If you require assistance with a cat-related issue that is not answered below, please write to us at [email protected].
I have lost my cat
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I Found a Sick/Injured Cat
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I Found Kittens
Try not to separate the mother and her kittens
Please check and make sure the mother cat is really not around before touching the kittens. Kittens who are still at nursing age need the colostrum in their mother’s milk to survive — if you remove a kitten from its mother, chances of its survival are much slimmer. Many a well-meaning person has picked up a kitten, only to find that the kitten does not survive. Furthermore, once you’ve touched it, your scent is on the kitten. The mother cat may feel threatened and abandon her litter.
It is common for the mother to leave her kittens for up to 3 hours to hunt for food. If you are standing in front of the kitten, the mother cat is not going to make an appearance. The best thing you can do is to walk off and check back periodically. If the kitten is still there and in distress, then you might consider taking the kitten in.
Bring the kitten to a vet clinic for a check-up, especially if you are not experienced in handling them. The vet will be able to provide good advice on how and what to feed the kitten. Please do not feed it cow’s milk. A special kitten formula is available in pet stores.
Save both mother and kittens if necessary
It is recommended to leave the mother and kitten alone until they are older and more independent before rescuing the kitten. If they are in an unsafe location, you may want to engage a professional cat trapper to trap the whole brood.
Sterilise the mother and other cats in the area to stop the endless cycle
Sighting of kittens also means that there are unsterilised cats in your neighbourhood. Please consider sterilising them to nip the problem in the bud. The truth is that there will never be enough homes for all the kittens we find if the breeding doesn’t stop.
I Received a Complaint About My Cat
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I am Facing a Nuisance
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Report Cat Abandonment
Did you know, abandonment is considered animal abuse and it is a crime in Singapore?
Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone who is found guilty of pet abandonment can be imprisoned for up to 12 months, fined up to $10,000, or both.
I am witnessing cat abandonment first hand, what do I do?
If you have witnessed someone abandoning their pet cat, do not react in anger but try to video down what is happening and find out their address by engaging them in conversation or tailing them. Knowing their address is the single most important piece of information that you can gather.
Contact the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority 1800 476 1600 as a witness to report this household with their address. If possible, arrange to visit the household with the investigating officers. It is even more effective if you bring the cat in question along with you.
In this way, you make it impossible for the perpetrators to deny that they have been keeping this cat and abandoned it. Neighbours can also help to testify that they have seen the cat living within the premises of the household in question.
The information required to prosecute a pet abandonment case includes:
1) Proof of ownership
2) Proof of act of abandonment
I found cats abandoned in my neighbourhood, how do I report this?
Unfortunately, without a lead on the possible culprit, authorities will not launch an investigation. If you recognise a cat as belonging to a certain household, that is a good place to start. Engage the owner and try to get a confirmation that this is their cat on video. If anything, this can lead to a warning to be given to the owner by the authorities.
If there are no leads at all to the owner, contact us for the Appeal for Information poster template and put them up in your neighbourhood to raise awareness about the abandonment.
Prevention is often better than the cure.
To prevent cat abandonment in your neighbourhood, work with your resident’s committee or Town Council to educate cat owners about their responsibility.
1) To keep pet cats indoors and for life
2) To sterilise
3) That pet abandonment is a crime
Report Cat Abuse
Prosecution relies on good evidence
It is counterproductive to jump to the conclusion that a cat is abused everytime you see a dead or injured cat. It is one of the reasons why the authorities would not take such cases seriously.
If the cat is dead, only an autopsy can ascertain the cause of death therefore in a case of suspicious death, the body of the cat must be sent to a vet, AVA or SPCA for an examination. Only when the cause of death is confirmed to be unnatural, will AVA launch an investigation.
If the cat is still alive, please send the cat to the vet asap so that the injuries can be looked into and a vet report produced. Only when the injury is confirmed to be unnatural, will AVA launch an investigation.
Eye witnesses must come forward
It is imperative that the eye-witness come forward to help in the investigation. If you are a witness of animal abuse or discovered an animal that is clearly abused:
- Take photos or videos of the perpetrator or take note of as much details of the abuse as you can e.g. exact location, mode of abuse, description of perpetrator.
- Take photos of the animal where it lays and the location.
- If the animal is injured, SPCA can pick the animal up for diagnosis and treatment at their clinic. Time is of the essence, you can also bring it to the vet immediately for medical treatment. While you are there, please tell the vet that you suspect that the animal has been abused and that you would like the vet to give you a written report. You can ask the vet to send the report to AVA.
- If the animal is dead, take photos first and make as many notes of the scene as possible. Send the body to SPCA who can do a necropsy. The faster you get the body for a necropsy, the more details can be collected. In a tropical climate, decay sets in fast and it may soon be difficult to determine the cause of death.
- Report to the AVA 1800 476 1600, Police and SPCA 62875355 ext 9. Police and authorised officers from the AVA have the duty to investigate and the power subsequently to arrest, enter and search any premises with reasonable cause. The SPCA conducts animal cruelty investigation as part of its core function and thus provides checks and balances to the authorities’ investigations.
- When you make a report, get a case number. Also ask which officer is going to be in charge so you can follow up with him or her. Bear in mind, only a witness can make the report – so if someone tells you that they saw a cat abused, only that someone can make the report.
The AVA has outlined the information and evidence they need to bring animal abusers to justice.
Organise a Citizen Patrol
SPCA can provide “Reward for Information” flyers for abuse cases that are confirmed by a vet or SPCA.
- Ask your Town Council to put up the Reward for Information Notice on their notice boards.
As a resident, you are in the position to ask for assistance from the Town Council and Member of Parliament. - Seek information through a door-to-door appeal.
The aim is to flyer the blocks around the location of the abuse with the “Reward for Information” flyer to ask any witnesses to come forward. Any information gathered during the appeal should be reported to the police and SPCA to help them in their investigation. The best person to lead a door-to-door appeal is a resident of the area as you will have ground knowledge of the estate and the neighbours. Let us know when you have set a date for the door-to-door appeal and we will help you call for volunteers. A petition for resident signatures can also be initiated for more frequent police patrolling and CCTVs to be installed. - Take the opportunity to educate residents.
This is also a good time to educate the public about responsible pet ownership and kindness to community animals when you are engaging them through the door-to-door appeal. - You have sufficient information to organise a citizen patrol.
If you have an idea about the suspect and their mode of operation, recruit online through Facebook closed groups to organise a citizen patrol. The aim is to catch the person in the act through photographic or video evidence. This should be done discreetly. Catching a cat abuser takes vigilance and putting the neighbourhood on high alert reduces the chances of the abuser striking again for fear of being caught.
FAQ
Community Cats & Caregiving
What is a "community cat"?
A community cat is commonly known as a stray cat, but we think the word ‘community’ better describes these cats. Calling them stray cats gives one the impression that these cats don’t have a home — but they do have a home, which is the environment they live in!
Some of these community cats have been residents in the environment for much longer than some of the residents. Community cats are a part of the community too!
What should I do with a community cat? Is there anyone else who can take it?
We would advise you NOT to remove a community cat unless it’s in danger. Most cats are fine where they are. If you’d like to help it, do consider getting it sterilised if isn’t already and return it to the area where you originally found it.
Furthermore, due to the vacuum effect, more cats will just move into the area to take the place of cats that have been removed.
There are not enough homes and shelters to house them all. So please do not take a healthy community cat away from its home!
I have been told that feeding cats is illegal. Is this true?
No it is not. Feeding cats is perfectly legal. Littering however, is illegal.
Please make sure that you feed responsibly and that the area is cleaned up after you are done with the feeding. If you have been stopped by residents or officers from feeding even though you observe good feeding habits, do carry around print outs of the following to educate them:
3-Step Responsible Feeding
Responsible Feeding Brochure (Front)
Responsible Feeding Brochure (Back)
If the harrassment escalates, call the police.
There may be irresponsible feeders in your neighbourhood that are causing the negative perception of all cat feeders. These feeders either do not clean up after feeding or they invite cats upstairs by feeding along corridors. If you come across any irresponsible feeding, do try to educate them as their actions may be the cause of complaints in your estate that is leading to the removal of cats for culling.
Doesn’t feeding lure cats into my estate?
Feeding does not lure cats into the area — food and territory are not the same.
A cat may live in one area and eat in another. Also, there are cats everywhere — these cats were already in the community in all likelihood before someone started feeding them.
Imagine this — is it more likely that someone stood outside every day with a plate of food hoping a cat would show up one day, or that the feeder saw a cat or cats and started feeding them?
It’s not fun to feed — to do it properly takes a lot of time and commitment. Most feeders do so out of a sense of compassion and would be happy to stop if there were no cats that were hungry and waiting for them.
Cat Sterilisation
What is sterilisation? Why sterilise?
Sterilisation is the surgical removal of part of the reproductive organs (ovaries and uterus of females and testicles of males) from an animal so that it can no longer reproduce. It is a safe and quick procedure that is performed by a veterinarian. The cat is under general anaesthesia the entire time, so it will not feel any pain. The procedure takes 5-15 minutes and the cat is back to normal in 1-2 days.
Sterilised community cats can be recognised by a tipped left ear. Tipping is done during the sterilisation surgery while the cat is still under anaesthesia. It is a universally recognised way of marking a sterilised cat so that it is not neutered twice.
Why sterilise?
There are thousands of cats and kittens living on the streets of Singapore and there are just not enough homes for all of them. Some live in terribly harsh conditions whilst others are lucky enough to be community cats and cared for by a committed feeder. This is why sterilisation is very important in order to humanely control the existing stray cat population to ensure sustainability.
At what age should a cat be sterilised?
In general, cats are sterilised when they are 6 months old. However, some female cats do come into heat at an earlier age. Signs of heat include increased appetite, restlessness, being more affectionate than usual and emitting short low calls. At this point, she will also start to attract males.
Tom cats, when they reach sexual maturity, will instinctively spray their surroundings with strong-smelling urine. Look out for these signs and take your cat to be sterilised immediately once you see them.
Should I sterilise my pet cat?
Yes. They will benefit health-wise and you will gain when they stop trying to leave your home to mate, spray urine around the house and get into fights with each other. Also, you will not have unwanted litters of kittens on your hands. A breeding pair can produce 3-5 kittens, 3-4 times a year. That would result in 9-20 kittens being born in a single year.
With so many cats in the house, owners then feel overwhelmed not just by the sheer numbers, but by the time and effort it takes to take care of so many, as well as the financial cost of food, litter and veterinary bills. Many then decide to abandon their cats. Abandonment is a major factor in hindering the efforts of volunteers to control the cat population in Singapore.
Isn’t it cruel to deprive my cat of a chance to have a family?
Cats do not mate for pleasure. They have no control over their mating i.e. they are slaves to their hormones. Studies have also shown that it is actually a rather painful experience for the female cat. It is more cruel to let the cats breed when we cannot find enough homes for their litters. Many cats, including kittens, have been abandoned by their owners who end up with more cats that they can handle. Most do not survive.
I don’t think I can afford to sterilise my cat.
The question you should ask yourself is “Can I afford NOT to sterilise my cat?” Your cat may have kittens and finding good homes for them will not be an easy task. If you do keep all of the kittens, the cost of food, litter and medical bills may prove to be a heavy financial burden. Abandoning your cats or kittens when there are too many to handle is simply not an option.
Cats that are abandoned often do not have the skills and instincts to survive on their own and you will be directly causing their suffering or death from starvation, being knocked down by cars or caught by pest control to be culled. Sterilisation is a vital personal responsibility of a cat owner.
Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone who is found guilty of pet abandonment can be imprisoned for up to 12 months, fined up to $10,000, or both.
How do I prepare a cat for sterilisation surgery and what does post-surgery involve?
The cat must not be given any food and water from 10pm onwards on the night before surgery.
After surgery, keep the cat in a quiet place and observe its behaviour. You may release it only when it is fully alert and eating well. A male cat usually takes 24 hours to recover, while a female cat might need 48 hours.
What some religions say about sterilisation.
The MUIS Fatwa Committee states: “Fundamentally, all mazhabs (Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence) allow the sterilisation of animals. After analysing the arguments and position of the different mazhabs and medical opinion from the Society of Prevention of Cruelty Againts Animals (SPCA), the Fatwa committee decides that sterilising cats on the basis of ‘maslahat’ (general good) is harus (permissible).”
Sol Hanna, President of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia says: “There is nothing in Buddhism that indicates that sterilisation creates unwholesome kamma. While the female cats may experience some suffering after the operation, this is relatively mild, and is inconsequential next to the wholesome kamma of preventing the future suffering of cats that are without homes and being destroyed by the authorities. Plus there is good kamma in helping all the tom cats restrain their lust!”
I’d like to sterilise a community cat. How do I catch it?
You can try luring the cat into a cat carrier with food. There are professional services that you can engage that provide the full service of trapping, transportation and boarding. Please contact
Petwagon
Tel: 98410307 (Belle)
Email: [email protected]
Professional Cat Trapper
Tel: 94897626 (Vincent)
Email: [email protected]
Professional Cat Trapper
Tel: 96956931 (Richard)
Email: [email protected]
We have sterilisation support programmes to help you with the sterilisation of the cat.
Cat Abuse
I have just knocked down a cat with my vehicle. What should I do?
Anyone involved in a hit-and-run accident can be fined up to $3,000 or jailed up to a year under the Road Traffic Act. This is applicable even if the victim is an animal.
The Road Traffic Act mentions that hitting a dog, cattle, a horse, ass, mule, sheep, pig or goat could be a crime. While it doesn’t cover cats, there are grounds for a charge of cruelty to be responsible for the injury of an animal and not provide adequate help.
In the event that a driver hits an animal, the driver should slow down, stop the vehicle and check on the animal. As far as possible, the driver should take the animal to the nearest vet clinic as time is often of the essence.
Those with little experience in handling animals can call the SPCA emergency hotline at 62875355 ext 9. They should wait for SPCA staff members to arrive, while alerting motorists to slow down and drive cautiously – the traffic police will generally assist in this area.
What do I do when I come across a questionable animal adoption/sale listing online?
It is illegal to sell animals without a license. If you have evidence that someone is breeding animals for sale in their home or on unlicensed premises, please alert the AVA at 1800 476 1600 or [email protected].
If you are confident to do so, make contact with the seller by posing as a potential client. Do not reveal your agenda but ask pertinent questions that a buyer would legitimately ask and note down the responses.
- Where did the animal come from?
- Is the animal tested, sterilised or vaccinated?
- What kind of care would the animal need if I adopt/buy it?
- The price quoted seems expensive, why does the animal cost so much?
- How do I pick it up?
If you are able to secure a meeting with the person, alert the Cat Welfare Society so that we can inform people in the area to assist. When you have enough information about the seller, close the deal with money and goods exchanging hands, preferably recorded in photos or videos. Cases are made or broken by the quality of information that is gathered.
Keep your cool and do not reveal your agenda or you close the door on further investigations by alerting the suspect. Most importantly, exercise caution at all times.
Pet Cats & Cat Ownership
What are the options available to secure my windows and gates?
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I have to give up my pet cat. What are the options open to me?
Please consider carefully before giving up your pet cat. The reality is that there are not enough homes for many of these cats. Also adult cats do not stand a good chance of being adopted.
Please also remember that pet abandonment is a crime. It is considered a form of abuse because many pet cats cannot survive on their own. They are at risk of starvation, injury, even death as they do not have the survival instincts to fend for themselves against the weather, cars, pest control, abusive humans and/or other cats. When you abandon your cats, you are also passing on your problem to a hapless caregiver who has to take care of your cat at their own expense and face the emotional burden when your cat suffers injury, death or being rounded up by pest control. There is a limit to the number of cats that an estate can tolerate.
If you must give up your pet, you can:
1. Put your cat up for adoption on the CWS Cat Adoption Board.
2. Consider short-term or long-term boarding options at shelters such as:
Kittycare Haven
80 Lim Chu Kang Lane 1 (inside Globe Eximport Pte Ltd)
Singapore 718911
Tel: 97958995 (Sia Ping)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kittycarehaven.com
Mutts & Mittens
11 Pasir Ris Farmway 2
Singapore 519326
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.muttsnmittens.com
3. Surrender your pets to SPCA or AVA only as a last resort. With the high number of cats that they receive every day, the chance of your pet being euthanised is high.
We are moving to or away from Singapore. Where can I find information about relocation of pet cats?
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore is the body overseeing the import and export of personal pets. Information about relocation of pet cats can be found on their website.
You can also consult and engage the following relocation expert to assist you in the matter:
Kittycare Haven
80 Lim Chu Kang Lane 1 (inside Globe Eximport Pte Ltd)
Singapore 718911
Tel: 97958995 (Sia Ping)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kittycarehaven.com
Ricted Kennels
81 Seletar West Farmway 5
Singapore 798061
Tel: 63387665
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.rictedkennels.com
Pets are for life. Please consider your relocation plans before you adopt a pet.