Cats on a train! Japan railway lets stray cats roam to raise awareness

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  A girl pets a cat on a passenger seat, in a train cat cafe, held on a local train to bring awareness to the culling of stray cats, in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A passenger plays with cats, in a train cat cafe, held on a local train to bring awareness to the culling of stray cats. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A passenger plays with a cat, in a train cat cafe, held on a local train to bring awareness to the culling of stray cats,. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A cat walks near a window in a train cat cafe, held on a local train to bring awareness to the culling of stray cats. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A man takes a picture of a cat in a train cat cafe, held on a local train to bring awareness to the culling of stray cats. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  The train cat cafe, held on a local train to bring awareness to the culling of stray cats, arrives at a station in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A passenger takes a picture of a cat in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A cat walks near a window in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  Passengers gesture, as a cat sits near a window in a train cat cafe,. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A cat sleeps in the arms of a passenger in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A woman takes a picture of cats on a window of a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A rail staff member looks at the train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  An organising staff member holds a cat in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A cat is pictured in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  An organising staff member displays a cat from the window of a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A passenger holds a cat in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A rail staff member arranges seat covers in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A cat walks next to a passenger seat in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A woman wearing a Kimono holds a cat, in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  Passengers play with cats, in a train cat cafe. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  A passenger takes a picture of a cat. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

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  Passengers gesture, as a cat sits near a window. Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters

A Japanese civic group teamed up with a railway operator on September 10 to let some 30 cats roam on a local train at an event, hoping it will raise awareness of the culling of stray cats.

Passengers on a local train in Ogaki, in central Japan, were greeted by meowing companions on a moving train, where some passengers mingled with the felines.

"I think it's great more people are aware about stray kittens through events like this," said Mikiko Hayashi, a passenger from western Japan, who owns two cats that were strays. The event was hosted by Yoro Railway Co Ltd and a non-governmental organisation called Kitten Cafe Sanctuary.

The number of cats in Japan admitted to shelters has dropped by around 70 per cent to 72,624 in 2016 from 237,246 in 2004. That has reduced the number of cats culled from 238,929 in 2004 to 45,574 in 2016. The cat population in Japan is around 9.8 million.

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