Photos of the playful sleepy life on Japan's 'Cat Island,' where cats outnumber humans 8 to 1

Just off the coast of Japan there is an island called Aoshima, which is also known as "Cat Island." The tiny fishing village is home to more than 140 cats, which roam around napping, playing, and snagging snacks from residents and tourists. They outnumber humans 8 to 1.

The cats were originally brought to the island to kill mice that hung around fishing boats. But as the human population dwindled from over 1,000 to 16, the cats stayed on and multiplied, as they continued to be fed by the remaining locals. 

The island has become a bit of a tourist destination, though the residents don't seem to mind, as long as it remains peaceful. And people donate cat food from all over Japan.

"If people coming to the island find the cats healing, then I think it's a good thing," 65-year-old fisherman Hidenori Kamimoto told Reuters in 2015. "I just hope that it's done in a way that doesn't become a burden on the people who live here."

This is what life on Cat Island is like: 

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Aoshima is a 30-minute ferry ride from the coast, and only has a handful of residents now.

There are, however, over 140 cats, which outnumber humans by more than 8 to 1, according to AFP.

Tourists have also begun to come to the island to gawk at the cats.

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Contributer : Tech Insider https://read.bi/2QZAAGe

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