A 60m long overpass furnished with cat stands and cat furniture is to be unveiled on March 30 in the Houtong (猴硐) area of New Taipei City’s (新北市) Ruifang District (瑞芳), where the presence of a large cat population has been a big tourist draw in recent years.
The town used to be one of the country’s largest coalmining sites, but it is now focused on its other natural resource: stray cats.
Over the years, the town has become home to an estimated 100 cats.
As Houtong is currently being renovated, city officials said it was a good opportunity to install cat-friendly facilities.
“We must take the cats’ needs into consideration because they have become an important part of the town,” city official Chen Ching-fang said.
She added that she hoped the bridge will reflect the harmonious coexistence of the town’s residents and the cats, as well as promote animal protection.
The overpass cost NT$18 million (US$602,600) and took eight months to build. It is expected to not only benefit cats, but also attract cat-lovers, Chen said.
The cats will be able to walk, relax and interact with pedestrians on the overpass.
Since 2009, Houtong has been nicknamed “Cat Town” after news was published about its large cat population.
The town attracts many tourists, especially on weekends, Chen said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS