ある日、ママが職場から帰ってくるなり、
「ちょっと聞いてよ！猫用のちゃんちゃんこがあるんだって！ちゃんちゃんこってね、袖がない綿が入った着物ってとこかな。防寒服のようなもんだけどさ、ジュノーくんが着たら超かわいいと思わない？！いやー絶対かわいいわよ！絶対買おうよ！」
と言った。僕は即座に「え～！僕はいらないよぉ～！そんなもん着たらグルーミングできないじゃん！」って言ったけど、その言葉は聞こえたのかどうか、パパは「そりゃいいねえ！」と乗り気になった。それからママが「あっ、そうだ！ブルー君にもプレゼントしたらどうだろう？」と言い出した。
ブルー君は、アメリカに住むパパの妹さんのシャム猫くん。僕とは従兄弟同士になるね。血は繋がらないけどね。パパの妹さんは僕に良くしてくれていて、チューチューネズ公将軍やパイレーツウェアやハウスなど色んなものを送ってきてくれる。初めて僕にギフトが送られてきたときには、宛名が"Juno Garrison"になっていてすごくワクワクした。ママが「まあ、ペット宛てにも届けてくれるのね。」と驚いていたけど、住所と苗字が合っていれば届くんじゃないのかい？
パパとママが早速ちゃんちゃんこをネットで探しはじめて、すぐに何店かを見つけた。サイズがMとLの2種類あって、Mサイズは首下背丈33cm・胴周り32～41cmで、Lサイズは首下背丈36cm・胴周り37～46cm。パパが僕の首下の体長と胴回りを測ったけどさ、僕はまだ１歳未満だったけどなんと体長は40cmもあったんだ！パパが叔母さんにブルー君のサイズを訊いたときに僕のサイズも言ったらしいが、叔母さんは「まあ、ジュノーは馬じゃない！」って言ったとか。確かにママがよく僕の走りを「馬だよ馬」って言ってるのは聞くけどね。ブルーくんのサイズはMだった。
”あらら、残念。サイズがないから買えないですねぇ。やれやれ、ちょっと安心。”と思ったのも束の間、パパとママは、「前の紐で調節はきくだろうし、窮屈ってことはないだろうからＬサイズを買おう。」と決定されてしまった。まだ１０月だったというのに、色柄の種類はたくさんあったものの、売り切れが多かった。猫のファッションも人間のファッションの如く流行先取りなのか？だけど幸か不幸か、パパが『一番クール』だと言って気に入った黒地にドラゴンがいっぱいついたやつはまだ残っていたので、早速ママがそれのMサイズとLサイズをオーダーした。
オーダーしてから約１週間後、２着のドラゴンちゃんちゃんこが届いた。早速僕はちゃんちゃんこを着せられた。確かに暖かいけど、なんだか動きづらい・・・。動きづらいから、ついつい亀みたいにうずくまってしまう。ママはとても興奮して「まあ！かわいいいいいいいいーーーーー！！」って叫んでいた。もう１着は、すぐにブルーくんに送られた。それが届いたとき叔母さんはすっごく喜んでいた。
最初“人間の服を着るなんて！”って乗り気じゃなかったけど、僕の初めての冬には意外にも重宝したよ。寒い冬空の下をお散歩するときに着たんだ。心配したほどしょっちゅう着せられるわけでもなく、ちゃんとグルーミングもできた。今年の冬もお散歩のときにはお世話になってるよ。
それに見て、この僕のちゃんちゃんこ姿。ママはカワイイって言うけどさ、どちらかというとかっこいいよね？サムライみたいでさ。ブルーくんに送った1週間後、ちゃんちゃんこを着たブルーくんの写真が送られてきた。僕に負けず劣らずかっこいいじゃん。叔母さんの報告によると、ブルーくんもちゃんちゃんこを非常に気に入ったみたいだ。
One day my mommy talked to my daddy excitedly as soon as she came back to home from her work, "You know what? I've heard that there is chanchanko for cats! Chanchanko is padded sleeveless kimono jacket. It’s a kind of Japanese winter clothes. It should be nice on Juno, shouldn't it? Yeah, he must be definitely SO CUTE in it! We should get it for him!" I immediately said before daddy reply, "No! I don’t need it! If I wear such a thing, I cannot groom!!" But I don't know if they heard my appeal or not, daddy said, "Yeah! It should be nice on him! Let’s get it!" Also mommy proposed her idea, "Why don’t we get one more chanchanko for Blue?"
Blue is a Siamese cat of my daddy’s younger sister, who lives in the US. So he is my cousin, not related by blood though. The daddy’s sister is very kind to me. She sent me General Squeaky Mouse, pirate wear, a cat house and more. When I received the gift from her for the first time, the package was addressed to me “Juno Garrison” and I was very excited with it. Mommy was surprised, “I didn’t know that post office could deliver to a pet.” I think they should deliver as long as the address and the family name correspond.
Immediately daddy and mommy started looking for some shop that sell chanchanko for cats on the internet and it was not long before they found them. There were two sizes, M and L. The size M is for up to 13 inches of length and 12.5-16 inches of girth. The size L is for up to 14.5 inches of length and 14.5-18 inches of girth. The length is from the neck to the base of the tail. Daddy measured my length and girth. I was still under one year old, but my length topped the size L, 16 inches! When daddy asked Blue's size to my aunt (Blue's mommy), she was informed of my size and was very surprised, "GEEZE, JUNO IS A HORSE!" Indeed, I can hear my mommy says "Just like a horse!" when I play speed running. Blue's size was M.
"Oh, that's too bad... Chanchanko is NOT available for me due to no size. Well... I feel kind of relieved." but it was a fleeting relief. Daddy and mommy decided to buy size L, saying that the front strings should be adjustable and the wear shouldn't be tight. It was still October; however, many designs of chanchanko were sold out though there were plenty of designs. Cats fashion is also ahead of the time like human's fashion? But luckily or unluckily, the dragon design on a black background, which daddy loves and thinks the coolest, was still available. So mommy placed an order for two of them, size M and size L.
The two dragon chanchankos were delivered about a week after placing an order. As soon as my parents received it, they made me wear the chanchanko. It sure is warm, but not easy to move.... so I crouch like a turtle. Mommy was too excited with my figure wearing a chanchanco and made a cheerful sound, "SOOO CUUUTE!" The other chanchanko was sent to Blue immediately. His mommy (my aunt) was very pleased when she received it.
At first I was not interested in chanchankos at all, 'I cannot wear human's clothing!', but unexpectedly it was useful for my first winter. I wore it only the time of stroll under the cold winter sky. I didn't have to wear it so frequently that I worried, so I could groom anytime. This winter also I use it when I take a walk in the cold weather.
Look at my figure wearing a chanchanko. Mommy says, "Too cute!", but I think it looks cool like a samurai. I got the photos of Blue wearing chanchanko a week after sending it. He looks as cool as me! According to my aunt's report, Blue really likes it and is proud of it.
