Nowadays, our society has a growing affinity for cats. More people are raising cats than ever before, and cats stand out conspicuously in our modern lifestyle. Students can see cats walking around CBNU, and they can see a lot of cat-related books listed in the bookstores. Also, Webtoon, YouTube, and other related content providers are showing ways of raising cats and sharing subscribers’ stories to readers. Even on social networks like Instagram, the number of cat videos has increased, and the number of cat owners has increased as well.
  Park Sae-hyeon (’17, the Dept. of Biology) said, “I raise both a cat and a puppy, but the reason why I am raising a cat while raising a puppy is I live in a studio apartment now. I thought that it would be difficult for me to raise an animal because my house is too small and there is much time away from home because of my school classes. However, compared to puppies, cats are more independent companions who like to play alone and are well adapted to small indoor environments. Moreover, if I come back home, a cat doesn’t welcome me like a puppy, but sometimes a cat comes up to me first and is charming, so I think a cat is a more attractive companion animal for lonely people, and that companion animal can be a good friend who keeps them from being lonely.”
  A newly-coined word, nekonomics, came along with this cat craze. Nekonomics is a portmanteau of ‘neko’, which means cat in Japanese, and ‘economics’, which refers to the economic effects of the cat craze. According to University of Kansai Professor Miyamoto, there are two primary economic impacts produced by the cat craze, a direct effect and an indirect effect.
  First, the direct effects are the necessary funds for raising a cat, such as cat food, medical costs, and playthings. In Japan, the cost of raising a cat for one year, which is a result of direct effects, amounts to about 114,424 yen (approximately 1.2 million won). The indirect effects are the economic effects derived from cats. For example, a cat named Tama became a mascot at Kishi Station in the Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. This station mascot has attracted many tourists to the city and created economic benefits. Another indirect effect is a cat building that opened in Osaka Shinsaibashi. This building is a popular place for cat lovers because the entire fifth floor of the building was created as a space for cats, including abandoned cats.
  The cat boom and nekonomics, which started in Japan, are now spreading to Korea, China and other countries. There are 2.32 million cats raised in Korea, according to a survey announced last year by the National Agricultural and Rural Quarantine Service. This is more than double the result from 2012 (1.15million) when the first survey was conducted. If unregistered companion animals were also included, it would be much higher. As a result, various lectures and events related to companion cats are becoming more common. There are many cat-related events going on this year, such as ‘Super Cat Show 2018’, which provides lectures on how to live with a cat, cat exhibitions and cat seminars, and these events are increasing. As interest in cats has increased, bookstores selling strictly cat books began to appear, and many building signs related to cats have appeared.
  Also, various unpredictable images of cats can be seen on social networks and mass media outlets. The behaviors of cats are appealing to many viewers. Those who feel lonely want to be a cat owner, and as cat owners increase, they naturally organized a group to share the information about cats.
  However, the number of pet cats being abandoned has also increased every year. ‘Nabiya, I love you’ is an organization that rescues abandoned cats. A member of this organization, Yoo Ju-yeon, said about this phenomenon, “I think buying cats is not different from shopping, so the problem of easy access and the current media influence has been huge. Therefore, we need reflection and alertness on the cute aspects of cats and trendy items, and then we need a careful and sincere attitude because we are responsible for their lives.”
  Cats are not easier to raise just because they are more independent than dogs or are considered to be fashionable. Furthermore, no animal is relatively easy to raise in the world, and it is necessary to have a sense of responsibility for the companion animals and a respect for life instead of just buying out of curiosity or personal satisfaction.

By Kim Min-jeong l mj38@cbnu.ac.kr
Illustraed by Park Han-na