On August 6, 1996, a young Iriomote cat was involved in a traffic accident near Nadara Bridge on the northern part of the island. He weighed 1.6 kilograms and was assumed to have been born in early March, making him about five months old. It is possible that he had just been separated from his mother. The next morning he had regained consciousness, but he wasn't able to regulate his body temperature due to the serious injuries he received. He was transferred to Ishigaki Island at 9 am to receive medical care at Ishigaki Veterinary Clinic. He spent 24 days under their care.