The Monosus office is surrounded by nature and animals and insects are constantly making an appearance.
Cicadas in the summer, frogs during the rainy season, starlings and civets at any time of the year...
The Monosas people who play with nature like this give special treatment to stray cats in particular.
We manage food and water according to the season and the animal's physical condition, and provide a house to protect them from the rain, wind, and cold.
In return, the cats regularly interact with their humans through toys, providing them with a sense of relaxation after a hard day's work.
In this way, they gradually forget their pride as stray cats and become "company cats" that coexist with the Monosus staff.
Today, February 22nd, is Cat Day.
We would like to introduce you to the first generation of company cats.
Company cat 1st generation
01. Yoshitani (female)
Origin of the name: Just because my face looked like it.
In fact, very little is known about the original company, Neko.
There are no clear photographs of the long-nosed pheasant, but it suddenly appeared at the back door of the kitchen one day, and in exchange for food, a contract was made for the cat to be kept at the company. However, after about a month, the contract was abruptly terminated by Yoshitani's side (so the cat stopped coming).
02. Mikeko (female)
Origin of the name: Simply because she's a calico cat and a female.
He's such a coward that he lost a fight with a Japanese dung beetle. He's so friendly that he sat on my lap the first time we met.
He had blood in his urine, so we took him to the vet, and then we brought him home for the day. He started to relax like he was at home, and never wanted to go outside again, so he became the staff's pet cat. This may have been a plan to make him a house cat.
03. Ushi-kun (male)
Origin of the name: Because it has a black and white pattern and a large body.
This resident cat had been living in Yoyogi since before Monosus moved there. There had been reports of sightings of him, but he rarely showed up at the feeding area.
He never goes near people, but when he gets hungry he will wait patiently in front of the door for 20 or 30 minutes, begging for food. He's a big eater. He's good at fighting, but because he's elusive, he doesn't fight with other male cats very often.
04. Mitarashi (female)
Origin of the name: The color and round tail resemble mitarashi dango (a sweet dumpling with soy sauce).
Although it has a mean look in its eyes, its meow is thin and cute. It is common to see them, and many people think of Mitarashi as the office cat.
Although he is not fond of people, he frequently intrudes into the company and is the culprit behind the "Secom Incident in the Middle of the Night". Since that incident, a new rule has been added: "Use the screen door when ventilating the room." He has a taste for luxury and loves Hill's A/D cans.
05. Michael (male)
Origin of the name: Since he was the first brown tabby cat to appear, he was named after What's Michael.
The poor boy was constantly ignored by Mitarashi no matter how many times he approached her.
In the summer, he sneaks into the office to cool off and takes a nap in the middle of the hallway. When a neighbor's cat escaped and we set up a trap, Michael was the first to get caught. He's not that vigilant. Or rather, he's a bit stupid.
06. Clipper (male)
Origin of the name: Because there were scars that looked like they had been cut with clippers.
When he first appeared, his head was in an inverted mohawk, as if someone had played a prank on him.
Perhaps because of this, he was very wary and would not eat food even when it was placed there, but after persistent negotiations, he started to visit the feeding area. When his hair grew back and he became a normal brown tabby cat, he got caught up in a territorial dispute with some male cats and was chased out.
07. Masamune (male)
Origin of the name: He was blind in his right eye due to cataracts, so he was named after the one-eyed dragon, Date Masamune.
He has a particularly large face and body and is the boss of all the cats in the Yoyogi area.
When he first appeared in Monosus, he had scars from battles all over his body. He's quick to fight and very strong in fights, and will pick a fight with any male cat, even if it's his own child, and will eventually drive him away, making him a tyrant. But his cries are as cute as a kitten's. "Fumyan."
08. Kinako (probably female)
Origin of the name: It appeared around the same time as mitarashi, so it is part of the Japanese sweets series.
This cat is a bit timid but curious, and although he runs away when people approach, he is always peering through the door to see what's going on inside.
He was quick to take the bait, so I thought he would continue to come here, but at the time, the Monosus company cats were fighting over territory, so he stopped showing up. It's a shame, as he was such a handsome cat.
09. Mochi Drawstring Bag (Male)
Origin of the name: Mochi-kinchaku comes from its yellow color and its appearance that looks like it is filled with something inside.
It was around this time that people began to whisper about the so-called "M jinx," which said that if you give a cat a name that starts with M, it will become a company cat, and this cat was named as the first test subject.
As he frequented the feeding grounds, he grew as big as Masamune, and at one point even competed for dominance as the boss, but he was defeated and left Yoyogi. However, he has recently started appearing again, so perhaps the jinx is true after all.
10. Popo Black Yasha Kokuogo (male)
Origin of the name: I saw a name on a cat blog and it was so shocking that I started calling him that as a joke, and it stuck.
Because of its long name, it is commonly known as "Kuro-chan". A pet cat from a neighborhood ran away, and continued to elude its owner's capture, eventually becoming wild.
He's big but timid, and even Mitarashi and Mitsumame are intimidating him. His whole body is black, so he's the most difficult to photograph. He's blind in one eye, so he's really bad at grooming himself. He's a funky cat who can't lick properly and spins around like a potter's wheel.
As you can see, Monosus has been home to a variety of cats with unique personalities.
There are quite a few cats that no longer come, either because they have wandered away, are sick, or have had a fight.
However, our company's motto is "Don't wait for the cats that come, don't chase the cats that go," so we are always fully prepared so that we are ready for their return at any time.
Next time we will introduce the second generation of Monosus' company cats .
Kami