Powerful Photos Reveal The Complex Truth About An Island Ruled By Cats
It’s known as “cat heaven,” but reality is a little more complicated.
By Hilary Hanson
3/29/2017 01:01 pm ET | Updated 3 hours ago
Animal photographer Andrew Marttila says when he first heard about Japan’s “cat islands,” he knew he had to go.
He’s best known for his portraits of felines and his partner, Hannah Shaw, founded the cat rescue group Kitten Lady, so it made sense for them to plan a trip.
“Cat islands” — places where populations of free-roaming kitties boom in the absence of predators — have drawn growing numbers of international feline-loving tourists for several years. Photos of huge groups of cats ― like these images from an island called Aoshima ― periodically go viral and fueling interest in visiting the region.
Japan has 11 cat islands in all, typically the result of fishermen bringing cats to shore to control rodent populations....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cat-island-japan-truth-ainoshima_us_58d83cf3e4b02a2eaab51a20@Freya @Hopalong Ginsberg Kittehs!
