Outdoorsy cat Money is one of the 100 pets participating in Income Eco Run 2025
Ms Tan Yan Ning's cat Money will be one of the 100 animals that will be taking part in the pets category of the Income Eco Run on June 8. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Outdoorsy cat Money is one of the 100 pets participating in Income Eco Run 2025
SINGAPORE – Unlike his three adoptive siblings, Money enjoys being outdoors and is often seen leashed walking in parks.
The one-year-old male Persian-munchkin mix is the most sociable cat in the family, say his owners Tan Yan Ning and Michelle Quek.
Money is also the youngest of the four adopted felines, which include four-year-old female Waffle, three-year-old female Maple and three-year-old male Bubble. The trio are domestic shorthairs.
Money will be among the 92 dogs and eight cats participating in the inaugural pets category of the annual Income Eco Run (IER) on June 8, where pets and their owners complete a 1km event that will kick off at Marina Barrage.
While Waffle, Maple and Bubble are introverted homebodies, Money is the opposite, says Ms Tan. 'Money is an extrovert. He loves humans and is comfortable around people,' adds the 33-year-old tech consultant.
Money's owners have been taking him to parks, cafes and crowded places such as Singapore's largest pet event Pet Expo ever since they adopted him when he was a two-month-old kitten. The pawrents noticed his friendly personality and decided to train him to be an 'outdoor animal' while he was still young.
'He enjoys being in the car. He will sit in different areas like the back seat or on our laps, or perch at the back and look out the window,' says Ms Tan.
'We take him out every weekend, so it's become part of his routine. He's very calm and adaptable during travel,' she adds.
Money is used to the attention he receives from strangers when they see a cat on a leash.
'We have had a lot of people coming to us when they saw us walking Money, as they didn't know cats can be leashed,' says Ms Quek, a 40-year-old account director, adding that such interactions allow them to share their cat-raising experiences with the public.
Money also likes being in his pram, where he can observe people and the surroundings. For the IER, Ms Quek will participate alongside Money.
Though Money is no stranger to the outdoors and is 'fiercer than dogs', he will be in his pram for the run to ensure he is comfortable and secure, says Ms Quek.
'Also, it'll take too long for Money to complete the 1km if we let him walk on his own,' adds Ms Tan, who will be joining the 21.1km half-marathon category.
The one-year-old male Persian-munchkin mix is the most sociable cat in the family.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Though Ms Tan and Ms Quek are self-confessed 'dog people', their love for cats started when Waffle became part of their family in 2021.
The pair also foster two kittens. 'We cannot legally adopt any more, so they will need forever homes.'
Since its inception in 2017, the IER has been one of home-grown insurance company Income Insurance's ways of championing climate-positive awareness by encouraging the public to practise a zero-waste lifestyle.
The pets category in the IER is a new initiative to commemorate the company's 55th anniversary and highlight the environmental impact of pet ownership. It seeks to encourage sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly pet products.
There will also be a pet-friendly IER Eco Festival on May 31 and June 1 at Guoco Tower. Here, animal lovers can check out the interactive and eco-friendly activities available when they collect their run packs.
IER's focus on zero-waste includes having smaller bibs, compostable cups and encouraging the use of recycled T-shirts.
Ms Tan says practising sustainability with four cats is 'still a learning process'.
They have started making small changes, such as repurposing old towels for the cats' bedding and turning an unused shelf into a cat perch. They also try to avoid single-use toys and will upcycle cardboard boxes into the cats' toys.
Dr Ashley Liew will participate in the 21.1km run before joining his dog Tiger for the 1km pets category.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
For Dr Ashley Liew, sustainability starts with simple, responsible choices. The former national marathoner adds that small, everyday actions can make an impact.
For instance, he takes along reusable hydration cups and biodegradable poop bags when he takes his dog Tiger, a 12-year-old male Jack Russell Schnauzer mix, on their daily runs.
The 38-year-old chiropractor has signed up for two categories in the IER: the half-marathon and the pets run. It will be Dr Liew's fourth time participating in the IER, after having ran in 2012, 2018 and 2024.
While it will be Tiger's first time at the IER, the pooch has joined dog races such as Singapore Heart Foundation's Woof-a-thon in 2017 and Cold Storage's Woof-Berry Run in 2024.
Tiger clocks about 1km on weekdays, and about 7km to 9km on weekends, says Dr Liew. 'At his peak, he could run up to 21.4km,' he adds.
'At almost 13, Tiger is now in his senior years, so I moderate his runs and will never push him beyond his comfort level,' says Dr Liew.
Adds the proud pawrent: 'He now runs at a slower pace, but he can still manage long distances as his endurance is good.'
According to Dr Liew, Tiger's breed makes him instinctively competitive and he will try to catch up with human runners who pass him. 'He gets excited when he overtakes them. It is always fun to see people's reactions when Tiger outruns them.'
Dr Liew is excited yet apprehensive about the IER as it will be the first time Tiger is joining a run that also involves cats. While Tiger is comfortable with crowds and enjoys running with other people around, Dr Liew will keep a close eye on cats that may cross their path.
'Tiger doesn't like cats too much. He has a childhood trauma from being scratched by a stray cat. It was his fault; he tried to disturb it when it was under the car,' says Dr Liew.
He adds: 'Maybe I will make sure Tiger gets a head start (in the IER) so that he can avoid the cats altogether.'
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