All 27 Stray Cats in Japanese Rural Life Adventure: Locations, Times, and Favorites

One of the most charming additions to Japanese Rural Life Adventure is the Community Cats event, which scatters 27 stray cats all over the village for you to befriend.

Each cat has its own little personality, hangs out in a specific spot at specific times, and has very particular tastes when it comes to treats and toys. Tracking them all down and winning them over is one of the most relaxing side activities the game has to offer.

This guide covers how the stray cat system works, tips to befriend them faster, and a full reference list of every cat with their location, times, favorite foods, favorite roasted fish, and favorite toys.

How Befriending Stray Cats Works

When you first walk up to a stray cat, it’s going to bolt. The first two encounters with any cat just result in them running away, which can feel discouraging if you don’t know what’s going on.

From the third encounter onward, you’ll be able to give them treats and toys. Each cat has three favorite treats and three favorite toys, and you build trust by giving them items they love.

A lot of cats like roasted fish, which tend to be the trickier items to source because you have to catch the specific fish first, then cook it on your stove.

Once you’ve built up enough trust, the cat is officially befriended and will hang around the village as part of your growing animal community.

Tips for Befriending Stray Cats Faster

The single best tip is to use the cheapest food and toys first. You don’t need to hand over expensive items to test whether a cat likes something. A basic onigiri or a wooden ball is just as effective as a fancy treat if it’s on the cat’s favorites list.

Pay close attention to the time of day. Cats only appear at very specific hours, and showing up at the wrong time means an empty spot and a wasted trip. Plan your day so you can hit multiple cats during overlapping windows.

Stock up on persimmons, onigiri, and roasted sweet potatoes early. These three treats are favorites for a huge number of cats, and having a small inventory of each means you’re rarely caught empty-handed.

Fishing is essential if you want to befriend every cat. Roasted fish is required for many of them, and some species like Iwana, Otanago, and Wakasagi pop up across multiple cats’ wishlists. If you’re new to fishing, our Japanese Rural Life Adventure beginner tips guide covers the basics of getting started.

Don’t forget to check the shop regularly for toys. Items like the Mouse Plushie, Shrimp Plushie, and various scratchers rotate through the shop’s inventory and you’ll need a wide selection to cover all 27 cats.

Where to Get Treats, Roasted Fish, and Toys

Onigiri is made from cooked rice, so keep your rice harvests going. Tamagoyaki requires eggs from your chickens, which is another reason to prioritize the chicken coop early.

Sliced and dried persimmons come from the persimmon tree, while roasted sweet potatoes and roasted matsutake are simple stove recipes once you have the ingredients.

Roasted fish is made by catching the specific fish in rivers, ponds, or the ocean and then roasting it on the stove. The fish names listed for each cat refer to the roasted version of that species.

Toys, plushies, scratchers, and gift boxes are mostly purchased from the village shop. Keep some spending money on hand because you’ll burn through a lot of items testing favorites.

Complete Stray Cat Reference List

Below is every stray cat in the game along with their location, the times they appear, and their full list of favorite items.

Mugi

Location: Shrine

Times: 4-8, 9-12, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Sliced Persimmon, Onigiri, Roasted Matsutake

Toys: Ball of Yarn, Red Box, Cardboard Scratcher

Mochi

Location: Lower Shrine Path

Times: 5-9, 13-15, 18-20, 21-22

Food: Ugui Sukiyaki, Otanago Suyaki, Kamatsuka Suyaki

Toys: Wooden Ball, Mouse Plushie, Red Box

Mame

Location: Above Shrine

Times: 5-9, 10-12, 16-18, 19-20

Food: Otanago Suyaki, Roasted Matsutake, Kajika Suyaki

Toys: Ball on a String, Shrimp Plushie, Green Box

Kinako

Location: Broken Bridge

Times: 7-9, 10-13, 14-18, 19-22

Food: Hasu Suyaki, Yamame Suyaki, Sliced Persimmon

Toys: Feathered Ball, Crocodile Plushie, Brown Box

Tama

Location: Nice Lady’s Garden

Times: 6-10, 12-15, 17-21

Food: Yakizake, Iwana Sukiyaki, Wakasagi Suyaki

Toys: Wooden Ball, Shrimp Plushie, Brown Box

Mike

Location: Water Wheel

Times: 6-11, 13-15, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Iwana Sukiyaki, Aburahaya Sukiyaki, Wakasagi Suyaki

Toys: Mouse Plushie, Red Box, Green Box

Haku

Location: Behind the store

Times: 7-8, 9-11, 13-19, 20-21

Food: Dried Persimmon, Onigiri, Yamame Suyaki

Toys: Ball of Yarn, Red Box, Wood Scratcher

Ten

Location: Dagashiya

Times: 7-8, 9-11, 13-15, 17-19

Food: Onigiri, Hasu Suyaki, Amago Sukiyaki

Toys: Ball on a String, Shrimp Plushie, Blue Box

Kotetsu

Location: Landlord’s Garden

Times: 7-14, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Roasted Sweet Potato, Tamagoyaki, Zezera suyaki

Toys: Feathered Ball, Ball on a String, Cardboard Scratcher

Sakura

Location: Landlord’s Entrance

Times: 5-8, 9-13, 17-23

Food: Tamagoyaki, Oshorokoma Shioyaki, Kajika Suyaki

Toys: Ball on a String, Mouse Plushie, Cardboard Scratcher

Kohaku

Location: Hokora

Times: 5-11, 13-15, 17-19, 20-22

Food: Sliced Persimmon, Oshorokoma Shioyaki, Wakasagi Suyaki

Toys: Wooden Ball, Crocodile Plushie, String Wrapped Scratcher

Kotaro

Location: In between Water Wheel and Landlord’s

Times: 7-15, 18-21

Food: Roasted Matsutake, Oshorokoma Shioyaki, Oikawa Sukiyaki

Toys: Feathered Ball, Crocodile Plushie, Fish Plushie

Fuku

Location: Right of the school

Times: 5-8, 9-11, 13-15, 17-21

Food: Roasted Matsutake, Wakasagi Suyaki, Kamatsuka Suyaki

Toys: Blue Box, Brown Box, Wood Scratcher

Tora

Location: Square

Times: 7-8, 9-16, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Yakizake, Dried Persimmon, Oshorokoma Shioyaki

Toys: Wooden Ball, Brown Box, String Wrapped Scratcher

Maru

Location: Cemetery

Times: 5-8, 9-11, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Onigiri, Tamagoyaki, Iwana Sukiyaki

Toys: Ball on a String, Fish Plushie, Wood Scratcher

Hana

Location: Temple Landing

Times: 9-15, 18-21

Food: Onigiri, Zezera Suyaki, Haze Suyaki

Toys: Ball on a String, Wood Scratcher, String Wrapped Scratcher

Ku

Location: Temple Behind Bell

Times: 12-21

Food: Tamagoyaki, Oikawa Sukiyaki, Kawamushi Suyaki

Toys: Mouse Plushie, Fish Plushie, Red Box

Momo

Location: Left of the school

Times: 5-8, 9-11, 13-15, 17-21

Food: Tamagoyaki, Nijimasu Suyaki, Sliced Persimmon

Toys: Wooden Ball, Crocodile Plushie, Green Box

Mirin

Location: Assembly Hall

Times: 10-18

Food: Dried Persimmon, Sliced Persimmon, Nijimasu Suyaki

Toys: Green Box, Blue Box, Cardboard Scratcher

Shiso

Location: School River

Times: 7-8, 9-11, 13-17

Food: Onigiri, Zezera Suyaki, Oyanmirami Sukiyaki

Toys: Ball of Yarn, Wood Scratcher, Blue Box

Konatsu

Location: Temple Right

Times: 5-8, 9-11, 13-15, 17-19

Food: Roasted Sweet Potato, Iwana Sukiyaki, Kawamushi Suyaki

Toys: Feathered Ball, Shrimp Plushie, String Wrapped Scratcher

Kotori

Location: Middle Museum – Bottom

Times: 9-12, 18-21

Food: Roasted Sweet Potato, Dried Persimmon, Kajika Suyaki

Toys: Feathered Ball, Brown Box, Cardboard Scratcher

Fuma

Location: Lower Museum – Left

Times: 9-12, 13-15, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Oyanmirami Sukiyaki, Haze Suyaki, Sliced Persimmon

Toys: Ball of Yarn, Green Box, String Wrapped Scratcher

Matsuri

Location: Lower Museum – Right

Times: 7-8, 13-15, 17-19, 20-21

Food: Dried Persimmon, Tamagoyaki, Aburahaya Sukiyaki

Toys: Wooden Ball, Fish Plushie, Wood Scratcher

Toji

Location: Middle Museum

Times: 7-19

Food: Roasted Sweet Potato, Roasted Matsutake, Ugui Sukiyaki

Toys: Mouse Plushie, Crocodile Plushie, Green Box

Natsu

Location: Top Museum Left

Times: 6-13, 17-21

Food: Roasted Sweet Potato, Himemasu Suyaki, Haze Suyaki

Toys: Ball of Yarn, Blue Box, Brown Box

Kosuke

Location: Top Museum Right

Times: 13-21

Food: Hasu Suyaki, Ugui Sukiyaki, Amago Sukiyaki

Toys: Feathered Ball, Shrimp Plushie, Fish Plushie

Final Thoughts

The Community Cats event is a perfect example of what makes Japanese Rural Life Adventure so special. There’s no urgency, no failure state, and no pressure to grind it all out in a single in-game week.

Take your time, keep a small stock of cheap treats and toys on hand, and enjoy the slow process of winning over each cat one by one. By the time you’ve befriended all 27, your village will feel a whole lot more alive.

Happy cat hunting!

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Screenshots in this article were captured by the author from the Steam version of the game and used under Fair Use.