6 min read
This article is more than 1 year old
Feature
Why Yuki spent $50,000 of her savings on rescuing abandoned cats
Australia’s rental crisis is forcing some people to surrender their pets, while other animals are being abandoned to die a "terrible death", according to animal welfare advocates. One woman is trying to change that.
Published 19 August 2023 6:57am
By Sandra Fulloon
Source: SBS News
Image: Cat cafe owner Yuki Arai with a rescue cat. (Supplied / Yuki Arai/Jiji Rescue Cat Cafe)
Yuki Arai is on a mission to save abandoned cats. So far, the 34-year-old has spent $50,000 of her savings to set up a rescue cat cafe, connecting unwanted pets with new owners.
“There are so many stray cats on the streets,” Arai says at her small cafe in Sydney’s north.
“We have about eight to 10 cats at the moment, and they are brought in by rescuers. They were originally found on the streets or abandoned. Many were starving or in very bad condition.”
As a child growing up in Japan, Arai aspired to become a veterinary nurse. She made the decision to open the cat cafe after moving to Australia and losing her sister to cervical cancer.
LISTEN TO
What does responsible cat ownership involve?
SBS English
18/07/202310:01
“It made me realise that life is not long enough, and that became my turning point and I chose to follow my passion,” she says.
Jiji Rescue Cat Cafe opened six months ago in Sydney's Middle Cove, inspired by similar businesses in Arai's home city of Tokyo.
“People in Japan love cats, and also there are so many stray cats in Japan, even more than in Sydney probably.
“However, Japan also has many rescue cafes where cats are re-homed, and that inspired me to open this business.”
'I've had people crying as they hand me their cat'
Volunteer and independent rescuer Mags Hamilton says the number of cats being abandoned is rising and is partly to blame.
“People’s rent keeps going up, and many families have to move," she says.
"I've had people crying as they hand me their cat because they cannot take it with them.”
Volunteer and independent rescuer Mags Hamilton. Source: SBS News / Sandra Fulloon
Tragically, Hamilton says not all unwanted cats make it to a shelter or rescue group. Some owners resort to dumping unwanted pets in shopping centre car parks, or in bushland, falsely believing the animals will survive.
“People think they're doing the right thing. But dumping a pet is so cruel," she says.
“These animals cannot fend for themselves. Yes, they can eat cockroaches and mice, but eventually they either get run over or slowly starve.
"When we find them they are covered in fleas, ticks and lice, and they have worms from eating lizards.”
Female rescue cat Cotton was adopted this week by the Reilly family. Source: Supplied / Jiji Rescue Cat Cafe
“A cat dumped in the bush will be lucky to survive six to eight months in the wild. And it is a terrible death. It is a shocking death,” director Bernard Bradshaw says.
“We work to try and stop people abandoning and dumping cats that people cannot afford to feed any more, or because they cannot afford the vet bills.”
Pet ownership a 'long-term commitment'
Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, according to the RSPCA, with around 69 per cent of households owning pets.
The RSPCA euthanised around 6,500 cats in 2022, so re-homing unwanted pets is a good solution, according to RSPCA NSW's Kieran Watson.
“If you adopt an animal, it's really beautiful because you are giving it a second chance," says Watson.
“However, pets can live for 10 or even 20 years. So, when we adopt an animal out, we always ensure that people understand it is not just for right now. It is a really long-term commitment.”
The impact of feral cats on native wildlife
Cats were first introduced to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 and their legacy is a sore point for conservationists.
According to Sarah Legge, biodiversity councillor and professor of wildlife conservation at Charles Darwin University, have been the primary culprit in the extinction of over 20 species of native mammals, and cats are still causing population declines today.
“We will see more extinctions of Australian native species in the coming years and decades if we don't get on top of cat management.”
Legge says the best way to reduce the impact on wildlife is to practice responsible cat ownership.
Arai agrees.
“We strongly recommend keeping cats indoors, to protect native wildlife and also to remove the cats from other dangers like cars and viruses," she says.
“Sadly most of the cats we rescue are not desexed, vaccinated or microchipped. So that is the first thing we do.”
Love of animals and hospitality proves a purr-fect combination
Arai opened Jiji Rescue Cat Cafe in February this year. Behind a village shopfront, customers can play with rescue cats in dedicated playrooms for a small fee. In the six months since the cafe opened, Arai has built up a dedicated following.
“Most of our customers are families, parents with children who have no experience with cats," she says.
“So far we have found new homes for 33 rescue cats and two more are in a ‘trial phase’.”
Growing up in Tokyo, Arai initially wanted to be a veterinary nurse working with animals. However, while at university aged 17, she began working at an Italian restaurant, which led to a career in hospitality.
The Jiji Rescue Cat Cafe brings together Arai's two passions - cats and hospitality - although she says caring for strays isn't cheap.
“Rent is the first thing. It costs $3,500 every month, and then there are ongoing expenses for cat food, vet bills and all the electricity.
“I am not from a wealthy family, so I pay for everything myself.”
Donations and the support of local volunteers keep the business going, but Arai says more help is needed.
“We can always use more volunteers, and that would suit someone who is studying to become a vet or a vet nurse and needs work experience.”
Mary Parsch and her daughter, Pia. Source: SBS News / Sandra Fulloon
“We love to come here once a week for coffee and to play with the cats,” says Mary Parsch, as her three-year-old daughter Pia happily cuddles a kitten.
“It’s a great way for children to learn to be gentle with animals.”
"Finding a new home for a cat is the happiest thing for me to see," Arai says.
"My lifestyle is full with this cafe right now, and it is seven days a week.
"I'm always here spending time with the cats, but that is what I expected and I love it."
This story was produced in collaboration with SBS News in Mandarin and , a portal offering crucial information to migrants.
