Drain diving stray cats in Japan are a sight to see

People love to buy expensive toys for their cats, but everyone knows they really just prefer the box or bag it came in. Cats are curious, no doubt about that. A group of cats in Japan has taken curiosity to a whole new level – or depth.
Japanese photographer Nyan Kichi has captured stray cats in Japan doing something highly unusual and more than a little dangerous. They have invented drain pipe diving. As Kichi clicks his camera, the group of frisky felines playfully dive headfirst into drain holes in the gutter, oblivious to the cars whizzing by just inches from their whiskers. Down they go and up they come!
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There's something about watching cats play that lifts the spirits, and in fact cats are gaining on dogs in popularity in Japan. Cat cafes have sprung up in metropolitan areas, where patrons can have kitty cuddles along with their lattes. According to a 2016 article in the Chicago Tribune, cat calendars are outselling dog calendars two to one in Japan, and cat photo books are three times as popular.
In many countries stray cats have a rough life, scrounging for food in garbage bins, being chased by dogs and searching for a warm and dry place to sleep. These Japanese drain diving cats seem to have it all figured out. Their circus-like act attracts attention which then leads to food.
People say that cats are independent, opportunistic and untrainable. But with tricks like this, who needs training? These cats have just one thing to fear – getting too fat to fit in the holes.
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Resources The Dodo and Chicago Tribune