{"id":462,"date":"2014-02-19T00:50:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-19T00:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ANIMALPAGES.COM\/animals\/?p=462"},"modified":"2025-07-03T12:16:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T19:16:31","slug":"beautiful-photos-of-japans-purrfect-cat-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/beautiful-photos-of-japans-purrfect-cat-islands\/","title":{"rendered":"Beautiful Photos of Japan\u2019s Purrfect Cat Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Japan, there isn\u2019t just one cat island \u2013\u00a0but at least two islands with that nickname. The most well-known \u201cneko shima\u201d (\u732b\u5cf6) or \u201ccat island\u201d is\u00a0Tashirojima<\/a>. Located in Miyagi Prefecture, over a thousand people lived there in the 1950s, but now there are around a hundred, with the majority being in their 70s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The cats were originally kept by the fishermen to eat mice. Today cats thrive on the island and outnumber the people. Dogs are prohibited on Tashirojima, and the locals feed the felines, believing they bring good luck. The island also houses a Shinto cat shrine. Vets check up on the cats, making sure they are healthy. And tourists visit the island just to see the cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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