You know how cats like to go in and out. When they go out, they want to come in. If they’re in, they want out. Yes, even if they’re indoor cats they go in and out within the house. If I go into the bathroom, Mittens scratches at the door to be let in. The minute I let her in, she wants out.

But beyond regular comings and goings of cats who can’t make up their minds where they want to be, that cats have been going in and out of my life. In an earlier post, I introduced Sammy, a.k.a. Ironpaws.

Old Iron Paws

I miss dear Sammy but I’m relieved, all the same. He and Mittens just weren’t getting along. They never did—not even after living together for almost a decade. I got Mittens from the same friend who had Sammy, so they’ve been housemates for a long time. She remembered him. Did she ever.

The problem is that Sammy is the Alpha Male, the tough, macho, male chauvinist, keep-‘em-barefoot-and-pregnant type. Well, okay, he’s been neutered, but old attitudes don’t change, if you know what I mean.

What it boils down to is that he had no respect for Mittens. Absolutely none whatsoever. He’d hiss at her, bonk her on the head with his iron paws, chase her from her food bowl, and run her off the bed.

Mittens got fed up. Completely fed up.

I've had enough!

But then again, sometimes I’d find them sleeping peacefully near each other—though never close enough to touch. You never know with cats.

At any rate, when Sammy got whisked away in his carrying case (I gave him one that Mittens had used), Mittens did a victory dance. Okay, she didn’t exactly dance. But was she ever pleased.

She looked like a cat who’d just eaten a canary. Or one who’d just bested Iron Paws in a boxing match.

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So, the million dollar question is;

What do cats and software engineers have in common?

Strange question, you might think. Sounds like the set-up line for a bad joke.
But over the years, in my career as a software engineer here in the Silicon Valley, I’ve seen some interesting parallels between cats and software engineers. There are definitely some common threads that tie them together.

Like what?

The first one that comes to mind is: cats and software engineers both love freely available, and preferably unresisting, food. A recent incident of chicken thievery brought that common thread forcefully to mind.

Mittens, the cat residing at Cheryl’s place, has been getting much healthier and happier recently. As Mittens’ health improves, her stealth improves too. Not to mention her confidence, her demanding nature, and – yes – even her apparent greed.

Case in point: Cheryl had cooked some chicken and set it aside for no more than a moment or two. Quick as the proverbial flash, Mittens had jumped up on the table, started lickin’ the chicken, and promptly ran off with a piece in her mouth!

And this was very soon after Mittens had just been fed!

Mittens needed yet another food fix. Like so many desperate addicts, she resorted to larceny to support her habit.

Clearly Mittens feels much safer and more secure these days. I don’t think she would have tried to pull that kind of a stunt previously. And obviously, she would not have done so when she had dangerously lost interest in food.

Little Mitt’s appetite seems quite ferocious these days. It seems to grow by leaps and bounds. In this case, it grew with a leap onto the table and a bound into the next room to devour her ill-gotten gains.

And Mittens seems to be channeling Cheryl’s previous cat, Saki, in the increasingly daring and brazen nature of her attempts to become more and more well-fed.
So what’s the connection?

Over the years, I’ve seen many software engineers ravenously trolling for free food among any and all company events. They stalk it much the same way that Mittens stalks a helpless, defenseless piece of cooked chicken.

“There’s a pot luck in HR!” someone will say, whether by email or cubicle visit, and off we’ll go to see what’s on offer.

It doesn’t matter whether or not anyone in the raiding party has actually contributed any dish to the potluck. It’s a classic predator-prey relationship.

There are no ethics. Only the eaters and the eaten. “Have lunch or be lunch,” as a Silicon Valley executive and so many others have so memorably put it.

Other times, someone will pass the word: “There’s a barbecue in shipping and receiving!”

Or one of us will spy some pizza in a conference room, or in the company lunch area, and word will spread like wildfire.

Unattended food – and sometimes, even attended food! – does not last long in the digital workplace. Certainly no longer than it would with a ravenous kitty like Mittens in the neighborhood.

It’s a jungle out there. And sometimes in here too.

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Is she up for hire?

Did you know that cat rentals — as in felines, not automobiles — are available in Japan?

Yes, in Japan because of the cramped space, pet rentals are enjoying a boom. Even cats can be rented out!

Pet Rentals

An article by Cheryl Chow in the Mainichi Daily News states that:

In Tokyo, 134 dog rental stores are available for your picking. Some only rent out dogs – by far the most popular – while others also rent out other smaller animals, including cats, birds, and ferrets.

Rental Fees

At a popular pet rental store, Janet Village, rental fees for a small dog are 1,500 yen an hour, while large dogs go for 2,000 yen (slightly under $20). A one-day rental (6 hours) of a cat or a dog costs 5,000 yen (under $50). Hamsters are 1,000 yen (under $10) for the day.

I aim to please

Like a Food Menu?

A selection of forty-some dogs is posted outside the establishment, just like a food menu. The list provides details of each animal, such as their breed, age, gender, and personality traits.

Some people only drop by occasionally, while others are regulars  who often have special bonds with one particular dog.

Booming Pet Industry

Pet rental is a booming business in Japan. Not surprising, considering how obsessive people have become over their pets. Pampered pooches can now enjoy acupuncture, spa, aromatherapy, and designer clothes and carriers.

The pet industry is estimated to be $9 billion a year – and still growing.

More Cats than Children

In the land of declining birth rates, the cat and dog population has already outstripped that of human juveniles – there are roughly 24 million of the furry creatures, compared to 17 million kids aged 14 and under.

Global Outreach

So far, Japan is probably the only country in Asia to offer a pet rental service.

In the U.S., FlexPetz offers dogs for rent in New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The company has plans for both domestic and international expansion, with branches in Tokyo, Paris, and Sydney, among others.

Are Pets Like Time-share Rental Property?

Under their system, members share dogs in an arrangement similar to time-share rental property.

The company charges a one-time membership initiation fee of $150, a $99.95 annual maintenance fee, a $49.95 monthly membership fee, and a rental fee of $39.95 per day on weekends, and $24.95 on weekdays.

It’s the ultimate service for big-city dwellers. Critics, however, warn that the emotional needs of the dogs (and don’t forget the cats!) are being ignored.

Gratification without Commitment

In the signs of the times, people are encouraged to seek gratification without responsibility or commitment.  Or inconvenient truths like the realities of taking care of a living creature – and dealing one day with its inevitable demise.

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