Defenceless and often at the mercy of people passing by, animals like community cats may be at risk of abuse. Such was the case when a man tried to make a cat smoke a lit cigarette.
Even as the feline turned away, he continued trying to insert the cigarette into the cat’s mouth.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has now confirmed that they are investigating the incident. They have appealed for anyone with information to come forward as well.
On 11 Sep, @adminsgfollowsalll posted footage of the incident to Instagram, where it has since gone viral.
In the video, a man approaches a community cat and pats it before offering a lit cigarette.
Sniffing it curiously, the cat then leans away.
However, the man continues to place the lit cigarette near its mouth, seemingly refusing to leave the animal alone.
When the cat attempts to flee, he grabs and holds it in place, before trying to force the cigarette into its mouth.
The cat continues to twist around in an attempt to avoid the cigarette. After a short tussle the man releases it before leaving the scene.
The post has since gained a significant number of views and comments, many calling the man out for committing animal cruelty.
Responding to MS News’ queries, the executive director of SPCA Aarthi Sankar has confirmed that they are investigating the incident.
They shared that they received an alert on 13 Sep about a man forcing a lit cigarette into a cat’s mouth, which is a “clear case of abuse”.
“The SPCA is strongly against such acts and highly discourages smoking near your pets,” Ms Sankar added.
According to the SPCA, animals face the risk of blood cancer, lymphoma and mouth cancer when they ingest the toxic particles from a cigarette.
Inflammation of soft tissues in the trachea and upper respiratory tract may also occur, resulting in swelling and blockage of the airways which will lead to suffocation or death.
Smoke from cigarettes can additionally trigger asthma flare-ups in cats, leading to difficulty in breathing and chronic cough.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to dial 6287 5355 ext 9 to contact SPCA. Alternatively, you can also email SPCA at inspector@spca.org.sg. Any details provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
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Featured image adapted from @adminsgfollowsalll on Instagram.
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