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Aoshima island - the heaven of cats
An army of kittens has taken control of a remote island in southern Japan, Aoshima. The number of felines exceeds six times that of humans, but being an almost abandoned island, you don't even think of thousands of cats. They are around 100-150, but they have already become a tourist attraction and many people pay special trips with the steamer to reach this "cat heaven". Initially brought here to escape the inhabitants of the rats that were still destroying their wooden boats, the cats remained and, of course, multiplied.
They are now roaming all over the place, finding their beds in the dozens of abandoned houses and keeping company with a few elderly fishermen. They did not leave to seek work in other cities, as did most of the island's population after World War II. Aoshima Island, which is a 30-minute drive from the coastal ferry in Ehime Prefecture, housed 900 people in 1945. The only activity visible today is the day-trips with tourists who come daily to the now-become island of Cats.
There are no restaurants, cars, shops or fast food. Aoshima is not a heaven for tourists, but cat lovers do not complain. Only one old woman likes to visit her when she feeds the cats, to the delight of the cameras.
It is already known that the Japanese are big cat lovers, it is only the country that gave the world the brand Hello Kitty. Cafes where owners can leave their pet cats are very popular in Tokyo.
Not all the inhabitants of the island are pleased by their presence and yet they try to keep them under control. 10 cats have already been sterilized. Even the tourists here are not very accustomed to the old people here, but their proverbial wisdom says that the presence of cats is a good thing, if that pleases them and brings relaxation to the people who come.
Cat islands exist in several places in Japan. On Tashirosima Island, for example, fishermen even consider them as sacred animals and have dedicated an altar to them. 86 people live with 100 felines.
But the absolute record is held by Malta, where 800,000 cats live, double the number of people. But the island is higher and their density does not seem so overwhelming.
They are now roaming all over the place, finding their beds in the dozens of abandoned houses and keeping company with a few elderly fishermen. They did not leave to seek work in other cities, as did most of the island's population after World War II. Aoshima Island, which is a 30-minute drive from the coastal ferry in Ehime Prefecture, housed 900 people in 1945. The only activity visible today is the day-trips with tourists who come daily to the now-become island of Cats.
There are no restaurants, cars, shops or fast food. Aoshima is not a heaven for tourists, but cat lovers do not complain. Only one old woman likes to visit her when she feeds the cats, to the delight of the cameras.
It is already known that the Japanese are big cat lovers, it is only the country that gave the world the brand Hello Kitty. Cafes where owners can leave their pet cats are very popular in Tokyo.
Not all the inhabitants of the island are pleased by their presence and yet they try to keep them under control. 10 cats have already been sterilized. Even the tourists here are not very accustomed to the old people here, but their proverbial wisdom says that the presence of cats is a good thing, if that pleases them and brings relaxation to the people who come.
Cat islands exist in several places in Japan. On Tashirosima Island, for example, fishermen even consider them as sacred animals and have dedicated an altar to them. 86 people live with 100 felines.
But the absolute record is held by Malta, where 800,000 cats live, double the number of people. But the island is higher and their density does not seem so overwhelming.
