Japanese businesses compete to respond to 'Cat Day'

Sales of cat products and services in Japan are booming ahead of a holiday dedicated to the animal.

According to The Japan Times on February 21, Japanese businesses have responded to "Cat Day", which takes place on February 22 every year, by launching products that remind of cats. Some pet stores also offer special "beauty" services for cats. In Japan, February 22 is also known as Cat Day, as the pronunciation of this day in Japanese is similar to the sound of a cat meowing.

7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan have launched 23 cat-related products this year, up from just five last year. The highlight is a tiramisu cake shaped like a cat’s paw, dubbed “Paw tira-meow-su.”

A cat in Japan wears a shirt with a battery-powered fan to cool off on hot days.

Meanwhile, convenience store chain FamilyMart has launched its “FamilyMeow-t!” event, launching 21 cat-themed products. “Cats are a symbol of healing and their economic influence will continue to grow,” said a FamilyMart official in charge of promoting the event.

Professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto, from Kansai University (Japan), told The Japan Times that the “cat economy” – with products and services related to cats – is estimated to bring in 2,900 billion yen (more than 19 billion USD) in revenue for Japan in 2025, an increase of more than 414 billion yen compared to last year.

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Aeon Pet, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Aeon, has also launched a cat grooming service. Grooming has traditionally been used for dogs, but Aeon Pet is looking to expand its services to cats, after receiving positive feedback that groomed cats have less shedding and less tangles.

According to the Japan Pet Food Association, Japanese people will have about 9.1 million cats as of 2024. This pet has been kept more than dogs in Japan since 2014.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doanh-nghiep-nhat-ban-dua-nhau-huong-ung-ngay-cua-meo-185250221204749155.htm