Several Community Cats In Jurong West Allegedly Killed By Pack Of Stray Dogs
Warning: Some readers may find the photos and descriptions in this article graphic and triggering. Discretion is advised.
Every estate in Singapore has a number of community cats that are a familiar and welcome sight to residents who love them.
Unfortunately, these felines face numerous dangers living out in the open, including stray dogs.
In the past year, several cats in Jurong West have allegedly been injured and killed by roaming packs, according to cat lovers in the estate.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
Residents have been urged to be on the lookout for these dogs.
Cat attacked by stray dogs in February
Numerous reports of community cats being attacked in Jurong West have surfaced across social media, including the Sayang Our Singapore’s Community Cats Facebook group.
One of the earliest reports this year was made on 10 Feb, when a resident posted that a pack of stray dogs passed by her neighbourhood, which is the cluster of blocks with numbers starting with “64” along Jurong West Street 61.
Source: Google Maps
Shortly after midnight, they attacked a community cat named “Ah Ben”, he said.
The unfortunate cat was sent to the vet with breathing difficulties and wounds.
In an update in August, Ah Ben was said to have survived but is “no longer the same” as he lives in fear and gets frightened easily.
Stray dogs seen in Jurong West at night
On 20 Feb, another resident claimed that a pack of stray dogs was seen in Jurong West.
She also shared a video of at least four dogs passing through a carpark around blocks starting with “67” and “70” at about 9.30pm.
Source: Siau Li Chao on Facebook
Residents were urged to be alert, especially at night, and inform other cat feeders.
She claimed that the dogs were being fed by “someone in Taman Jurong” and the same pack was seen roaming in Taman Jurong and Boon Lay.
Cat suffers broken bones after attack
Inevitably, a Jurong West community cat fell victim to a stray dog attack in May.
The cat, named “Mac”, was found limping at his hangout, posted a resident.
A vet found that he had broken a few bones in his legs.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
4 Jurong West cats pass away after dogs attack on 28 May
Sadly, a major attack took place on 28 May, according to residents.
One resident posted a video taken by a resident who heard loud barking sounds late at night.
She said a community cat named “Blackie” had been attacked at about 4.20am and passed away from his injuries.
Dog hair was found on his carcass, she added.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
At that point, a total of three community cats had been attacked by dogs in 2023, he noted.
Blackie may not have been the only casualty that night, though.
Another resident said three more cats were attacked by dogs between 2.30am and 4.30am that morning.
The poor cats were located across three separate blocks in Jurong West, she added.
Regrettably, all three cats didn’t survive the attacks.
A distraught carer said she had just fed one of the deceased cats at 2.30am.
She’d known the cat that she named “mummy cat” for over 10 years, and saw the feline every day since she was a kid, she added.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
The first resident later appealed for volunteers to help patrol the area from 2am to 5am until the stray dogs were trapped and rehomed.
They’re working with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Cat Welfare Society (CWS) to track the dogs down, he said.
Another spate of attacks in August
Months later, however, stray dog attacks were still being reported in Jurong West, with a spate of incidents in August.
On 11 Aug, a resident reported that five stray dogs had “invaded” the resting place of a handful of community cats, which happened to be a multi-storey carpark.
As a result, one cat sadly passed away and she was searching for fosterers for three others.
This included Ben, who was still “very afraid” of dogs and trembles when they pass by his resting place.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
Horribly, on 18 August another alleged dog attack took the life of a cat named “Black Boy”.
His carcass was covered with saliva and bite wounds, said the resident who reported it.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
Stray dogs continue to attack Jurong West cats in last 3 months
The attacks have only continued in the last three months.
On 27 Sep, a resident posted that stray dogs had allegedly struck again at about 2am near a carpark on Jurong West Avenue 3.
This time, their target was a big-sized brown community cat with untipped ears, who was allegedly attacked by four dogs.
Source: Bob Anderson on Facebook
While some residents rushed down immediately when they heard loud barking and cat noises, the cat sadly passed away from the attack.
Worried that the stray dogs would venture further inwards into the blocks — where more cats live — he advised residents to be on the lookout to prevent more attacks.
Distressingly, another community cat — named “Dady’s Son” — was found dead on 21 Oct near Pioneer Mall. He was attacked by dogs at about 1am, claimed a resident.
Source: Orange Rai on Facebook
At that point, a total of 10 cats had already passed away, she added.
Most recently, the carcass of an orange cat was found with apparent bite wounds near a block in Jurong West Avenue 5 on Monday (6 Nov).
Source: Siau Li Chao on Facebook
The feline was the victim of a suspected dog attack between 2am to 3am, a resident posted.
Just the tip of the iceberg
The many stories of cat injuries and deaths in Jurong West are sadly probably only the tip of the iceberg.
While residents have claimed that they’ve already reported them to the relevant authorities, they have also urged the public to keep a lookout and protect the cats if they can.
Hopefully, something can be done soon before more innocent cat lives are lost.
Also read: Over 20 Cats Allegedly Killed By Stray Dogs In AMK & Hougang, AVS Monitoring Situation
Over 20 Cats Allegedly Killed By Stray Dogs In AMK & Hougang, AVS Monitoring Situation
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Featured images adapted from Andris Tan on Facebook, Orange Rai on Facebook & Siau Li Chao on Facebook.
