Neko Fudosan to realize "Kinako-so," a women-only share house for living with cats in Kumamoto City.

We support "April Dream," an initiative that encourages people to share their dreams on April 1st. This press release represents the dream of Neko Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Neko Fudosan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Room 305, Kusano Building, 1-14-19 Hirata, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture; Representative: Mario Tsurukami), driven by the dream of "creating a society where cats and people can coexist," has set a goal to construct a new, women-only share house for living with cats, tentatively named "Kinako-so," in Kawaguchi-machi, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City.

Why a "women-only share house for living with cats"? In Japan today, many people give up on living with cats for reasons such as: - Being unable to find housing because pets are not allowed. - Wanting to adopt a rescue cat, but housing conditions acting as a hurdle. - Feeling anxious about living alone with a cat.

Meanwhile, there are still many rescue cats without a home.

We have felt that housing issues are what keep cats and people apart.

The wall of "housing" as seen through data According to a 2024 survey by the Japan Pet Food Association, among those who do not currently own a cat but wish to, the reasons hindering them are: 1st place: Living in a multi-unit dwelling where it is prohibited. 4th place: Difficulty in leaving for long periods, such as for travel. (Figure 1)

We believe that the "Kinako-so" share house can solve these issues simultaneously.

Solutions only possible through a share house "Kinako-so" is a residence designed with the premise of living with cats. Therefore, we are designing it with cat ownership as a prerequisite, not an exception.

Furthermore, because it is a share house, residents can keep track of each other's cat-rearing situations, and if someone is away for a long time due to business trips or travel, other residents can provide support. This is the biggest difference from standard pet-friendly housing.

The world "Kinako-so (tentative)" aims for "Kinako-so (tentative)" is a newly built, women-only share house designed on the premise of living with cats. - Safety design that considers cat behavior. - Spaces where both cats and people can maintain comfortable distances. - An environment that provides peace of mind even for first-time cat owners. - Lifestyle design tailored to a location where car travel is the norm.

We aim for a home where cats do not have to "endure" and people do not become "overburdened owners." We strive for a residence where both cats and people can live naturally.

A mechanism to prevent hoarding One of the biggest concerns for landlords and real estate companies regarding pet-friendly rentals is the potential for hoarding. At Kinako-so, we aim to create a system that makes hoarding difficult by having residents keep track of each other's number of cats and care situations, and by creating a living environment that discourages isolation. Furthermore, we believe that fostering connections between cat lovers and preventing social isolation will ultimately lead to protecting both cats and people.

Approach to moving in and out For those who do not currently own a cat, we recommend adopting a rescue cat from an animal welfare center or volunteer organization upon moving in (Figure 2). Upon moving out, you will move to your new home with the cat you adopted. Neko Fudosan, as a specialist in cat-friendly properties, will continue to support your search for a new home (Figure 3).

Kinako-so project plan (as of now) [Overview] - Location: Kawaguchi-machi, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City - Structure: Single-story wooden building - Layout: 4SLDK - Number of residents: 4 - Number of cats: Maximum 8 - Rent: Around 60,000 yen (expected, including common service fees) We are planning a design that prioritizes cat safety and comfort, such as double doors to prevent escape, distributed placement of cat litter boxes, and the installation of cat walks (Figure 4).

To make this dream a reality Currently, "Kinako-so (tentative)" is in the planning stage. We do not want to shape this dream unilaterally; we want to realize it while listening to the voices of those who actually want to live there. Therefore, we are conducting a survey to confirm housing needs: https://forms.gle/WHBb8y9mH7esphNM9

We hope this April Dream will be an opportunity for you to envision a future where you live with cats together with us.

[Company Information / Contact] Company Name: Neko Fudosan Co., Ltd. Address: Room 305, Kusano Building, 1-14-19 Hirata, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture Representative: Mario Tsurukami Business Description: Real estate brokerage (sales and leasing), property management, pet end-of-life support Phone Number: 096-274-0880 Email: neko.fudousan2024@gmail.com Official Website: https://neko-fudousan.com/

*This release is a "dream" announced as part of the April Dream project. However, we are seriously aiming to make this dream a reality.