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Traditional Japanese architecture proves too irresistible for curious cat

Oona McGee Dec 1, 2016
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We all know what it’s like to want a closer look at the beautiful adornments in a traditional Japanese home, but this kitten got a little too close for comfort.

When it comes to traditional houses in Japan, we’ve learnt that kitties have no qualms with sleeping under kotatsu heated tables and holding down new rugs with their bodies, but if there’s one thing they just can’t get enough of, it’s ripping through sliding paper doors to steal a peek into what lies behind them. We’ve seen owner after owner post photos of the mass destruction caused when cats get their claws into the highest corners of the doorway, with their bodies squeezed through the small squares of wood, leaving them looking half-puzzled, half-proud of what they’ve achieved.

▼ Case in point: these daredevils.

「恐れていた事態」 pic.twitter.com/IBbrIf9u4I

— ココニャ@猫写真集、発売中！ (@kokonananya) October 26, 2016

One Japanese family was recently shocked to find their cat had gone one step above and beyond peering through paper doors, when they discovered the animal up in the elaborate ranma, the traditional transom panel found between the ceiling and the sliding doors. According to @pon_afro, who snapped this photo and shared it on Twitter, the cat, called Ponko-chan, simply woke up one morning and then got itself stuck in this unusual place.

朝起きたらぽんこがえらいとこにはさまってた pic.twitter.com/PPlvIcj2OJ

— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 25, 2016

Ranma are used in traditional Japanese homes to allow air flow and light to circulate between rooms, not curious kitties, so the tiny space the feline had squeezed into became a snug fit.

すぐに救出してもらったのでご心配なくですよ〜
助けてすぐ私の足に噛み付くぐらい元気なのでご安心を(怒 pic.twitter.com/O0adtVbHfM

— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 25, 2016

The puzzled cat was immediately rescued by a family member, despite the fact that the kitty was determined to make it out to the other side on its own.

なんとか自力で脱出しようとがんばるぽんこ pic.twitter.com/1ZetTGsKIm

— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 26, 2016

After fending off its owner a few times, Ponko-chan finally realised it might be best to let its human handle this situation.

自力脱出は無理だと悟り途方に暮れるぽんこ pic.twitter.com/cRb7oJ5pMq

— ぽん☁️🐈 (@pon_afro) November 26, 2016

After being gently eased out of the hole, Ponko-chan seemed unfazed by the incident, curling up in between two cushions for a much-needed catnap.

https://twitter.com/pon_afro/status/802436458602598400

Surprisingly, a number of fellow cat-owning Twitter users mentioned their own experiences with felines getting stuck in ranma, which suggests Ponko-chan isn’t the only cat with an insatiable attraction to the traditional Japanese feature. According to @pon_afro, Ponko-chan had climbed up on some nearby furniture in order to reach the high ledge, in an apparent attempt to get into the other room while the sliding doors were closed. Following the incident, however, the tall furniture has been moved well away from the transom, and @pon_afro urges other cat owners to do the same in their houses too.

Source: IT Media
Featured Image: Twitter/@pon_afro