TAKANE YukikoApril 17, 2015
Cat's presents

Humans and their pets have interesting relationships. None more so than a female cat and its owner. Takane sensei, one of Japonin(JOI)'s Japanese teachers adds this funny observation of living with a "mother cat". Learn Japanese online with this free blog. You can listen to the Japanese language with the free YouTube video and also learn vocabulary and Kanji by looking at the various versions and translations.

Cat's presents

This Japanese teacher’s blog by TAKANE Yukiko sensei is a great way to study natural Japanese expressions. You can read, listen, and learn useful vocabulary from a short essay written in everyday Japanese.


Read Natural Japanese in Context:Cat's presents

猫のおみやげ

私の家には猫が一匹います。 毎日良く寝て、良く食べて、それから元気に出かけていきます。 しばらくして帰ってくると、時々おみやげを持ってきます。 それを私たちの前に置いて、「どうぞ」と言っているような顔をします。

cat

そのおみやげは、トカゲです。時々ヘビやネズミもあります。 おみやげをもらったときは、大騒ぎです。
「キャー!」「だれか外に出して!」

実はこれはメス猫に多い習性のようです。 飼い主のことを子猫で、自分を母猫と思っていて、 狩りのできない子猫(私)のために獲物をとってくるそうです。 ですから、その時はおこらないほうがいいらしいです。 でも、ほめられませんよね。

cat

もうすぐ春。おみやげが多くなる季節です。 そこでお願い。
ミイコ、わたしはスーパーで買い物して、毎日たくさん食べているから心配しないで!」

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わたしうちにはねこ一匹いっぴきいます。 毎日まいにちて、べて、それから元気げんきかけていきます。 しばらくしてかえってくると、時々ときどきおみやげをってきます。 それをわたしたちのまえいて、「どうぞ」とっているようなかおをします。

そのおみやげは、トカゲです。時々ときどきヘビやネズミもあります。 おみやげをもらったときは、大騒おおさわです。
「キャー!」「だれかそとして!」

じつはこれはメスねこおお習性しゅうせいのようです。 ぬしのことを子猫こねこで、自分じぶん母猫ははねこおもっていて、のできない子猫こねこわたしのために獲物えものをとってくるそうです。 ですから、そのときはおこらないほうがいいらしいです。 でも、ほめられませんよね。

もうすぐはる。おみやげがおおくなる季節きせつです。 そこでおねがい。
ミイコ、わたしはスーパーでものして、毎日まいにちたくさんべているから心配しんぱいしないで!」

English Translation for Understanding

Cat's presents

We have one cat living in our house. Everyday she sleeps and eats a lot, and then she energetically goes out. After a while, she comes home and sometimes brings back a present with her. She places it in front of us with a facial expression that seems to be saying 'Here you go!'

These presents are often lizards. Sometimes she also brings snakes or mice. These presents are often met with an uproar.
“Kyaa !” (Japanese onamatopoeia for a scream) “Someone take this outside!”

Apparently, this is a common trait in female cats. They see their owners as kittens and see themselves as the mother cat. They tend to bring back prey for their kittens that cannot hunt for themselves (and that would be me!) So apparently one shouldn't get angry at that time. But we cannot really praise this either, can we.

Its almost spring. In this season, the presents tend to increase. So I would like to make a request here.
“Miiko, I go shopping at the supermarket and have a lot to eat everyday so please do not worry about me!”

This Week’s Key Vocabulary

トカゲ : lizard

大騒おおさわぎ : clamour, uproar, tumult

メスねこ : female cat

習性 (しゅうせい) : trait

ぬし : (cat, dog) owner

子猫 (こねこ) : kitten

母猫ははねこ : mother cat

り : hunting

獲物えもの : game, prey

ミイコ : name of my cat

Meet the Teacher

TAKANE Yukiko
TAKANE Yukiko
Japanese Language Teacher

I started my career as a Japanese language teacher at a language school in Saipan, where I taught students of all ages, from young children to high schoolers and adults.
After that, I spent three years in the Philippines teaching Japanese to technical intern trainees preparing to go to Japan..
After returning to Japan, I have been teaching Japanese online at Japonin(JOI) since 2012, specializing in beginner-level instruction for many years.

Experience and Qualifications

  • Completed Japanese Teacher Training Course
  • Taught Japanese at a language academy in Saipan
  • Taught Japanese at an institution in Cebu, Philippines, dispatching qualified trainees
  • Japanese language instruction for trainees from companies in Chiba Prefecture

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