Cats. Beloved pet to many, scourge to a few, common knowledge to us all.My own relationship with cats in Japan hasn't been great. I've lived only in Tokushima city and Naruto city for my 20+ years in Japan, so my experience is limited to these areas. For me, homeless cats (and in some cases, cats with homes) have been a source of great problems.When we first moved to Naruto, there were a variety of cats, both homed and homeless who would roam the neighbourhood and enjoy their adventures. They also dug up my newly sodded yard, several times, and in doing so destroyed the grass. They used my property for toilet purposes on, and on, and on. At that time, I threw away almost as much waste, weekly, from cats, as I did from our two growing children.In recent years, perhaps because of our dog, Muffin, perhaps because of changes in the animals, our problems decreased (but did not disappear completely).Let me state that I like cats. While I have never had cats of my own, I have cared for numerous cats for friends and family years ago in Canada and enjoyed doing so.However, destruction of property and bodily waste clean up can cause bad feelings for anyone, I think. Around our fine town, I often see signs warning dogs (I think dog owners, since I assume most dogs would not read the signs) not to use the area for their toiletry needs. Yet, funnily enough, I never see signs mentioning the same about cats.At one of the local universities I teach at, there are many, many homeless cats. At one of the small mountains in our city, there are many, many homeless cats. In my many years in Naruto, I have seen homeless dogs once. But homeless cats can be seen all the time.Over the last few months, again we've had to contend with filling bags and bags of toiletry waste from cats, as well as regurgitated animals (mice, birds). How do I know it isn't dogs? Well, I have never seen homeless dogs around our house, but I have seen homeless cats (an assumption) at all hours around our house.Naruto city does not have the resources to deal with homeless cats, so the problem is left up to individual citizens.Thus, I have purchased a new water pistol with hopes of keeping the cats away from our property.If you have better suggestions for dealing with these cats, or if you'd like to take any of these homeless cats home with you and help alleviate my problem, please contact me. I would be glad to hear from you.Until then, ready, aim,....fire!