Known for its large cat population, Shanghai has an estimated 400,000 stray felines scattered across every corner of the city. While some cats live relatively good lives, many find life on the street difficult due to a lack of food or mistreatment by humans.

Since 2022, a haven for stray cats has sought to change this. Located in Shanghai’s Laogang Town in the Pudong New Area, Cat Island currently hosts over 400 stray cats, all of whom were brought there by local residents. The project is sponsored by several social foundations, and overseen by the Shanghai municipal government.

For the staff of Cat Island, taking care of stray cats is difficult but rewarding. They hope the center can inspire other similar projects around the country and educate the public on how to be a responsible pet owner. 

Videographer: Lü Xiao and Wu Huiyuan; video editor: Lü Xiao; story editor: Vincent Chow; copy editor: Tom Arnstein.