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Japanese Cat Train Raises Awareness For Culling of Strays

The land of Hello Kitty is home to 9.8 million cats.
The cats were let loose on Japanese public transport.
Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
The cats were let loose on Japanese public transport.

Japanese group 'Kitten Cafe Sanctuary' and a local train operator teamed up over the weekend to raise awareness for the culling of stray cats with a very unique event.

About 30 cats roamed around on a local train in the central Japanese city of Ogaki, where they mingled with passengers during their commute.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness of the culling of stray cats in Japan. Miho Taguchi from the 'Kitten Cafe Sanctuary' told Reuters that she hopes more people will know about stray cats and culling after the event, and maybe even be inspired to adopt one.

The good news is, the culling numbers in Japan have dropped in the last ten years. According to Reuters, the number of cats admitted to shelters has dropped about 70 percent since 2004 and the number of cats culled has dropped by around 190,000 between 2004 and 2016.

The event did look like a lot of feline-themed fun. Check out some of the pictures below.

Ready for a close-up.
Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
Ready for a close-up.
On the prowl.
Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
On the prowl.
Not a bad way to spend a commute.
Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
Not a bad way to spend a commute.
Cats love a cat nap.
Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
Cats love a cat nap.
Getting a little catty?
Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
Getting a little catty?
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