Japanese People and Cats(4) Third, changes in the residential environment have also contributed to the preference for cats. Unlike in the past, when most people lived in single-family detached houses, more and more people are now living in apartments. In a detached house, one might have had a lot of dogs to protect the house, but in an apartment, one doesn't have to. Japanese people, who are reluctant to cause inconvenience to others, have come to think that cats are a more appropriate choice than dogs in noise-sensitive apartments. Some experts analyze that the cat boom is also related to the economic downturn. When the economy is good, one can raise a dog in a large house with a yard, but when the economy is bad, one raises a cat because everyone in the family has to go out to work. In Japan, the number of cats increased significantly during the oil crisis. The long-term recession that began in the 1990s was an important turning point for the Japanese in raising many cats. Fourth, the cost issue cannot be ignored. Of course, it varies from breed to breed, but in general, cats are less expensive and require lower maintenance costs than dogs. Above all, there are many types of mandatory vaccinations for dogs, such as rabies, and dog owners must also buy medical insurance. Cats, on the other hand, have relatively fewer visits to the hospital. According to estimates by the pet industry, raising a pet cat costs about 40% less than raising a pet dog. For Japanese people, who have been enduring stagnant economic conditions for decades, switching to cats is a realistic option. So in Japan, there are sarcastic remark that says dogs are a symbol of wealth.