Cat employed as stationmaster at Japanese station farewelled with huge funeral

[Towelie]

A beloved cat appointed stationmaster of a Japanese railway station has been farewelled at a lavish funeral.

Calico cat Tama joined the staff of the Kishigawa railway station in western Japan in 2007 and was given a custom jacket and cap as part of her role.

Tama died of heart failure earlier this month and at her traditional Shinto funeral, the popular feline was appointed "honourable eternal stationmaster", The Independent has reported.

The president of the Wakayama Electric Railway Mitsunobu Kojima said after initially being employed to keep workers happy, Tama became an efficient employee in her own right.
The rail company had been close to bankruptcy when she was appointed but her arrival sparked a resurgence is the business’ fortunes as tourists flocked to see the stationmaster in action.

She raised more than 1.1 billion Yen (A$11.6 millon) for the local economy.

"Tama-chan really emerged like a saviour, a goddess,” Mr Kojima said.

“It was truly my honour to have been able to work with her."

Tama will be remembered with a memorial at a nearby cat shrine, while another cat named Nitama has been appointed apprentice stationmaster.