Caring for pets requires sincerity, compassion, and the utmost dedication. That’s why aspiring pet owners are advised to only take an animal in when they are 100% sure that they will be able to to provide the care the creatures deserve.
Sadly, one resident in Bukit Batok seems to have not gotten the memo. Neighbours were alarmed to find out that the house has not one, not two, but nearly 10 cats.
What concerned neighbours and netizens was the fact that these cats were apparently smelly and hungry. There also appears to be no one home to tend to them.
One concerned member of the public posted about the issue in the Sayang Our Singapore’s Community Cats Facebook group on Monday (22 May).
She wrote that she heard about the situation from a neighbour’s friend who lives at Block 149 Bukit Batok West Avenue 6.
Apparently, the resident in question keeps about 10 cats and kittens in their home.
Source: Facebook
The felines allegedly make a lot of noise as they are hungry, and they smell bad.
Citing the third-party account, the OP claimed that there is usually no one at home tending to the cats. A padlock secures the metal gate of the flat.
Accompanying photos show at least eight cats in the unit.
Cat droppings also littered the floor of the flat, as though no one had cleaned the place in a long time.
When the witness took the photos, most of the cats came up to the gate, perhaps to see who was at the door.
Source: Facebook
A wider shot of the gate further showed that it is locked shut with what seems to be a bicycle lock.
Source: Facebook
The neighbours worry that the cats may die soon if they do not receive help. They added that they have reported this matter to the Housing & Development Board (HDB).
A few concerned neighbours will also be meeting a Member of Parliament (MP) about this. In their quote, they asked if they should report the matter to the police.
MS News has reached out to the OP for more info regarding this. We’ll update the article if she gets back.
Facebook users who came across the post were shocked by the condition the cats were in. Most of them expressed worry and concern for the felines kept in the unit.
One user suggested that the neighbour can put some food and water on a paper plate and squeeze it through the gate to feed the cats. They advised against feeding straight from the can as the sharp edges might injure the cats.
Source: Facebook
Another user urged the neighbours to report this to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the police, and HDB immediately. They pointed out that the cats could die if they don’t get enough food and water soon.
Source: Facebook
The SPCA appeared to have caught wind of the situation, as they left a comment on the post, requesting the address of the unit in question.
Source: Facebook
In response, a cat rescuer said that she had texted the full address to SPCA, while confirming that HDB and the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) are involved in the matter. She further claimed that the homeowner is “not responding to calls and texts”.
This post also managed to reached someone who allegedly knows the homeowner.
Apparently, this user helped sterilise the cats in the unit just last year before their numbers became uncontrollable. They said that they will reach out to the resident again.
Source: Facebook
However, there doesn’t seem to be any updates at the time of writing.
MS News has reached out to the Facebook users involved, as well as the SPCA and the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) for more information. We’ll update the article if they get back.
Ultimately, we hope that these cats will get the help they need before anything worse happens.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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