Random Things You Should Know About Aoshima, Island Of Cats (10 items)

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  (#1) Cats Outnumber Humans 6:1

  On Aoshima, cats are the kings. They outnumber humans 6 to 1, though that number is a little skewed. There are only around 20 or so human residents on Aoshima, so they're not exactly hard to outnumber. Still, that's a pretty dramatic ratio, especially on such a small island (about 121 acres.)
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  (#2) The Island Used To Have A Lot More Human Residents

  Aoshima wasn't always as low on human residents as it is now. Approximately 380 years ago, inhabitants of what is now Hyogo Prefecture were attracted to Aoshima by the abundance of sardines in its waters. One source claims in 1945 there were 900 people living on the island, while another source says the population peaked in 1955 with 758 people. Either way, that's a lot more than the current population of approximately 20.

  What happened? After World War II, many younger residents of Aoshima left the island to seek work elsewhere. The remaining residents were retirees who saw no need to leave. As the human population dwindled, the cat population exploded. 
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  (#3) The Cats Managed The Island's Mouse Problem

  Before Aoshima's cat population swelled, there was a huge mice problem on the island. This is because villagers used to raise silkworms to make silk for their fishing nets. The silkworms attracted mice, so cats were brought in to solve the problem.

  The cats made short work of the resident rodents, and today mice are a non-issue for the people of Aoshima.
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  (#4) You Can Visit If You Want To

  If you want to go cat-watching on Aoshima, you absolutely can. Once you're in Ōzu, Ehime Prefecture, you can take the Yosan Line on the Shikoku Railway company to the JR Iyonagahama station. From there, walk to the Nagahama Port. Twice a day, there's a 35 minute boat trip to Aoshima.

  Unfortunately, Aoshima has nowhere for tourists to stay overnight, so unless you're personally acquainted with one of the residents, you'll want to make overnight arrangements elsewhere.
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  (#5) There's A Daily Cap On Visitors

  Only 34 visitors are allowed on Aoshima per day. While this might be disappointing to tourists, it's important to island's elderly residents that tourism doesn't get out of control. They don't want their homes overrun with visitors who might disrupt their peaceful lifestyle.

  So, if you're lucky enough to be one of the 34 guests, please be respectful of the human beings, and cats, who live there. 
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  (#6) Aoshima Isn't The Only Cat Island In Japan

  Cat islands are more common in Japan than you might think. Aoshima is one of more than 10 cat islands in the country. While all of them have being overrun by cats in common, they all have their own unique attributes that make them worth visiting. 

  For example, if you want to visit Iwaishima, you'll not only have a chance to interact with cats, but also other humans. The island has a population of at least 500 people, and "many cats." If you need someplace to stay overnight, you can stay at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. Ajima has its own beach and camping sites. On Tashirojima Island, you can even visit a cat shrine. 
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  (#7) The Cats Get A Lot Of Their Food From Humans

  Despite originally being brought on to pick off the mice population, these cute cats mostly depend on tourists and residents to feed them now. Atsuko Ogata, a village nurse in Aoshima, regularly takes food to the cats in a designated feeding area. This results in an adorable storm of fluff and meowing. The cats also eat rice balls, energy bars, and other snacks that they manage to grab from visiting tourists.
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  (#8) The Cats Can Fend For Themselves

  Despite the abundance of food the local cats get from both residents and tourists, Aoshima's felines would be okay without human intervention. Cats on Aoshima supplement their diets with fresh fish. The waters are still rich with sardines - a perfect snack for a kitty cat. 
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  (#9) Not All Of The Residents Love Their Furry Neighbors

  As cute as the fluffy residents of Aoshima might be, they can certainly cause their share of trouble. Imagine, for example, you're into gardening. It's going to be pretty difficult to maintain your vegetable patches if cats appear in your yard to dig them up and pee on them all the time. That's why at least one woman was seen chasing cats away from her garden with a stick. 
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  (#10) Population Control Is Key

  In an effort to control the burgeoning population, at least 10 of the cats have been neutered. However, this is still an ongoing process. 

  While the high number of cats and the yearly explosions in the kitten population might seem adorable, it's actually better for the cats themselves if their numbers stay small. With fewer cats, diseases are less likely to spread amongst them, and they're less likely to fight over resources. Besides that, spaying and neutering cats can decrease behavioral problems like spraying. 

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