Once relegated to menial tasks like mousing or appearing in commercials, cats have been recently begun making huge inroads to other labor sectors such as service industries. Pioneer felines like Tama the station master and his successor Nitama along with Kuzya the assistant librarian cat at Novorossiysk Library in Russia.

Granted, those are only three, but those three cats alone amount to a staggering 7,560-percent increase in the employment rate for the species as a whole from the previous decade. And now one workspace in Tokyo is trying to get ahead of this trend by recruiting a cat for a management position. Humans need not apply.

The job posting was made by Workingspace Bushitsu Shimokitazawa via their website. According to it, they lost a member in July and were discussing a replacement. They came to the conclusion that their most desirable applicant would be someone who attracts people and has a universal charm. That prompted someone to ask: “What do people like more than cats?”

And with that huge leap in logic it was settled. Bushitsu Shimokitazawa set out to find the cat with just the right credentials and attitude to be a part of their dynamic team. Here are the details from their job posting.

Cat Staff Application Guidelines
Job Description: Manager
Desired Applicant: Cat more than one year old (owner over 20 years old)
Location: Bushitsu Shimokitazawa
Hours/Days: Negotiable (at least once a week is hoped)
Salary: Negotiable (e.g. cat food to be paid at any time during work)

After applications made through the website are screened, chosen cats would be called in for an interview. The kitty which passes that would then be given a probational term to make sure it is Bushitsu Shimokitazawa material. By that we mean they don’t bite anyone or throw up on the floor.

▼ The selected cat is free to enjoy all the blackboard doodles they want.

Ideally the successful cat would also have an owner who frequently has to go out of the house for work or otherwise. This way the owner can rest assured their cat is being looked after, while the cat itself learns some valuable management skills.

Bushitsu Shimokitazawa is an open workspace where freelancers from musicians to IT workers can relax in their casual atmosphere designed after a school’s club room.

They expect a cat under their employment to bring its motivation and potential to the fullest in the area of customer service including but not limited to permitting head scritches and rubbing up against people’s legs. In return, the business promises to provide the cat with a safe and engaging work environment.

Yes this is just another step towards the inevitable future where all labor is performed by either cats or robots. Whatever it is you do for a living, keep looking over your shoulder and consider some night-school courses, because one day any old tabby from off the street might waltz in and perform your job for a mere can of Fancy Feast.

Source: Bushitsu Shimokitazawa via Netlab (Japanese)
Images: Bushitsu Shimokitazawa