Choa Chu Kang residents’ cats defecate outside neighbours’ doorsteps, stench spreads across several floors

Choa Chu Kang HDB residents complain of neighbour’s cats defecating on their doorstep

HDB residents in Block 486, Choa Chu Kang (CCK) Avenue 5, have raised concerns about a neighbour’s cats repeatedly defecating outside their doorsteps.

Beyond the mess, they also claim that an unbearable stench from the unit — housing multiple cats — can be smelled several floors away.

Residents struggle with persistent odour & cat faeces

57-year-old Ms Feng, a resident who lives on the 10th floor, told Shin Min Daily that the foul odour came from a household on the 7th floor.

“Whether I’m sitting in the living room or in my room, I can smell the stench, sometimes so bad that I want to vomit,” Ms Feng said.

Ms Feng previously approached the cat owner, a female resident, to address the issue, but her complaints were ignored.

She has also reported the problem to the authorities, who have spoken to the owner, yet no solution has been found.

Other residents from the neighbouring floors have echoed similar grievances.

Ms She, who lives directly above the unit, complained about the overwhelming smell and finding cat faeces outside her door.

However, she noted that the owner cleaned up the mess after being informed.

Meanwhile, another resident, Ms Hema (transliterated from Mandarin), a resident who lives on the same floor as the cats’ owner,

claimed she had been dealing with the issue for years despite multiple reports to the authorities.

She shared that she finds faeces outside her unit at least once a week, forcing her to keep her doors and windows shut to block out the smell.

Initially, Ms Hema would clean the mess herself, but as the problem persisted, she began calling the town council for assistance and would only open her windows after the area had been cleaned.

Owner said she tries her best to keep cats in & clean up after them

When a Shin Min Daily reporter went to the cat owner’s unit, they found plenty of items on the corridor and noticed a strange smell coming from the unit.

The stench became even more pronounced when the owner, identified as 53-year-old unemployed Ms Norma, opened the door.

She revealed that she keeps at least five cats, including strays she has taken in over time.

Ms Norma acknowledged that her cats sometimes inconvenience her neighbours but claimed there was little she could do. She explained that whenever someone leaves the unit, a cat might escape, and she can only try her best to catch it.

She also stated that she cleans up any cat waste outside her unit as soon as she notices it.

Regarding the smell, Ms Norma shared that she lives with eight other family members and has numerous household chores, making it challenging to maintain cleanliness at all times.

She expressed hope that her neighbours would be understanding.

Owner willing to relocate cats

Addressing concerns over the number of felines in her home, Ms Norma said she is open to working with authorities if they are willing to relocate the cats.

In September 2024, the Animal and Veterinary Services (AVS) under the National Parks Board (NParks) introduced the cat management framework.

This allows HDB residents to legally keep a maximum of two cats per household, while private homeowners can have up to three.

Owners with more than the allowed number must apply for a cat license before 31 Aug 2026.

Also read: Man jailed 14 months for killing cats by throwing them off HDB blocks in Ang Mo Kio

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News, Google Maps.