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Given that the MTA project billion-dollar budget gaps in future years and that the cash cow of congestion pricing never made it to the altar, there may be a good idea of increasing revenue by way of Japan. The Associated Press has a story about a "money-losing Japanese train company" whose new lease on business life is thanks to a calico cat named Tama:
All the 9-year-old female cat does is sit by the entrance of Kishi Station in western Japan, wearing a black uniform cap and posing for photos for the tourists who are now flocking in droves from across the nation.Super-station-master! Cats are considered good luck (hello, Maneki Neko) in Japan, and people have flocked to take pictures with Tama, as well as buy her various merchandise--"postcards, erasers, notebooks and pins...even a special 1,365 yen ($13) book of photos of Tama called, 'Diary of Tama, the Station Master.'"Tama has been doing such a good job of raising revenue for the troubled Kishikawa train line that she was recently promoted to "super-station-master."
Let's face it, cats in the train stations could do wonders with the rodent problem (do cats eat bedbugs?). Heck, there's even a cat at the Transit Museum--the lovely Sadie!
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Cue LOLcat-speak...
subway cat sez:
if yoo see uh suspishus pakij or aktivitee on thuh platform or trayn do not keep it to yur self.
Of all the ideas to incorporate from Japanese urban rail management.
Super-station-master! You're doin it rong.
hay! This iz not litturbox!
sand cleer ohf thuh clewsing dores plz ^_^ beang bong :3
Oh noes! Lettum off furst! Lettum off!
Having cats in stations would be a great idea until you get splatter by one that didn't get away from the tracks in time while on a rat hunt.
A job. Kitteh haz it.
Uh, Jen, Tama is not a tabby. She's a calico. Huge difference. The AP writer obviously doesn't know much about cats.
Thanks, Spiritof76! Is calico similar to tortoiseshell?
The above photo was taken at the Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights on Schermerhorn Street. The subway shown is a vintage train sitting on exhibit on the track level of the former Court Street Station.
There are already quite a few cats in the New York City subway system. Rodents follow humans because humans are dirty and messy and spill food. Cats follow the rodents. A tradition going back to prehistoric times.
"Thanks, Spiritof76! Is calico similar to tortoiseshell?"
I think it's closer to argyle.
Can we give the cat a sign that says there are service cuts this weekend?
How does this look?
AWESOME! Thanks!
cute cat pic jen
Thanks, Spiritof76! Is calico similar to tortoiseshell?
This explains the difference between tortoiseshell and calico. Mostly just a matter of white fur on the latter. Fun fact: only females can be calicos/tortoiseshells, except for some very rare mutant (usually sterile) males.
They unfortunately do not eat bedbugs fast enough to keep up with bedbug production.
However, mine knew we had them far before we did. She spotted the smaller-than-dust sized babies well before I could see they were even there.