Constructing Process of Dialogues Concerned with “community cats”:

A case study in Isogo ward, Yokohama city

Abstract

In this study, l investigated claim-making process concerned with cats-breeding in urban area. In concrete, I conducted documents analysis and examined changing process of several different claims. In these days, pets-breeding has become a big social problem in urban area, Japan. The case of community cats in Isogo Ward, Yokohama city has come to public notice as pioneer to settle this problem, In this case, the residents, public servants, and veterinaries had symposium to discuss cat problem in their community, and instituted guideline to breed ownerless cats by the residents. I examined documents before and after establishment of the guideline. The former is the report of this symposium, and the latter is newsletter of committee promoting the guideline. These documents were examined as claims-making process, and the features of claims in these documents were abstracted. There are two characteristic claims in the report of symposium: cat-exclusion claims, and cat-protection claims. It was found that these two claims were mediated through this symposium, and the participants redefined cat problem as community problem. On the other hand, 3 characteristic claims were found in the newsletter. Those claims including neighbors' claims were made through volunteer activities.