Taiwan’s first cat bridge & cat-themed bus – the bell sounds like a “chorus of cats”

Reported by You T-Ru / Taipei

Houtong’s cats stroll through this small mountain town, bridging time and transforming Houtong from a coal-mining village into a renowned Cat Village. Now, besides its cats, Houtong is set to debut another new attraction. After more than eight months of renovation, the old, rusty overpass at Houtong Railway Station has been reborn as a shared human-cat bridge that combines transport and tourism. With its distinctive, imaginative design shaped like a cat, it reflects Houtong’s character—its cats, coal mines, and tunnels—spanning the railway to connect the Cat Village and the Coal Mining Park. It includes rest seats for humans and cats, as well as cat towers and walkways, making the cats the true masters of the new bridge.


▲ Houtong Cat Bridge. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)


▲ Cat tower inside the cat bridge. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The cat bridge is 60 meters long and 2.5 meters wide (more than double the 1.2-meter width of the old bridge). Its “cat head” is located at the Vision Pavilion end, featuring two ears, while its “cat tail” is at the Cat Village end. To avoid disrupting train operations, construction was limited to just four hours each night for over eight months, making the project highly challenging. It is also the only pedestrian overpass in Taiwan with uniquely sized and shaped components crossing a railway.

The bridge structure includes twenty-five ring sections, five hundred square tube components, and seven hundred fifty steel-aluminum panels. All components vary in size. Additionally, several thoughtful features were designed specifically for Houtong’s cats—for example, the power distribution box in front of the Vision Pavilion was wrapped with pallets to create a custom cat play tower, and the underside of benches offers hiding spots for cats to escape pursuing dogs. The “Cat Bridge” is Taiwan’s first pedestrian overpass shared by humans and cats, integrating animal welfare, tourism, and art to enhance Houtong’s appeal as a tourist destination.


▲ Cat-themed bus. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)


▲ Cat-shaped seat covers on the cat bus. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

In addition to the cat bridge, Houtong also collaborated with renowned cat photographer “Cat Lady” and local artist “Stone Cat Teacher Li Hongxiang,” along with illustration duo “catophilia,” to create the “Ruifang-Houtong 808 Cat Bus.” The bus’s exterior design concept centers around cats and natural ecology. At the rear, the bellflower plant is paired with the imagery of Stone Cat Bella mining, showcasing local characteristics, while the Migo cat head serves as the front of the bus. Its large eyes are positioned right where the headlights would be—when the lights are on, it looks as if the cat’s gleaming eyes are shining brightly. The bus windows are adorned with cat paw prints, as if playful cats have been hopping around inside, leaving their adorable footprints behind.

Inside the bus, the catophilia illustration duo curated three series of cat-themed poster artworks for display. The front section features “hime’s cats” with its “Cat Waiting for the Bus” and a Houtong-exclusive illustration titled “The Kitten in the Miner’s Hat,” while the back showcases “silhouette life” depicting three local delicacies through cat poses. The bus is covered inside and out with charming hand-drawn cat designs.


▲ Cat-shaped handle grips. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)


▲ Luggage storage area. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

Additionally, to coincide with the launch of the cat bus, the New Taipei City Government partnered with Wind Music to produce a unique cat-themed departure chime. The cat-inspired music was composed by renowned local musician Lin Huiling, adapted from her original song “There’s a Cat Living in My Heart.” Various cat sounds expressing different moods were incorporated into the melody, resulting in a cheerful and lively tune that feels like a welcoming chorus of Houtong’s cats.