Cats Invade a Small Island in Japan March 05 2015, 10 Comments

The endless debate of whether cats or dogs are the superior animal may perhaps be put to rest. 

Living on an island in which humans are outnumbered 6 to 1 by dogs would quickly be invaded by animal shelters. Yet a cat population of this magnitude is celebrated. Upon discovering Aoshima, one of 11 Japanese cat islands, tourists from all over have travelled to snap pictures of this cat heaven - bringing prosperity to this neglected island inhabited by small elderly communities.

 

Of the 11 cat islands, some are a little more urban than others, boasting the coexistence of cats amongst sunbathers and surfers! 

How did this happen? Well, it seems they were first introduced to these fishing islands to control the hoards of mice that had taken over. With lots of rodents and fish to snack on and no predators, hundreds of cats now roam the grounds. 

Many of these islands, have no cars and have completely banned dogs - what more could a cat ask for? From the look of these pictures, the cats are happy and at peace in their protective environment. 

Many of these islands have vets drop by on a regular basis to keep an eye on the general health of these kitty communities and have begun the process of neutering them to keep the population under control (...relatively!). 

Living in what seems to be a complete tranquility and harmony - many cat loving tourists and photobloggers have photographed years of cat love and mischief within these impressive cat communities! 

 

Photographed by Fubirai