Morty is a black cat that was first featured in this space in September 2018. At the time, the Adopt Me! entry also made mention of his equally beautiful sister, Ursula.

Meanwhile, Sayo Kamakura of Osaka and her two children had lost their own cats some time earlier.

“We decided if we could accommodate a cat, that’s what we’d do,” says Kamakura, who admits a strong penchant for black cats. Sure enough, she fell for the feline siblings almost immediately. In fact, she says both cats look so similar on one another that, “even we have trouble telling them apart now.”

Morty and Ursula were rechristened Jin and Chako, and the two children at the Kamakura household are in charge of making sure their new cats have food, water and a clean litter box. In return, Jin and Chako make sure that any lap that is offered for a snuggle is graciously accepted.

“The children have begun to learn what caring for another living being entails,” says Kamakura, “and the cats have really taught us to enjoy the pleasure of communicating with other living creatures. They bring us incredible joy.”

If you are interested in adopting a pet, email ARK at [email protected] or call 050-1557-2763 Monday to Saturday (bilingual) for more information. Tokyo ARK is an NPO founded by Briton Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Prospective owners are requested to undergo a screening process. Web: www.arkbark.net