We took shots of the many cats living on Noshima, and enjoyed interacting with various friendly cats.
Cat family
Cats love their moms too. There is nothing kids love more than being smothered with attention. Oops, he seems to notice us. He is curious about the camera! Kittens are also curious just like kids. He never took his eyes from the camera.
My Special Seat
This is my special seat! I am a cat ambassador, not a guardian dog, sitting in front of the shrine. Are you watching the island's peace from here? Anyway, it looks good. In Japan, cats are worshiped as gods because they hunt rats, the natural enemy of the sericulture (silkworm) industry.
Cat Spraw
We found a cat sprawled in the gap between the wall and a planter. It didn’t run away when we approached, and even allowed us to pet it. It was a very kind cat.
Me too! Hurry up!
Cats who get rice from a local resident. Looking up at the grandmother who brought the rice, the cats seemed to say, "Hurry up! Give me more, now!"
Enjoying every day desperately
People say that we spend our lives sleeping, but you just don’t know us well enough. The life span of a cat is one fifth of that of a human. We think, feel, and die at 5x the speed of you guys. Thus, we are enjoying every day desperately.
Cat's Favorite Spots
The back alleys of Noshima are cats' favorite places. They are quiet, the breeze passes through continuously, and there are not many people. If you want to meet a cat, bring a can of tuna and go to a back alley.
Watering Hole
There is a resting place for cats near a bench just a short walk from the port. They seem to be hydrating with the water collected in the bucket there. You can see that they are fighting the heat in their own clever ways.
Solid bond
Looking along the road, you can see cats with the same pattern relaxing here and there. Are these cats all family members? We could observe the three cats moving around as a threesome, wherever they went.
Crazy for cat toys
There are times when cats get hooked on their toys.
During their adolescence, if you shake a toy in front of a cat, it will follow the toy like crazy. You can watch this for hours on end. In addition, they love being held and petted. But the cat toy always wins out.
Curiosity killed the Cat
The kitten’s curiosity is strong, and it approaches without fear. He is very familiar with people, and it comfortable being petted. Through this, you can see the good relationship between the islanders and their cats.
As expected
It is often said that cats know cool places, but when I went to the bench where they gathered, sure enough, it was a nice place with a good breeze. They did it again.
Landscape and assimilation
Noshima has many narrow roads, one of which has a cat assimilated with the scenery. If you look closely, you may find it unexpectedly close.
Noshima's idol
This cat is relatively young in Noshima. She gave me a nice look when taking pictures, as well as letting me pet her while she relaxed. She must be Noshima's idol.
Intertwined relations
Noshima's cats are very friendly. It seemed to be especially friendly to the island people, and I could see the cats and the island people interacting comfortably together. The fact that the distance between cats and people is very close is one of the attractions of Noshima.
My Bed, Not yours!
The outdoor unit seems to be the best bed for Noshima cats. Another cat walked around the outdoor unit as if she wanted it. "It’s my bed, not yours!"
Cat Camoflage
Noshima cats are good at hide and seek. They are hard to find because of the color similar to the surrounding nature and buildings. If you squint and look closely, you may find one close by. “Because the color is the same as the bench, humans are surprised to see me, meow.”
Noshima Cat Therapy
Noshima has many friendly cats. The photo above is of a cat found under the eaves of a private house near the Noshima Post Office. When I stroked my body, it made a cute meow. These cats must be therapists for everyone on Noshima.
Sipporting each other
The cats in the photo were at a private house near the public hall. The resident of this private house was feeding the cats with rice. The islanders and the cats support each other and live together harmoniously.
Sleeping Soundly
Kittens play well and sleep well.
It is said that the name of "cat" (Neko) came from the words "sleeping child" (Neru-Ko).
In the afterlife, I want to become a stray cat that is loved in a cat-friendly place like Noshima and take a nap next to people.
More then 3/2 of a cat's life
Adult cats also sleep.
Sleep is 1/3 of a human’s life, but more than 2/3 of a cat’s life.
The fact that Noshima’s cats can sleep anywhere shows that everyone protects and cares for them, even if only indirectly.