The answer lies in the last 400 years of Taiwanese history, during which Taiwan has been ruled by the Spanish, Dutch, the Qing dynasty, and Japan. Tu Pai (who is cooperating with the Cat Lovers 'Club in a study of feline blood lines in Taiwan), explains: "Everybody who came brought cats with them."
證諸台灣四百年歷經西班牙、荷蘭、清朝及日本人的殖民統治，現正與愛貓族聯誼會合作進行台灣貓血緣調查的杜白就認為，「有什麼人來就帶什麼貓」。