Japanese cats appear to be building resistance to cat-deterrent spikes, Twitter reveals【Photos】
Spikes are no match against Japan’s supercats!
Before I moved to Japan I had no idea cat-deterrent spikes (called neko-yoke no togetoge in Japanese) were a thing, but plastic spikes are commonly sold at 100-yen shops and can be seen around neighborhoods here, along the tops of fences, in front yard gardens, on top of air conditioning units – basically anywhere people don’t want outdoor cats loitering about. They are also effective in keeping indoor cats off of certain furnishings or out of other out-of-bounds areas of the house.
Or, at least, it used to be effective. But it seems that cats here have become immune to the spikes, gradually building up a resistance to the prickliness, if these accounts on Twitter are any indication.
We can see in some cats a neutral reaction to the presence of spikes, working their way around them and at times even accepting some direct contact.
▼ “Kitty trying so hard to get the tuna on top of the cat deterrent.”
猫よけの上に置いたマグロを必死に取ろうとする猫さん https://t.co/cf6PL5lzkw
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❁ななりぃ❁ (@Lizzy_nyanya) November 29, 2016
▼ “Ummm, what does cat deterrent mean again?”
あの~、猫よけの意味は…一体… https://t.co/0dcrvtifLS
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めしこ (@meshiko18) June 01, 2016
猫よけ無効の術発動中 #猫 #メインクーン #オッドアイ https://t.co/rLyxImCgdP
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ニャニャメ (@HR299_) November 17, 2016
▼ “Cat-deterring spikes from the 100-yen store. My cat doesn’t seem to mind them.”
100均で売ってたネコ避けのツンツン うちの子はそんなに嫌いじゃないみたい http://t.co/6ZWBtzqZtO
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ArtemisBlue[] (@ArtemisBlue_WoT) June 04, 2015
▼ “Look at this. We’ve grown to love him but when he first started appearing my mom put these spikes down, and he just calmly walked through them.”
ご覧ください。 今はもう可愛がってるレベルだけど出没し出した当時母が野良猫イヤだ!!! って設置した猫よけを悠々に通り抜けていく様を。 https://t.co/xTKKlClKRA
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▽ ぴのは卒論を倒した ! (@_pino_bnr) January 04, 2016
猫よけシカト系ねこちゃん(✿´ ꒳ ` ) https://t.co/QNMwPsd07b
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はる菜 (@haa0_0ruu) December 30, 2015
There have even been signs that some cats may even enjoy contact with the plastic spikes.
く、くしざ…!されてない… http://t.co/YTRBeiauTr
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伊藤なむあひ (@write_jun) June 23, 2015
おっおっ… http://t.co/KqKJ9aLQIL
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伊藤なむあひ (@write_jun) June 23, 2015
???? 猫よけってなんだっけ…? https://t.co/jcRlIXSRas
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よしだじゃない (@iPon17) January 27, 2016
▼ “My mom bought spikes to keep the cats away. I touched it and it was pretty painful, but the cats don’t seem to mind it at all.”
母が猫よけのために置いた チクチク。 指でさわるとかなり痛いのですが 猫さんたちは平気なようです😄 https://t.co/yhkFF67ht8
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B・BBA (@burapagu) January 28, 2016
猫よけの上にエコバッグ置いておいたらその上に座る奴w https://t.co/DATLT05Sh5
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アキラMH4G (@akiraMK21) April 06, 2016
行って欲しくない場所には、トゲトゲの猫よけを置くけども... トゲトゲにスリスリ。トゲトゲを気に入って、今まで以上にそこに行くんですが。 https://t.co/emFMjFLKkd
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ねこの同居人 (@nekono_image) July 12, 2016
▼ “Yes… They’re sitting right on top of the cat deterrent.”
うん………確実に猫よけの上に座ってるわ https://t.co/uKvwIy8YjU
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くぉーか。 (@kisuketyatya) September 30, 2016
そんな日の猫。ブレブレですが。 うっかり猫よけに登ってしまい焦っていました。その後めちゃ興奮しておりました。 かわいそうだけど笑ってもうた。 登っているのはプリンターです。プリンターに反応しますよね猫。 #猫… http://twitter.com/i/web/status/7…
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momizi@ハンドメイド&猫 (@SHIKI_momizi) October 10, 2016
猫よけ効果無し(笑) https://t.co/GgKwgb5hsh
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タカシ (@factorybeer4) September 27, 2016
It is likely due to prolonged exposure to the spikes over generations that the cats of Japan are mutating into supercats as a method of survival. Prolonged exposure to humans seems to be affecting the cat population as well, with sightings of cats working in office environments and wearing kimono. Since the only real side effect of this is cuteness in more places, no one seems to be too worried about a potential outbreak.
Source: NAVER Matome
Featured image: Twitter/@kisuketyatya
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