Japan’s cat island

Japan’s cat island, Aoshima (猫の島), is famous as the home of more cats than people. As the elderly human population dwindles, the ratio of cats to people is reportedly 36:1. In 1945 the population was 900, but today there are just a handful of people left.

Aoshima is in Ehime prefecture on the island of Shikoku, to the south of Japan. It’s one of 11 cat islands in Japan but is the most famous. Cats were introduced to the island by sardine fisherman who needed rodents kept under control as they nibbled through the fishing nets. As the fishermen became elderly and moved away, and jobs transferred to larger areas, the cats were left behind. Where once there were homes, shops and a school there are now derilict buildings.

As the cat population grew and the human one shrank, a spaying and neutering campaign was undertaken by the local authority, but it didn’t reach all the cats. An elderly resident who disagreed with the campaign hid some cats but despite this no more kittens were born and the number of cats has dropped from around 120 to 80.

Cat health

Many of the cats on Aoshima are now in poor health. They are all seven years or older and decades of inbreeding has led to diseases of the respiratory system, and blindness. One of the few humans looking after the cats, Naoko Kamimoto, ensures the cas are fed and have their medication. She also finds cats that have died and gives them a proper burial in a secret location. The sitution is being monitored and there are outline plans to rehome cats and move them to shelters if necessary.

Tourism to Japan’s cat island

With so few people left, it’s mainly tourists who feed Aoshima’s cats. Two ferries a day deposit tourists on the island. The tourists have an hour to feed the cats in a designated area and play with them. What was once a thriving fishing village has now become something of a freak show.

Japan’s other cat islands

Nekojima is Japanese for ‘cat island’. They are all over Japan and in quite varied types of place. This article from All About Japan goes into detail. While many cat islands or coastal and in fishing areas, another, Muzukijima, is in an orange growing area. Isolated Manabeshima is an island popular with film crews, whereas Aijima is near a bullet train stop.