Interesting Facts!! #24

24. Cat Island~

 "Cat Island"wait lets make that Cat Island's because there are at least two islands in Japan that are ruled by cats! Everyday is Caturday on these islands! 

It all started way back when mice ate the silkworms being raised to make silk, so the farmers brought in a few cats.Then, fishermen noticed they were able to make weather forecasts based on the cat’s behavior and considered cats good luck. Though it could have been a (cough)cat-astrophe(cough), all the cats were safe after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and because of the cats behavior most of the islanders were saved because of their four legged companions.

Perhaps the most well-known "neko shima" (猫島) or "cat island" is Tashirojima, an island in Miyagi Prefecture. In the 1950s, over a thousand people lived on the island. Now, there are around a hundred, with the majority being in their 70s. Cats, however, thrive on the island and apparently outnumber the locals. Dogs are prohibited on Tashirojima, and people feed the felines, believing they bring good luck. Vets check up on them, making sure the animals are healthy. And tourism has sprouted up around the animals, with vacationers visiting the island just to see the cats. 

The island is also home to a Shinto cat shrine.

There's an area of Tashirojima called "Manga Island," because manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori designed cat-shaped lodges for visitors, which houses manga art, and has a gift shop. 

Recently, another "cat island", this one called Aoshima in Ehime Prefecture, has become quite popular. Only sixteen people live on Aoshima, meaning that, like on Tashirojima, these four-legged friends outnumber the humans. 

-The more you know~