Welcome to Aoshima, a tiny island located in the Ehime Prefecture of southern Japan. The island is a peaceful fishing village with a circumference of just 1.6km.
However, what it's most known for is its huge cat population, with cats outnumbering humans living on the island. The most recent statistics estimate that humans are outnumbered on the island by some 36:1. As of 2019, Asahi Shimbun Globe reports the human population to be six and AERA dot reports that there were at least 220 cats on the island in October 2018.
As such, the island has been lovingly nicknamed "cat island". The island in Ehime Prefecture, Japan , is known around the world for its feline residents. Over the years, cats have been reported as outnumbering humans somewhere between 6:1 and 10:1, but as elderly inhabitants have begun to die, this ratio has grown tremendously.
(Image: Getty Images) Link copied Cats were first introduced to the island in a bit to combat rodent on fishing boats, but over the years the cats which remained on Aoshima reproduced to create the vast population. The island is roughly one mile long, but visitors report seeing cats at every turn. Since sardine fisheries depleted and more people moved to cities for work, the human population on the island has depleted.
(Image: Getty Images) Link copied The cats on the island are fed by food donations from all over Japan. Visitors to the island often feed the cats, while the few human inhabitants on the island also lend a hand in caring f.
