An army of cats have taken over a Japanese island now outnumbering humans six to one.
The cats were originally brought to the island to keep the rats and mice down, but now residents have a new problem: too many cats.
More than 120 cats swarm the island with only a handful of humans for company, mostly pensioners who didn’t join the waves of migrants seeking work in the cities after WWI.
Aoshima, a 30-minute ferry ride off the coast of Ehime prefecture, had been home to 900 people in 1945. The only sign of human activity now is the boatload of day-trippers from the mainland, visiting what is locally known as Cat Island.
With no restaurants, cars, shops or kiosks selling snacks, Aoshima is no tourist haven. But cat lovers are not complaining.
I have to admit that I am not a cat guy.