Cats cosy up with train commuters in Japan as part of a campaign for strays

Some 30 felines were brought on board a train in Gifu Prefecture by an NGO to organise the "purfect" Sunday commute. The event was held so more people adopt and fewer cats end up killed in efforts to reduce the stray population.

A passenger looks at a cat in a cat cafe on a local train to bring awareness about the culling of stray cats in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. September 10, 2017.
Reuters

A passenger looks at a cat in a cat cafe on a local train to bring awareness about the culling of stray cats in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. September 10, 2017.

A Japanese civic group teamed up with a railway operator on Sunday to let allow some 30 cats on a train in Ogaki, central Japan. The cat cafe of sorts allowed passengers to interact with cats during their commute.

The event was hosted by Yoro Railway Co Ltd and a non-governmental organisation called Kitten Cafe Sanctuary hopes to raise awareness of the culling of street cats.

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Passengers were greeted by the meowing companions. While some commuters mingled with the felines, others enjoyed lunch.

"I think it's great more people are aware about stray kittens through events like this," Mikiko Hayashi, a passenger from western Japan who owns two previously stray cats, said.

Reuters

Passengers play with cats in a cat cafe organised on a train in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture in Japan to raise awareness about the culling of stray cats. September 10, 2017.

Reuters

An organising staff member holds a cat in a cat cafe on a train at an event to raise awareness about the culling of stray cats in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. September 10, 2017.

The number of cats in Japan admitted to shelters has dropped by around 70 percent to 72,624 in 2016 from 237,246 in 2004.

That has reduced the number of stray cats killed from 238,929 in 2004 to 45,574 in 2016.

The cat population in Japan is around 9.8 million.

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