Jamaine Punzalan

In this handout photo released by MOFF Corporation on July 30, 2026, rescued cats are seen at a MOFF facility in Hiroshima on July 29, 2026, after they were rescued from a MOFF cat cafe at Aeon Mall in Kumamoto following the earthquake on July 28. Handout/MOFF Corporation/AFP

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785403009048AFP__20260730__C3JQ7CB__v1__MidRes__JapanEarthquake.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">In this handout photo released by MOFF Corporation on July 30, 2026, rescued cats are seen at a MOFF facility in Hiroshima on July 29, 2026, after they were rescued from a MOFF cat cafe at Aeon Mall in Kumamoto following the earthquake on July 28. Handout/MOFF Corporation/AFP </span></span></span></div><p>Twenty-five cats stuck inside a shopping mall in Japan gutted in an explosion after a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/7/30/japan-quake-toll-hits-28-as-survivors-struggle-in-heat-1225">major earthquake </a>have been rescued, the operator said Thursday, triggering huge relief on social media.</p><p>Momo, Kohaku, Tango, Shandy -- a fluffy Norwegian Forest Cat -- and the others were in Cat Cafe MOFF on the ground floor of the Aeon mall in Kashima when the deadly 7.1-magnitude quake hit on Tuesday.</p><p>The mall was evacuated and employees returned to retrieve the cats when a huge explosion -- likely caused by gas -- ripped through the building, and staff &quot;hurriedly evacuated&quot;, the cafe said.</p><p>At least 34 people died in the quake, according to authorities in the southwestern Kumamoto region.</p><p>On Wednesday, with permission from the fire service, the police and the mall operator, MOFF&#x27;s manager entered the building and safely rescue all 25 cats, which were unharmed.</p><p>Around 10:00 pm the same day, the animals arrived safely in the city of Hiroshima in western Japan, where the company has another cat cafe, it said.</p><p>&quot;We were concerned about fatigue from the long journey from Kumamoto, but after arriving we provided individual care for each of them,&quot; it said.</p><p>It added that the cats were &quot;spending their time quietly and calmly&quot;.</p><p>An online news article about the cats&#x27; miraculous escape posted on X by Livedoor News garnered 7.9 million views.</p><p>&quot;People say human lives come first, but human lives and cat lives are both equally precious... I&#x27;m glad everyone&#x27;s safe,&quot; said one user on Instagram.</p><p>Cat cafes -- as well as other similar establishments in Japan where people can pet anything from hedgehogs to miniature pigs -- are, however, controversial.</p><p>&quot;If possible, I hope they won&#x27;t be sent back to the cat cafe, but instead find them adoptive homes where they can live a safe and secure life surrounded by love,&quot; said another user on Instagram.</p><p>Others criticized people&#x27;s focus on the animals rather than the human toll at the mall, where seven bodies were found.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aM0_64g_hPs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T9nS8TznKOs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Twenty-five cats stuck inside a shopping mall in Japan gutted in an explosion after a major earthquake have been rescued, the operator said Thursday, triggering huge relief on social media.</p>

Twenty-five cats stuck inside a shopping mall in Japan gutted in an explosion after a major earthquake have been rescued, the operator said Thursday, triggering huge relief on social media.

Twenty-five cats escape Japan mall damaged by quake

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Twenty-five cats escape Japan mall damaged by quake

Agence France-Presse

Published July 30, 2026 05:17 PM PHT

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