Aoshima, Ehime
Native name: 青島 | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of Aoshima in 1981 | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Seto Inland Sea |
| Coordinates | 33°44′10″N 132°28′55″E / 33.736°N 132.482°E |
| Area | 0.49 km2 (0.19 sq mi) |
| Coastline | 4.2 km (2.61 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 90.8 m (297.9 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Region | Shikoku |
| Prefecture | Ehime Prefecture |
| City | Ōzu, Ehime |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 4 (2024) |
| Ethnic groups | Japanese |
Aoshima (Japanese: 青島, Hepburn: Aoshima), also known as Cat Island (Japanese: 猫の島, Hepburn: Neko no shima), is an island in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, known for its large number of feline residents and small number of people. Felines have been reported by news outlets to outnumber humans by ratios between 6:1 and 10:1, but as elderly inhabitants of the island have died, the ratio has greatly increased, to almost 36:1. Cats were introduced to combat rodents on fishing boats but remained on the island and reproduced in large numbers.
The feline inhabitants of Aoshima are fed by food donations from all over Japan. They also eat small animals on the island and food from visitors.
The island is roughly 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) long. It was formerly part of Nagahama in Kita District, but as of 2005, it is part of Ōzu city.
The human population on the island has decreased since sardine fisheries became depleted and jobs moved to cities. As of December 2024, only four people are still living on Aoshima, while the number of cats has dropped to 80.