Tama was a calico cat who began her life as a stray in the Japanese city of Kishi in 1999. Her hunting ground comprised the grounds surrounding the local train station, which at the time was experiencing a financial crisis due to dwindling passenger numbers.

As Tama often showed up at the station, she was adopted by the stationmaster and officially named as a stationmaster herself. She took up her place in the ticket office and greeted passengers. Word of the new stationmaster spread quickly and passenger numbers increased, as more and more people wanted to come to the station and be greeted by the celebrity cat.

One year later, she was appointed ‘Super Stationmaster’ — the fifth-highest ranking position in the railway company, and was given her own office. Eventually, news of Tama reached beyond Japan’s borders, resulting in both the town of Kishi and its train station becoming somewhat famous. Tama was named a ‘Knight of Wakayama’ for both her charm and her positive economic effect on the area. In 2013, she was given the title of ‘Vice President’ of the company. When Tama died in 2015, thousands of people gathered in Kishi to celebrate the life of this very special feline.
Tama was 16 years old when she died, and had a long, happy — and certainly extraordinary — life.

The story of Tama is the inspiration between the tamaVet® brand and its products. Our tamaVet® laboratory diagnostics are ideal for a fast and precise on-site diagnosis,  supporting you in providing  animals with the best possible treatment so that they too can lead a long and happy life — just like Tama.