when December hits due to weddings, parties, and even these Halloween costume stuff that's coming.

Each one of us probably knows or has a cat lady friend. She's the one who posts all these cat memes on social media and probably takes random photos of cats then uploads it in Instagram.  She's the one out for kitty-themed stuff in the mall or has their own furry feline furbaby (at least two)

Good news is, cat ladies are very easy to please when it comes to gifts. and I have here stocking stuffers which are purr-fect gifts for the cat lady friend or relative you have. Some of these I would want to receive myself.

Katy Kat Matte Lipstick (from Katy Perry  Covergirl) 

Everything in that title is everything I like - Katy Perry, Kat (err, "cat"), matte, and lipstick. This quirky songstress is also a cat lady and she collaborates with the makeup brand Cover Girl to come up with these lippies that the beauty addict cat lady will just mimi-meow with excitement. These 11 semi-matte shades that give the matte we want in lipsticks without cracking our lips dry. It's even got cat-themed names for the shades (Sphinx, Perry Panther, Pink Paws, and Cosmo Kitty to name some), The kitty emblem also spells "cat" for you. If you already have 100+++ lippies in your collection (coz that's me!), you wouldn't resist one more or a few more, especially if you're a cat lady like me.

Cat-print tops and t-shirts

This is one classic cat lady gift, and I think clothing brands hear cat lady pleas to have more cat-themed outfits to wear - leggings, dresses, t-shirts, tops, etc. I even scored a cropped top in Greenhills for just 100 pesos! Cat print tops are all about every bazaar and clothing store, so all you gotta do is keep your eyes peeled for some and know the shirt size of your cat lady friend.


Cat-themed mason jar or mug

Mugs and mason jars may be classic and gasgas, but a cat lady will not say no if she receives another one, especially if her skittish kitties keep knocking over her mugs. Check out Japan surplus shops for Hello Kitty mugs or head over to cat cafes for cute curated cat-themed merchandise such as this mason jar from Cat Cafe Manila (Php 350)


An Afternoon at a Cat Cafe

Le Cat Cafe in BF Resort Village

Even if the cat lady has her furbabies at home, she won't say no to a two-hour visit to a cat cafe where she could meet new furry friends while sipping a mug (or mason jar) of coffee or drinks and reading cat books. Cat cafes are cat lady heaven, so take her on a fun-filled afternoon to a cat cafe and she would love you for life. Check out Miao Cat Cafe in Congressional Ave or Cat Cafe Manila along Maginhawa street. Cat ladies in the South would love Le Cat Cafe in BF Resort or Bistro Meau in BF Paranaque.


"How To Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You" book

from Amazon.com

Your cat is a killing machine in disguise of a fat, fluffy furball, and this book illustrates how, comic book style. It's like all these funny cat memes in one book that will have you just roll around laughing. There are also explanations for cat behaviors so you would probably pick up a few lessons on the kitty quirks we always see. Available on Amazon.


Pusheen Plushie

Find a Pusheen Plushie and other hipster-ish cat-themed Knick Knacks at Common Room

Pusheen is the fat, gray kitty cartoon that even the non-cat lover would fall for. While my cat Candy seems to be a real-life Pusheen, I still would want a Pusheen plushie in my life. Go #lovelocal with this Pusheen plushie from Common Room in Power Plant Mall.


X-Purr Merchandise

For our pole-dancing cat lady friend whose cat constantly appears in her home pole dance videos, this is the perfect gift. A venture by pole dancers and cat ladies Natasha Wang and Arloa Reston, this purr-fect scratching post mimics sport poles of pole dancers and comes with an X-Purr Pole Cleaner, which is basically a catnip spray. Order some goodies or pledge by clicking here or checking out their Facebook page. Ships only to the United States.


Hello Kitty Handbag

Even working girls love Hello Kitty stuff and this handbag is a perfect one to bring with you to the office. #SanrioPH

A photo posted by Hello Kitty Philippines (@hellokittylovesphilippines) on Mar 1, 2016 at 12:37am PST

The queen of all iconic kitties is probably Hello Kitty and instead of giving your kitty-loving honey a leather designer bag, try giving her a Hello Kitty bag. Unlike the bags she had when she was a kid, these are very grown-up designs and styles with a Hello Kitty design. They're actually elegant enough to be used in an event. I've even brought mine in a wedding.

Hope these make your crazy cat lady friend happy! Enjoy Christmas shopping!

Store Directory:

Bistro Meau
84 Turin St. Las Pinas (0905)555-2964; instagram.com/bistromeau

Cat Cafe Manila
2nd Floor, 189 Maginhawa St. Cor. Makadios St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines; catcafemanila.com; instagram.com./catcafemnl

Common Room
 Archaeology Wing, R2 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City; facebook.com/CommonRoomPH

Covergirl
available at all department stores nationwide; facebook.com/covergirl 

Le Cat Coffee Shop
76 Gloria Diaz St., BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City; facebook.com/lecatcoffeeshop; instagram.com/lecatcoffeeshop

Miao Cat Cafe
7 Congrassional (2F of Cake 2 Go) Quezon City 1106;  (02) 2747937, 09258777617;
facebook.com/miaocatcafe; instagram.com/miaocatcafe

Sanrio Store
Sm Aura, SM North Edsa; facebook.com/hellokittylovesphilippines

X-Purr
kickstarter.com/projects/xpurr/x-purr-the-first-fitness-pole-scratching-post-for; facebook.com/XPurrPole


Image Sources
Common Room Store Interior facebook.com/CommonRoomPH
Katy Kat lipsticks : facebook.com/covergirl
book: amazon.com
X-Purr poster: facebook.com/XPurrPole

The Serendra Cats

Apart from beauty and fitness and craziness and the (occasional) bitchiness, I thought of inserting another avenue which makes me happy - KITTIES! I am a true cat lady minus the extreme crazy and aside from my three baby kitties, I would sometimes be featuring other kitty friends and kitty communities. This is a cat lady's blog, you know!

I befriend a lot of furry critters, from the cats at our condo's parking lot (which volunteer residents have already had spayed and neutered) and cat communities wherever I go. I'm just glad that in this world, there are a handful of people who still care for animals (vegan or not) and for the animals who have made certain establishments their home, they have been made welcome. Some of the communities even had the cats neutered and spayed. Neutering and spaying is a great way to control the cat population. Cats who are already spayed and neutered grow to be healthier and live longer lives.  The cats are natural pest control, keeping roaches and mice away. Also, they're really cute.

I saw these happy bunch on the way to buy vegetables and fruits at Market! Market! These are the Serendra cats and they have made their nest at the area of Wee Nam Kee, Phat Pho, 8 Cuts, and Abe. The clowder has one ginger tabby cat, a calico, and a gray and ginger tortie (?) and recently, another tricolor and ginger cat has joined the team.

They really are gigantic and healthy cats, and I've heard from the security personnel that a Serendra resident feeds these babies. I sometimes visit them after yoga class or before buying veggies and spend a few minutes of playtime as well as feed them treats from my kibble jar. They appear early morning, before the restaurants open and go hide when the people start trickling in and the weather gets too hot. They do sometimes make an appearance during the peak and hot hours when I stop by for lunch. They're more seen at night though, which probably is one of their feeding times.

The calico cat isn't the cuddly type. She likes to maintain her distance though. If you have food, she would eat. Just give her the personal space she needs. She does look good in photos.

The ginger likes people too but maintains a certain distance. She did allow me a few pats but no cuddles. She does stay a very comfortable distance. I met one of the ladies who feed them and she mentioned two of the cat's names are Ginger and Divine. I presume this is Ginger.

This gray and orange kitty is the friendliest. I don't know if she's Divine, but sometimes I call her that. She does her twirls and plops and even allowed me to carry her for several selfies.

She's adorable and playful and likes being petted.

If you happen to be a cat lover and you pass by this area and see these cats, say hello and give them some food. They are very sweet and gorgeous.

I give props to the Serendra community for giving these cats a nice home and the kind people who make sure these cats are spayed and healthy. These cats are just your ordinary street cats that you see in the street but with proper care and affection, can blossom to these gorgeous felines.

My Afternoon of Squee at Miao Cat Cafe

I've heard of cat cafes in Japan and Taiwan and dream that one day, our country gets to have one. Apparently, we have quite a number of cat lovers here in the Philippines and some of them do not own kitties due to apartment restrictions but also some family members who have cat dander allergy. Fortunately, the dream is now a reality.

Paula, our neighbor, tagged me in her Instagram photo where she posted a photo of this beautiful cat in a cat cafe here in Manila. Imagine me widening my eyes in absolute squee of happiness. She also gave very complete directions in its location and even shared their Facebook page. Well, I wouldn't miss it for the world. The following day, I WAS THERE!

Miao Cat Cafe, the very first cat cafe here in Manila is located in Congressional Ave, Quezon City. It's quite young, only 1-1/2 weeks old but they already have visitors coming all the way from Las Pinas, Cavite, Paranaque, and Alabang. The drive is quite long since we came from Ortigas (i had pole class) but we made it! Since parking is quite hard, it's adviseable to park near Filoil gas station (there's like this bar near it, heading towards a village). The cafe is located in the same building as Cake 2 Go. You will see a kitty print mat at the bottom of the stairs and then all you have to do is climb up the stairs and you are in cat heaven.

Before entering, you are asked to read the rules and regulations (no flash photography, no disturbing of cats when sleeping). Slippers are provided as we are advised to leave our footwear on the shelves. After sanitizing our hands and signing the waiver, we can proceed to kitty heaven.

Correction, it's cat lady heaven. Almost everything is decorated with kitty prints and cat-themed things. Apparently, the owners have already been buying and collecting cat-themed things such as fabrics (used for the throw pillows and seat covers), cups, glasses, clothespins, and decor.

look! a pole-cat!

They also have an al fresco area.

#bortarms check!

The resident cats were the highlight of our entire stay. These are the owners' own kitty furbabies. Several purebreds such as munchkin cats, Exotic Shorthairs, Scottishfolds, and Persian cats as well as their own rescued puspins are there saying hello. Let me zone out into cuteness as of the moment.

Miao Cat Cafe charges adults Php300 and children Php150 for a two-hour stay inclusive of one drink and food/pastry. On weekends, it is advised to make reservations as it can get really full.

Cat ladies can go shopping for their cat lady needs. I wanted the dress though but it was too short for me at the torso area.

I think I cried when I left but yes, I definitely would be coming back. It was worth the drive and the kitties certainly takes away the stress away from you once you're there. One thing I find awesome is that everyone was interacting with each other playing with the kitties or sharing their own kitty stories. In coffee shops, everyone just keeps to themselves. I'm not saying it's a bad thing though, but I certainly found it refreshing to converse with fellow cat lovers and find out that I'm not so strange after all taking photos of kitties, collecting cat items, talking to my two cats, or carrying cat food in my bag. It must be a cat person thing.

For those who would want to go to Miao Cat Cafe, it is located at 7 Congressional Ave, Quezon City. Directions are in their Facebook Page. You may call at  022747937 and 09258777617 for your reservation especially if you're coming on a weekend or holiday. Please bring your cameras because you will definitely take lots of photos and videos. They also have Instagram (@miaocatcafe) .