Rescued Cats Save Struggling Miniature-Themed Restaurant From Shutting Down
By Mikelle Leow, 02 Feb 2022
Image via Railway Cats Diorama Restaurant
Much has been chronicled about the god complex of cats, but over at Osaka, Japan, felines are truly to thank for for bringing redemption to a restaurant.
The Railway Cats Diorama Restaurant, an eatery adorned with miniature train models, was among the numerous dining establishments that took a hit during the pandemic. Having just opened it in 2018, the café’s owner Naoki Teraoka barely had time to balance the books before COVID-19 came around, Supa Fluffy reports.
It got to the point where Teraoka, a railway model hobbyist, had contemplated closing down the place.
During this time, the owner also had many mouths to feed—but they ended up feeding him back. Teraoka took in a stray cat and its family, and they wasted no time interacting with the props in the restaurant.
These were click-worthy moments, prompting the owner to snap and share photos of the kitties lording over tiny buildings, blocking miniature train tracks, and—egads—toppling train cars (hopefully, no miniature passengers were inside). It wasn’t long before social media users in Japan took notice of these lovable havoc makers.
The attention the cats brought in turned the business around, and they’re still being well-fed to this day.
Elsewhere in the world, cats and ducks are “disrupting” the peace of a miniature village in Devon, UK.
[via Neatorama and Supa Fluffy, images via Railway Cats Diorama Restaurant]