Not rich, but they spend thousands on strays

Shree Ann Mathavan, The New Paper 11 Jan 09;

UNLIKE many other stray cats, this group of 30 strays in Ang Mo Kio live a rather cushy life. They are found in nine HDB blocks across Avenue 3 to 6.

Apart from being fed, sterilised and having their medical bills taken care of, they are loved, thanks to a group of eight cat lovers in the neighbourhood.

These residents claim to have spent almost $10,000 - or more than $1,000 each, to take care of the strays over the past five years. They have no plans to stop.

Said Madam Shoba R, 44, who works in the healthcare industry: 'I do feel we spend a lot of money, but we can't help it. It's a lifetime involvement because we love the cats very much.'

Medical bills for various ailments and consultations at the vet ran up to $5,000 last year.

The group estimates they have spent another $3,000 on sterilising cats and $1,200 on food.

The money for these expenses don't come easily to the group who all live in three-room HDB flats. Most of them earn $1,500 a month or less.

Madam Tan Peck Noy, 73, a retiree who gets a monthly allowance of $1,200 from her son, 50 and her daughter, 48, spends half of that on the cats.

Caring for stray cats has its challenges.

For instance, when a black female cat from Block 156, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 went missing late last month, the group became worried.

Afraid that the cat had been culled by the Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang Town Council or the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), they rushed to the town council last Tuesday .

But the town council and the AVA both told The New Paper that they have not received any cat from that area.

Nevertheless, Madam Tan is still grief-stricken over the loss of the cat she dubbed 'Ou Kia' (Hokkien for black child).

Besides worrying about missing cats, the residents are concerned about abuse. Said Madam Elizabeth Pinto, 57, a coffee shop cleaner: 'Sometimes you see children chasing a cat with a big stick. I tell them not to do that, but luckily, this doesn't happen often.'

Madam Shoba pointed out that these issues could be addressed if HDB changes its ruling of not allowing cats in HDB flats.

'(The cats) can't be kept inside the flats, and when they are left outside, they are exposed to being abused or culled. There just doesn't seem to be any place for them,' she sighed.

According to the HDB website, cats are not allowed in HDB flats because of their nomadic nature.

But do the strays bother other residents in the area?

Resident Pearly Lee, 30 doesn't think so.

Said the financial consultant, who lives at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3: 'These cats have not caused any problems as far as I know. I think it's a good thing that someone cares for them. They may be stray animals, but it doesn't mean they should be left to rot.'

'Culling, sterilisation are both necessary'

BOTH AVA and the Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang Town Council said they did not remove any cat from Block156 last month.

When a stray cat poses problems in an HDB estate, the town council typically engages a private company to remove it. It will then be sent to the AVA to be euthanised.

However, Mr Madhavan Kannan, head of AVA's Centre for Animal Welfare and Control, said it takes a balanced approach, when it comes to controlling the population of stray cats.

'We see both culling and sterilisation as necessary components of an effective stray cat population management strategy,' he said.

He added that AVA has an understanding with town councils that sterilised stray cats would not be removed unless they cause problems, or are found in or near food establishments.

Mr Kannan added: 'Town councils need to balance the interests of cat lovers and residents who are aggrieved by the large number of stray cats, regardless of whether the cats are sterilised or not.'

A spokesman for the town council added that when residents' complain about stray animals, only those which are unsterilised will be removed.

She said: 'For sterilised stray cats, the town council will work with the respective cat welfare volunteer groups in the vicinity. We will inform them about the feedback on cat nuisance and seek their assistance and cooperation.'