Sales are heating up this year ahead of Cat Day on Feb. 22 — a date that can sound like “nyan nyan nyan” (“meow, meow, meow”) — as the cat economy in Japan continues to grow.
Some convenience stores are offering sweets that feature cat paws, along with substantially more original items than last year. One pet shop is also offering grooming services especially for cats.
Dubbed “nekonomics,” or the “economics of cats,” professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto of Kansai University estimates products and services related to cats in 2025 will generate ¥414.50 billion ($2.76 billion) more than last year to reach ¥2.9 trillion — a rise that seems to beckon many businesses to the cat industry.
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