Japan mourns Tama, the cat stationmaster

TOKYO: Tama the stationmaster, Japan’s feline star of a struggling local railway, was mourned by company officials and fans, and elevated as a goddess at a funeral yesterday.

The calico cat was appointed stationmaster at the Kishi station in western Japan in 2007. In her custom-made stationmaster’s cap and jacket, Tama quietly sat at the ticket gate welcoming and seeing off passengers.

The cat quickly attracted tourists and became worldfamous, contributing to the railway company and local economy.

Tama died of heart failure on June 22. During yesterday’s Shinto-style funeral at the station where she served, Tama became a goddess. The Shinto religion has a variety of gods, including animals.

She will be succeeded by another calico cat, Nitama, now an apprentice stationmaster. – AP