Houtong Township in northern Taiwan’s New Taipei City was named Nov. 6 by U.S. cable network CNN as one of the six places in the world where cats outshine tourist attractions.
The small mountainous community fell into feline celebrity by accident, CNN said, adding that it prospered for a while during the 1970s, thanks to gold and coal mines, but after the minerals ran out in the 1990s and the population dwindled, some new, furry residents arrived.
Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Park was established to showcase the heritage of the town and surrounding hills. “But visitors mostly come to photograph the 120 or so playful cats, who laze around the Cat Village and soak up the fuss,” CNN said.
The other five locations named by CNN are Ainoshima and Tashirojima in Japan; the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Florida; Kalkan, Turkey; and the ruins at Largo Argentina in Rome, Italy.
According to New Taipei City Government’s Tourism and Travel Department, Houtong’s feline fame can be traced back to Guangfu Ward, where four families had been feeding stray cats for years.
“Three years ago, a blogger began posting photos of Houtong’s cats, inspiring others to follow suit and cat lovers nationwide to make the hourlong trip by train from Taipei City to Houtong,” a city official said.
The local government soon capitalized on the township’s new-found fame, building a cat overpass resembling a coal mine tunnel earlier this year in front of the historic Houtong railroad station.
“This feline-friendly structure became an overnight sensation with tourists,” the city official said. “It is equipped with cat bowls, playing facilities and resting areas for viewers and the animals.”
The unique design, which harks back to the town’s golden mining past, was recognized with an award from the ROC Public Construction Commission this year, the official said. (SFC-JSM)
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