Cats are sick, injured and dying on Japan's "Cat Islands"

Japan: Help animals on "cat islands"

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Dear friends, Japan's "cat islands" are a huge tourist attraction — and with good reason! These 11 small islands in the Japanese archipelago are home just a handful of people, but at times, hundreds of cats roam freely on each island. It's like a cat cafe on steroids. But behind these seemingly idyllic scenes lies an uglier truth. Most of the cats' ancestors were brought to the islands for pest control. As their numbers have skyrocketed, there's been more need for active management, but locals have made it clear they're not interested. Their preferred management method is to let nature take its course, which means many kittens die from upper respiratory diseases and many males succumb to injuries sustained in fights for territory and mates. Sorry to burst the bubble, but it wasn't "nature's course" when the cats were brought to the island in the first place. Now, it's time for people to take responsibility and ensure the animals are cared for. That's why Care2 member Andrew M. is asking the Japanese government to set up a trap, neuter and release (TNR) program that would control the population in a humane way. A TNR program would allow the islands to keep being an attraction, but not at the expense of the cats' quality of life. Sign Andrew's petition to urge the Japanese government to mandate humane TNR on all its cat islands. Thank you,   Emily V. The Care2 Petitions Team