▲They prowl the island, curling up wherever the afternoon sun hits, or strutting around the quiet village.

▲In 1945, the mile-long island served as a fishing village with a population of approximately 900.

▲A small colony of a few breeds of cats were originally brought over to help with pest control, particularly the abundance of mice that were plaguing fishermen’s boats.

▲And they multiplied fast, almost at the same rate as the human population dwindled. In 2013, the island was estimated to be home to just 50 human residents.

▲Residents cared for the furry creatures, and veterinarians still come to the island to check up on them.

▲Cat cafés have been popular in Tokyo for a while, catering to the feline fans who can't keep pets at home because of strict housing regulations.

▲The adorable creatures have become an inseparable part of the island.

▲If you've got a ledge, a doorstep, or a roof, that's free real estate for a feline.

▲There is only so much space on an island.

▲These island cats are, naturally, quite laid back.

▲These cats have it all.

▲How they act when they are no longer a pet.

▲The inquisitive eyes of cats will find you.

▲The tiny island has become extremely popular online, bringing boatloads of tourists to see the phenomenon with their own eyes.

▲There are no restaurants, cars, shops, or kiosks on the island.

▲The island is accessible via a ferry that leaves from Port Nagahama, yet neither the trek nor the lack of tourist amenities put people off.

▲They seem to be doing fine surviving on the rice balls, energy bars, potatoes, or fish scraps they're fed.

▲But really, who wouldn't?

▲Some feed the felines, and others shoo them away.

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There are actually about a dozen “cat islands” in Japan.

Another popular cat island is Tashirojima, in the Miyagi Prefecture, which has a human population of less than 100, but a much larger cat population.

▲The stray cat population thrives because locals believe that feeding cats will bring wealth, healing, and good fortune.

▲No dog would last on an island of feral cats.

▲And in the absence of threat, they roam the island without fear.

▲Much of the island once raised silkworms for their textiles and fishing nets, so they introduced cats to chase the pestering mice away.

▲Over time, the cat population began to grow quickly while the human population dwindled down to less than 100 residents.

▲The residents and thousands of tourists who flock to the island every year genuinely enjoy the presence of cats.

▲Perhaps the tourists are all in search of money and good fortune.

▲Some claim that it was the cats who kept the majority of the island from being destroyed during the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

▲Known as Neko-jinja, it sits in the middle of the island, and was originally built for a cat who accidentally died when hit by a falling rock.

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The cats on the island are reportedly being spayed and neutered in order to lower the feline population, especially since the human population is seriously declining.

Interested in a feline companion of your own? Check out the Common myths about cats, debunked.

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Aoshima Island, or “Cat Island,” is a small slice of land in the Ehime Prefecture of southern Japan, and it's one of the few places on Earth where there are significantly more feline residents than humans. Cats actually outnumber humans six to one!

Check out this gallery to get a glimpse of the cat lover's paradise.