Сat Сafe, Tokyo, Japan

Japan
Cat cafes are quite popular in Japan, with Tokyo being home to at least 39 cat cafes. A pioneer is Cat's Store (猫の店 Neko no Mise), by HANADA Norimasa, which opened in 2005. The popularity cat cafes in Japan is attributed to many apartments forbidding pets, and to cats providing relaxing companionship in what may otherwise be a stressful and lonesome urban life; other forms pet rental are also common in Japan.
There are various cat cafes. Some cat cafes feature specific categories cat such as black cats, fat cats, rare breed cats or ex-stray cats. A cat cafe must obtain a license and comply with the strict requirements and regulations the Animal Treatment/Protection Law.
Japanese cat cafes feature strict rules to ensure cleanliness and animal welfare, in particular seeking to ensure that the cats are not disturbed by excessive and unwanted attention, such as by young children or when sleeping. Many cat cafes also seek to raise awareness cat welfare issues, such as abandoned and stray cats.