Cats have become a popular companion as people spend more time at home amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, and manufacturers are taking advantage of the trend. In 2022, the economic effect of "Nekonomics," or cat economics, is expected to reach almost 2 trillion yen.
Feb. 22 is Cat Day, as the Japanese word for two, or "ni," sounds similar to a cat's cry of "nyan" (meow). This year's Cat Day was seen as particularly special, since 2022 brought the total number of twos in the date to six.
