Japan’s Cat Island Tweets Out S.O.S. For More Cat Food, Receives Heartwarming Response

Aoshima, or "Cat Island", as it has come to be known, is one of Japan's remote areas populated by adorable animals that have become extremely popular with Japanese and foreign visitors alike. The island actually has more felines running around on it than humans, and so the need for cat food is a lot greater than other stray-cat populated areas in Japan. While tourists love to visit and feed the enormous kitty clan, it can be tough for caretakers to handle the rest, as the island lacks proper shops for cat food. Located 13.5 kilometers from Nagahama port, restocking on food means travel is required to properly keep the cats fed. I mean, just look at them!

Source: YouTube

So when food supplies were running dangerously low, a desperate caretaker sent out a Tweet asking for help from anyone who could support them.

キャッツフード（ご飯）を青島に送ってください。
エサが徐々に足りなくなってきています。
送り先　７９９－３４７０
愛媛県大洲市長浜町青島５２
青島猫を見守る会
紙本　直子様

お電話番号が必要な場合、個別にお問い合わせください。 pic.twitter.com/pAB3IGpzMU
— 猫の島　青島 (@aoshima_cat) 2016年2月20日

"Please send cat food to Aoshima. We are quickly running out of cat food.

Aoshima Cat Protection Association

52 Aoshima, Nagahama-cho, Ozu-shi, Ehime Prefecture 799-3470

Kamimoto Naoko

If you need our phone number, please contact us privately."

While nothing rallies the more kindhearted members of the internet like a cat in need, the gravity of the situation on Aoshima may not have been fully understood by everyone, as the tough reality of survival often gets masked by its cute image. This case seemed to be particularly urgent.

青島の現状をご理解ください。
青島には食べ物を買えるお店がありません。自動販売機もありません。
島民は船で本土まで行き必要な物資を調達します。
しかし、その船は
冬場になると強風により欠航が相次ぎます。
— 猫の島　青島 (@aoshima_cat) 2016年2月20日

"Please understand the situation in Aoshima.

There are no stores on Aoshima where we can purchase food. We don't even have vending machines.

We get our necessities to live by taking a boat to the mainland.

The strong Winter winds have caused boat services to be continually canceled, however."

As you can see by the dates of the Twitter posts, Aoshima received a swift outpouring of support and concern for the hungry kitties.

本日、青島へ渡っております。
40個以上の荷物が青島へ届けられます。
皆様からの沢山のご支援
本当にありがとうございました！ pic.twitter.com/TW7u9Gb43h
— 猫の島　青島 (@aoshima_cat) 2016年2月23日

Today I will be headed to Aoshima.

More than 40 packages are going to be delivered.

Thank you so much everyone, for your support!

沢山のご支援ありがとうございました。
現在、猫のご飯が保管場所に入らなくなり
待合所に置いてあります。
今の状態ですと3月末まで充分な量のご飯を確保できていますので
一旦支援を止めさせて下さい。
よろしくお願いします。 pic.twitter.com/eCQnn3DKOe
— 猫の島　青島 (@aoshima_cat) 2016年2月23日

Thank you for so much support.

Currently, we cannot fit any more cat food in the storage area, and so we are putting them in the waiting area.

Under current conditions, we have enough food to last us until the end of March. So please don't send anymore for now.

Thank you very much.

But even a plea to stop helping can't stop the inexorable tide of love the people in Japan have for kitties in need!

支援物資（猫ちゃんのエサ、ご飯）の青島への発送は停止願います。
予想以上の大量のエサ（ご飯）が青島に届いてしまい、保管場所がなくなりました。４月まで大丈夫です。皆さんありがとうございました。
それにしても青島の猫たちの人気はすごい pic.twitter.com/Rffwnxie85
— 猫の島　青島 (@aoshima_cat) 2016年2月25日

Please stop sending support (cat treats and food) to Aoshima.

We received far more support than we ever expected, and have run out of room to store the food. We'll be all right until April. Everyone, thank you very much.

Even so, Aoshima's cats are really popular!

The term "faith in humanity restored" gets tossed around the internet rather lightly these days, and maybe how we attach it to the simplest things is more indicative of how accustomed we are to poor human behavior than anything else. However, there's something remarkably heartwarming about the immediate response to cats in need of help on an island. Maybe they'll never know it, but they are clearly cared for as more than just a tourist attraction! Good job, humans.