If you are a great lover of cats, surely you are interested in knowing curiosities about them. And on this occasion, we are not going to disappoint you, especially if you are one of those who usually travel. Because, would you like to go to a cat island?
Actually, it is not nonsense, since in the world we can find some that have the qualification of island of cats. The best known of all is that of Aoshima, in Japan. And if we tell you that there are also others at various points? Today, we are going to tell you about the different places where you will find that ownership is attributed to these cats.
Where is the island of cats
As we have told you before, The best-known island of cats in the world, which is not the only one, is located in Aoshima, in Japan. Specifically, it is south of Japan. It is a very small island, mainly full of fishermen, with less than 20 inhabitants. However, these 20 humans are not a number when compared to the approximately 120 cats in the feline census.
Currently, it is a place that can be visited; in fact, many of the cats live precisely from tourism since those who visit the island do so because of them, which allows the money that is taken to be used to care for the cats (feeding, veterinary check-ups...).
The story of the island of cats in Aoshima
But, being an island, how could it end up being full of cats? The story goes back several years. And it is that, as we have told you before, the island of Aoshima was, and is, an island of fishermen.
Years ago, the inhabitants of Aoshima had a problem with mice, and they did not see a feasible solution to get rid of them. So they decided to bring some cats to take care of them and hunt them.
The problem is that those cats began to reproduce and, with it, to increase the number of cats that were there. In fact, it is said that the island of cats in Aoshima has the most cats per square meter.
Today, most of the population that remains in Aoshima is older. Many of those who lived there moved after World War II in search of another job opportunity, which is why cats can now camp in abandoned (or cat-infested) houses.
The other islands of cats
After looking for information about the island of cats in Aoshima, we discovered that It's not the only one in the world. Although it is the most famous, especially because there is a much more abundant cat population than the human one, the truth is that there are more cat islands. For this reason, we wanted to compile them for you below.
Tashirojima Island
Tashirojima Island is another island that can be proud to be considered the island of cats. And it is that, located in the Tohoku region, in the Miyagi prefecture, contains more than 130 cats along with human inhabitants who live in it. The entire island is 11 kilometers and we must tell you that there are more cats than people.
In it, where there will be a greater influx of cats will be in the two ports of the island, on the one hand, Puerto Odomari, to the north; and, on the other, the Nitoda port, to the south. It is in this second where they tend to concentrate more, but both are about two kilometers apart, so you can perfectly go from one to the other.
Don't miss the Sanctuary dedicated to cats. In fact, according to legend, the fishermen who once lived on the island paid homage to a cat, because they were able to predict the weather and the catch. But, one day, one of the cats died in an accident and caused so much grief that they established a sanctuary to worship him as if he were a God.
That is why many cat toys, or even food, are left in the sanctuary.
umashima
Umashima made the news a few years ago for a heinous act towards the cats on the island. And it is that, at that time, there were 5 cats for every human. The problem is that, suddenly, they started to disappear and I didn't know for sure why.
After several investigations, it was learned that the "culprit" was a man who, to protect the crops from the crows, poisoned the fish so they would eat them. But of course, the cats also ate it and finally fell.
This island located in the southwest of Japan, near Kitakyushu, has always been quite famous in the country. But internationally it is not so well known.
Although there are still cats on the island, they are much fewer, and that has caused tourist visits to decrease.
Also in Brazil there is an island of cats
We are now going to another part of the world, specifically to Brazil. Because there you can also find an island of cats. It is located only 20 minutes from Mangaratiba, on the Costa Verde of Brazil. And it is very popular because the cats have become "owners" of the island.
Currently, its population is quite a lot; We are talking about 250 cats trying to feed themselves with what they canespecially thanks to the tourists. The problem is that there are so many cats that many have resorted to cannibalism to feed themselves. In addition, there are domesticated cats like other wild ones and fights are common.
Ainoshima
Finally, we return to Japan, specifically to Ainoshima. It is in Miyagi Prefecture, Tohoku, in Kyushu, Fukuoka. And what are you going to find? Well, a small island, just 1,25 square kilometers with about 500 human inhabitants. Most of them are fishermen. And about 150 cats.
Throughout its little extension, you will find lots of cats. Almost all of them are in the port (probably because of the smell of fish in that place). The vast majority are quiet and they are used to humans, which they follow to be fed.