When Akiko Dupont rescued a 4-month-old kitten named Kinako, she hid him from her grandfather Jiji, who lives with her in Tokyo. Her grandfather loves dogs, but has never been fond of cats—they often use his prized garden as a litter box.
Akiko kept Kinako hidden in her room, but one day Jiji went in and saw Kinako sitting there. To Akiko’s surprise, Jiji’s eyes lit up with happiness. He held the cat, and their bond was instantly cemented.
Akiko was thrilled that Jiji found happiness with Kinako. Ninety-four-year-old Jiji was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years ago, and it’s been extremely hard for him.
“I think when you learn that you have Alzheimer’s, it is easy to start feeling scared, lonely, sad and lost,” Akiko told The Dodo. “I saw that in him. He tried to hide it, but I could see it. He was still Jiji, a loving man. But he gradually began to make a wall between himself and other people.”
Akiko and her grandmother wanted to help Jiji, but they weren’t sure what he needed. It turned out, Kinako was exactly what they were looking for.
Kinako and Jiji were soon inseparable, and Akiko, who is a photographer, began documenting their sweet adventures. She took pictures of Kinako and Jiji lounging on the couch, eating their meals at the same time, and even sleeping in the same position.
She also took a funny photo of Kinako “helping” Jiji with his favorite hobby: reading the newspaper and cutting out the articles he likes.
“Pretty much every day, when Jiji cuts the newspaper, Kinako jumps on the table, then they argue, give up, understanding that they just want to do what they want to do,” Akiko told The Dodo.
Getting Kinako has been life-changing in the best way for Akiko, her grandmother, and Jiji. Kinako and Jiji spend most of their time together, and they always make each other’s day better. The two of them are truly soulmates!
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