On Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, "love stations" have recently been opened – fixed points with a constant supply of food and shelter for stray cats. The initiative is led by the Gulangyu street administration in collaboration with local entrepreneurs; the first "stations" appeared in July 2026 near the building of the former British company Asiatic Petroleum Company and other points on the island.
Cats on Gulangyu have long been a part of local life: they are found on every corner, attract tourists, and are considered "indigenous residents" of the island. The new shelters are designed as two-story wooden houses with a white three-step staircase. The lower tier protects from wind and rain – cats sleep and hide there. The upper tier is a ventilated attic under a pitched roof: it provides coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter.
One structure serves as both a "dining room" and a "bedroom" year-round. Food is supplied constantly, and the houses themselves are installed in places where cats are already accustomed to gathering. The administration plans to expand the network by involving popular tourist spots and local merchants to provide shelters in different areas of the island.
The project is part of efforts to create a "animal-friendly island" model. It not only helps stray cats but also reduces conflicts with residents and tourists by offering animals safe places to eat and rest. The next stages include involving more entrepreneurs and monitoring the effectiveness of the new points.
Such stations show how small but thoughtful changes in the urban environment can improve the lives of both people and animals on a popular tourist island.
Gulangyu Island is located in China, off the coast of the city of Xiamen in Fujian Province.
It is a small pedestrian island in the Taiwan Strait, about a kilometer from the center of Xiamen. You can get there by ferry. Gulangyu is known for its colonial architecture, gardens, musical culture, and a large number of cats. The "love station" project was organized by the Gulangyu district authorities in collaboration with local entrepreneurs. The first points were installed, in particular, near the "Maotouyinglou" building at the Gulangyu Imperial Palace Museum – this is the former building of the British company Asiatic Petroleum Company.
