Until last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan, some of you may have heard about Cat Island but not many of you knew very much about it. You just knew that somewhere off the eastern Japanese coast was a tiny island where humans, most of them elderly, were outnumbered by cats. No dogs were allowed there, and the cats roamed freely and were loved and well cared for by both residents and visitors.
Cat Island was also right in the area most severely hit by the 8.9 earthquake of March 11 and subsequent tsunami.
Many humans immediately assumed that both the cats and their caretakers were done for. After all, with such massive devastation in the area, how could it be otherwise? Amazingly, it looks like the kitties and humans have made it through! Let me explain how this could be.
Cat Island, or Tashirojima (田代島), is about a four-hour trip northeast of Tokyo, ending in a 40-minute ferry ride from Ishinomaki. It pokes out of the water not unlike my big ears poke out of my head. In other words, in spite of its tiny size (8 square miles in total), Cat Island has a high elevation. The 100 or so residents (83% of whom are over 65) understand the vulnerability of their location all too well, and they would have immediately headed for the highest ground of the island. And the cats? Do you think we are dumb? I’m sure those kitties were beating those humans up the hill! Few cats want to get wet, and we are far faster than elderly humans, even ones as resilient as those who inhabit Cat Island.
And it looks like that is exactly what happened. Love Meow reports that a resident of Tokyo whose parents live on Tashirojima managed to find out that his folks are okay, even though the island itself moved about 30 centimeters downward (about one foot) and there was much damage. It may take awhile before we find out exactly how well Cat Island made it through this disaster — cell phone signals can be spotty, especially away from the ports, in normal times. And chances are a lot of the cute cat lodges and cat shrines that charmed travelers are history. Emergency supplies will likely have to be brought in by helicopter and this may even be happening already.
So while we are waiting for more news (hopefully good) from Cat Island, here are a few facts:
- Many, many years ago, the residents raised silkworms and made silk. The cats won these humans over with their mousing skills (believe it or not, mice are predators to silkworms!).
- The cats went on to charm the fishermen too. Free fish for life!
- There are no schools there (logical, since the majority of residents are cats or seniors).
- There are no gas stations either. The island gets fuel deliveries every two months.
- There are no banks.
- There is (or maybe was) a post office.
- The highest peak is 96.2 meters, or 315 feet, lending credence to the islanders, both feline and human, finding safety on high ground.
- There were seven inns on the island. This is the Google translation of the link to one of them.
- I am not really sure what this website is — even fed through the Google translator, I can’t figure it out. But it looks like fun and it’s where I found out about the highest elevation on the island.
And all the photos you see? Yes, they are all Tashirojima kitties, taken in October, 2010 by Rahen.
See all of Summer’s merch at her Designercat Shop, available on Zazzle.
Now Cat Island sounds like a place I’d like to retire to! This is the first I’ve heard of it.
I never heard of cat island either but my human thinks it might be the real heaven. Thanks for spreading the word on this.
We’ve been following Cat Island on FB. We sure hope they are okay. With all the sadness and devastation it would be nice to hear some good news.
The Florida Furkids and Angel Sniffie
Thank you for telling us more about Cat Island. That is very good news that they and the people hopefully survived the tsunami.
Oh thanks so much for that report Sparkle. I didn’t want to read about it if it had been wiped out. But if there is hope, then that is the best news there could be. That was a wonderful post about Cat Island. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the update. Glad there is hope…
pawhugs, Max
We hope everyone is okay, this is a hopeful post, Sparkle, thank you!
Thanks for the update, Sparkle.
Hello Sparkle. That last website you linked to is a general website on visiting Tashiro Island and does not have any earthquake-related updates (some of the Google translation stuff is scary, though…). I have been going through a number of Japanese blogs and it seems that the residents and cats are OK, having moved to high ground in time. There are no official reports yet, though. It’s all coming out in dribs and drabs from individuals.
#1 of the Poupounette
Yay – I was so glad you were able to stop by and enlighten us about that. I was really wondering. I am not surprised about the translation. Whenever my human has seen something she knows about translated into English from another language in Google, it makes her cringe. It is probably just as well they don’t have Cat translations. At least not yet.
Sparkle – how lovely to hear the news – thank goodness the humans and the cats made their way up to the highest ground – it must have been so frightening for them as the water came surging towards them.
luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
We’d never heard of this wonderful place, but we are so glad to know that it seems to be doing mostly ok!
We’re purring that all the kitties and humans on that island are safe and well.
Dear Sparkle,
You are are one smart cat! Thank you for telling me about Cat Island! Me is going to follow all of your links! Me is purraying all the kitties and their peoples are OK.
Kisses
Nellie
I sure hope all is well with them, I hate to think otherwise. Paws crossed.
We are so glad to hear that Cat Island is doing okay! And we liked your background on it!
Let’s hope they don’t get hit with the nuclear fallout now that they’ve made it this far. This is the first I’ve heard of Cat Island. It did sound dreamy.
Thanks for sharing this, Sparkle. It made fascinating reading. Hope everyone there is ok.
Oh, oH, OH!!!!!!! What a marvelous place!!!!!!!!!!! Mama says we could happily live there as she is a few years past 65 and she is the servant of us darlin’ kitties!!!!!!!!!! The only problem is she doesn’t speak Japanese…..:(
We are so happy that reports are good from “Cat Island”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xxxxxx
It is good they are doing OK. The publicist was remarking to the male person just the other night that in the midst of all the human horror there were all the poor animals who now did not have their humans and would be very scared. Some of them would be hurt and have no one to pet them or help them. She feels very sad for them.
WE sure hope all the cats there are ok! We are awaiting more news!
–JB
We’ve heard the same news, that most of the residents (both 2 legged and 4 legged) on Cat Island are okay even though there is a lot of damage. Being fellow Island Cats, we’re happy to hear this!
Did you see the following, Sparkle?
http://lovemeow.com/2011/03/good-news-from-cat-island-how-to-help/
Not yet – thanks so much for the link!
I hadn’t heart of Cat Island myself and your post was just chock full of info!! (I heard of it obviously after the earthquake but not prior to)……thanks so much for giving all of us the great tutorial!
Wow. We didn’t know about Cat Island, but we are sure glad the humans and cats made it!
This iz a Hopeful post and puuray it iz true,,,,,
Our pawz are crossed and we Purray Loudly for All Soulz ~
I had never heard of cat island, until someone tweeted the day after the hurricane wondering about Cat Island. What a lovely place it must be. At least now there is some news that some oomans are okay and some of the kitties too.
With all the sadness going on, it is good to hear that the Cat Island residents are doing relatively well!
I’m so happy they are safe ! Thanks Sparkle you made this world so close to us : )
We had heard about Cat Island, and that things seemed better there than other places in Japan. Thank you Sparkle for this excellent post!
purrin
xoxox
Thank you for the bright spot in the midst of such sadness, Sparkle!
We hope everyone on Cat Island are doing okay! We’ve been worried about them after first hearing about them the day the earthquake and tsunami hit.
We didn’t know about Cat Island until now. We are glad to hear the people and kitties are safe. Our mom wouldn’t mind retiring there either 🙂
Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, and Hollie
Oh I really, really hope they are okay! I had never heard of this place before. I am purring really hard for all of Japan, but I’ll make a few extra loud and hope those kitties and older people can hear them.
Yeah a bright spot!
I wish everybody could really make it to the higher grounds, humans and cats as well. Especially the humans, since cats (and some animals in general) usually have better instinct about what might hit and be more alert, but humans don’t normally have such gift. So, let’s hope they all do survive and safe.
Iyam sending a BIG PHAT hug to all the kittehs and peepul who live on Cat Island!! Iyam happy yoo are SAFE! I hope you get lots of foodies and warm blankies and I wish you well!!
Purrrrrr.
Big Bad Baby Twinkle
Oh, I hope all those kitties are okay–or they went quickly and didn’t suffer. In this horrible tragedy, sometimes that is all we can hope for–that people didn’t suffer in their final moments.
I think I’m gonna move to Cat Island when this is all said and done. It sounds glorious!
That is so hopeful, I blogged about Cat Island too, but I didn’t have as much info as you did, great post thanks for letting us know
Thank you for spreading the awareness about the plight of animals in Japan. I also blogged about it too and hopefully, the animals and pets will get the help they need.
COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now we know where to go to vacation this summer! Pack up your suitcases every kitty! After every thing is all fixed, we’re going to Cat Island! (lol) I can see it now…. 😉