Japanese tech firm has 10 cat 'employees' living in office - including manager, clerk and 'chaircat'

A Japanese tech company has found an unlikely source of productivity and employee retention—cats. Qnote, a web and app design firm based in Tokyo, has integrated 10 feline "employees" into its workforce, offering a balance of companionship and creativity for its 32 human employees.

It all started in 2004 when the company adopted its first cat, Futaba, from a sushi restaurant. Since then, Qnote has become home to 10 resident cats, each assigned quirky office roles such as "chief clerk", "manager", and "chaircat". Futaba, now 20 years old, holds the highest rank as the company’s “chaircat”, outranking even the CEO, Nobuyuki Tsuruta.

The company’s deep commitment to its cats was evident when it moved to a larger, four-storey office in 2020. The second and third floors were specially refurbished for the feline employees, featuring 12 custom cat toilets, cat shelves, and walls painted to withstand scratches.

“Many of our employees have cats at home, and their presence in the office has become a crucial factor in attracting new talent,” Tsuruta shared with Mainichi Shimbun. He added that the company’s low quit rate can be attributed to the soothing environment created by these four-legged companions.