Hello! I’m Izumi Takahashi, the Japan Administrative Staff.
We have a cat named “Tabi” in our family.
(No, this is not a story about traveling!)
Tabi turned six this September.
The name “Tabi” comes from the Japanese word tabi, which means traditional Japanese socks. All four of Tabi’s paws have markings that look as though she is wearing little socks—or tabi.
Here she is when she was a kitten.
Isn’t this sleepy little pose adorable?
Yes, I know. I’m just a proud cat mom. 😊
Cats really are wonderfully independent creatures.
When they’re sleepy, they sleep.
When they’re hungry, they let you know it’s time for food.
And when they want attention, they let you know that, too.
Tabi doesn’t like being held, but whenever I walk somewhere, she follows me from behind.
If I go into another room, she follows me there, too.
Sometimes I find myself thinking, “You really don’t have to follow me that closely…”
And when I’m working, before I know it, she has quietly come up behind me and curled herself up for a nap.
Sometimes, I can even hear her little snores.
She also has a habit of suddenly joining my online meetings.
Even when I’m thinking, “Not right now, Tabi!”
…Tabi doesn’t really care. 😄
She doesn’t like being held.
But she wants to be near me.
She wants attention.
But only when she decides it’s time.
She is truly a free spirit.
Sometimes she can be a little troublesome, of course.
But when I watch Tabi, I can’t help thinking, “That’s actually a pretty nice way to live.”
Tabi is always just being Tabi.
(Well, of course she is! 😆)
And today, just like every other day, she is giving it her all—
being a cat.
