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How can I help a stray cat?
One day I bought some cat food and water and he ate and drank it so fast.
I've seen him under the van for the pas… On my way home I usually see a cat under a van. He meows a lot and looks pretty old.
One day I bought some cat food and water and he ate and drank it so fast.
I've seen him under the van for the past 3 weeks and I want him to be taken care of. Especially now that we're heading into hot weather and that area under the van is gonna be scalding.
My apartment doesn't allow pets, and I also read online in various forums that if a cat cafe or something fosters it, there's a chance it's a bad cat cafe that mistreats the animal.
I've never owned a pet or had any experience in this kind of thing, what can I do?
First off, good on you for noticing and caring. The heat is no joke here, especially around concrete and asphalt in places like Shinjuku or Shibuya where those vans sit all day.
Since your place doesn't allow pets and you're worried about cat cafes (which is a fair concern), your best bet is to contact a local 猫ボランティア group. There are small independent rescue networks in Tokyo that do TNR and rehoming, like Neko Rescue or Catnap. They know the area and can check if the cat is already being fed by someone else or if it's a stray that needs a foster.
In the meantime, keep leaving food and water in a spot that's shaded in the afternoon, not just under the van. A shallow dish of water near a bush or a building wall will stay cooler longer. If you can, put a cardboard box on its side with a towel inside nearby, it gives him somewhere to escape the sun.
yeah the cat cafe thing is a valid worry, a lot of them are just businesses that cycle cats in and out for photo ops. if u want to help him directly without a shelter, try calling the local 保健所 just to ask if they do free or low-cost checkups for community cats - some wards in Tokyo have programs where they'll scan for a chip or give basic treatment without taking the cat in. also check if there's a ねこサポーター in your area, those are volunteers registered with the city who specifically help with stray welfare, they might have a foster contact on hand
for the immediate heat issue, get a small styrofoam cooler from a konbini, cut a hole in the side, and put it near the van with a towel inside. it stays way cooler than cardboard and won't get soggy. the cat will figure it out fast if he sees u put food near the entrance
honestly just keep doing what you're doing with the food and water, that's already huge. maybe ask around the neighborhood if anyone knows the cat or feeds him too, sometimes strays have a whole network of people looking out for them without realizing it
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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