Cats and dogs in Japan

You see many cats (neko) on the loose in Japan. There does not appear to be any law concerning their freedom. I am not sure whether they are feral cats, but they never appear to be connected to a particular home. They appear in the most unusual circumstances such as prowling rooftops, while we are listening to a concert in Yokosuka. A little distracting considering the rough tile (concrete composition) steep roof it was prowling about. In the mansion we stayed in Kagoshima it sounded as though cats were romancing outside our fourth floor window.
The dog (inu) I most associate with Japan is the shibaken. This is usually a compact well built dog of a tan colour. Another Japanese breed similar to a husky in appearance is the Akita.