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AsiaOne
4 days ago
- AsiaOne
Tampines West residents seek witnesses after community cat found dead next to bin with 'blunt force trauma', dislocated jaw, Singapore News
A Tampines West community cat was found dead next to a rubbish bin last Saturday (May 24) wrapped in toilet paper plastic packaging and brochure papers. The male cat, named Sunshine, was found at the void deck of Block 897 Tampines Street 81 by a resident at around 7am to 8am, according to a Facebook post. Photos showed Sunshine with blood on its paws and muzzle, as well as stains on the brochure papers surrounding the cat. A latex glove was also found among the papers and plastic. Victoria Lim, one of Sunshine's feeders and a resident of the area, wrote in the Facebook post that the community cat had been living in the neighbourhood "for the past 10 years". Sunshine's feeders are appealing for witnesses. According to the post, a vet determined that Sunshine had sustained blunt trauma to its head and its jaw was dislocated. Speaking to local media, Lim shared that based on the vet's assessment, the cat's injuries could have resulted from a vehicle collision, a blow to the head or a fall from height. But the vet did not rule out abuse as well. The incident has raised concern among netizens in the Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats Facebook group, where Lim had published the post. "Community cats are being killed within days of each other," one netizen said, seemingly referencing the recent spate of cat deaths. "The cats don't deserve this, as a cat lover, my heart is really pained," the person added. Jeffy Soh, another Tampines West resident, shared in a separate Facebook post about Sunshine's "tragic death", describing the community cat as "our carpark attendant". He added that Sunshine was always seen with two other cats, who were later found by him and other residents, "shivering and afraid". While he acknowledged that some might assume Sunshine was hit by an oncoming car, Soh noted that Sunshine was found next to a bin, and that were "no bloodstains nearby" nor at Sunshine's "usual area" at the carpark. "Is this murder or an accident?" He wrote in his post. Another Tampines West resident whom AsiaOne spoke to shared that the recent cases of animal deaths has caused residents in her block to be more cautious of others. The 25-year-old, who wished to be known only as Li, shared that following the incident, the beds, water and food booths that were set up for strays in her void deck have been "moved to areas closer to [the] doors rather than out in the open". Some residents have also moved the stray cat stations within the filming radius of CCTV cameras. AsiaOne has reached out to Lim as well as NParks for more information. Number of animal victims at 12-year high: SPCA According to a 2024 report by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), there were 961 confirmed reports of animal cruelty and welfare concerns involving 2,190 animal victims — the highest number in 12 years. Cats accounted for more than half of the animal victims out of other species at 1,330. The Tampines West case is also the third public incident where a community cat was found with severe injuries. In a similar incident two weeks ago, a Punggol community cat was found dead with blunt force trauma to the head which could have resulted from a traffic accident, said NParks in a May 17 statement. Gan Kim Yong had also addressed the incident in a Facebook post on May 15, where he encouraged Singaporeans to be a "gracious society" and "show kindness and compassion" to animals. Earlier on May 9, an Yishun community cat named King Kong was found dead with its intestines exposed and eyes gouged out, sparking widespread outrage. In a Facebook post on the same day, Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam condemned the act, calling it "appalling cruelty". Currently under the Animals and Birds Act, first time offenders convicted of animal cruelty can be jailed for up to 18 months and fined up to $15,000, or both. Repeat offenders may face up to three years in jail and face a fine of up to $30,000, or both. [[nid:718114]]
The Star
22-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Making stylish ‘cat cottages' a labour of love for Singapore woman
SINGAPORE: Whenever heavy rain lashes across the island, a handful of stray cats in Yishun are able to stay cosy and safe from the deluge. But you will not find them in somebody's home at such times. Instead, they can be found in charming handcrafted shelters with sturdy legs, dotted around parts of the estate. The shelters or 'cat cottages' are the handiwork of Chong Pang resident Janet Chin, 54. For the last three years, she has been blending her love for animals with arts and crafts, by transforming scrap cardboard boxes into whimsical homes. The idea, she said, came to her one rainy day, when she began thinking about how stray cats that lacked proper shelter often sought refuge in precarious locations, such as under parked cars, to escape the elements. 'That was when I started to think about building a cat house.' The first ones she made were crafted out of plain cardboard boxes covered with a dry towel – a set-up that she admits was 'ugly'. She then set out to 'beautify' the makeshift cottages, beginning with the addition of water-resistant wallpaper, taken from her personal stash of crafting materials – leftovers from a home decor project for her living room. She sourced leftover cardboard from grocers and supermarkets or opted for recycled materials, including plastic containers used for cat treats. Eventually, she cut out windows in the boxes and added planters as well as other features like chimneys, creating a miniature cottage. 'It became a little addictive. The more I made, the more fulfilling it felt,' said Chin, a sales consultant in the bedding industry. Soon, her hobby started eating into her lunch breaks and days off work. In three years, she built close to 100 cat cottages, she said. Whether embellished with cut-outs or boasting a cobblestone look, each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect the spirit of seasonal festivities. For instance, a cottage could be festooned with snowflakes and cut-outs of a Christmas tree during the holiday season or adorned with Chinese knots and couplets for Chinese New Year celebrations. Eventually, Chin began posting photos of her cottages on the Facebook group Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats. One such post drew over 200 reactions, with netizens thanking her for her 'lovely gestures' and 'kindness'. She then started getting requests from cat lovers keen on helping stray cats get their own shelters, marking her foray into the 'build-to-order' market. Often, the requests were for replicas of cottages she had built before. 'I want the KFC house,' one cat lover said to Chin. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cottages resembling fast-food eateries. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cottages resembling fast-food eateries. - JANET CHIN Her most recent request came from a resident in Braddell who wanted six cottages. Caregivers are reminded to maintain hygiene standards When asked if she gets paid, she said she does not charge for her work but sometimes asks for a small donation. Chin said what she is doing is not a commercial venture. The donations she receives cover veterinary and cremation fees for neighbourhood strays. Often, the people who cough up money for these expenses are the seniors in the neighbourhood – cat lovers who also help feed the strays. All that she asks is that the people who request a cottage take responsibility for maintaining the shelter they leave out for the cats. She said: 'I don't want people to ask for one cat house and just leave it there. They are not the caregivers for the cats, so they simply leave the cat house in the public space without maintaining its cleanliness.' In response to queries, Li Jiehui, senior community engagement manager at the Cat Welfare Society, said that while the shelters are 'a welcome respite for some of our community cats', residents should also 'display (their) care in a responsible fashion'. These shelters should be placed away from human traffic areas and hygiene standards should be maintained, she said. Chin said she takes pride in designing cat cottages designed to suit the occupant's personality and needs. Sociable felines may receive larger homes – up to 1m long – to accommodate room-mates, while more reserved cats get smaller, cosier versions. Each shelter is equipped with at least two access points, allowing the cats to flee if the need arises. And perhaps the most thoughtful touch is the fresh, dry towels, which Chin replaces when she gets the time. Chin, who is married with no children, said she believes the cottages add colour and vibrancy to the neighbourhood. They also spark conversations among residents and help them see stray cats in a more positive light, she added. Said Chin: 'They are a part of our community, they have a house, they have a caregiver. They are taken care of. They are not simply dirty cats.' - The Straits Times/ANN
New Paper
22-05-2025
- General
- New Paper
Stylish cat 'cottages' a labour of love for Chong Pang resident
Whenever heavy rains lash across the island, a handful of stray cats in Yishun are able to stay warm, cosy and safe from the deluge. But you won't find them in somebody's home at such times. Instead, they can be found in charming, handcrafted shelters with sturdy legs, dotted around parts of the estate. The shelters or "cat cottages" are the handiwork of Chong Pang resident Janet Chin, 54. For the last three years, she has been blending her love for animals with arts and crafts, by transforming scrapped cardboard boxes into whimsical homes. The idea, she said, came to her one rainy day, when she began thinking about how stray cats that lacked proper shelter often sought refuge in precarious locations - under parked cars and other such spots - to escape the elements. "That was when I started to think of doing a cat house." The first ones she made were crafted out of plain cardboard boxes covered with a dry towel - a set-up that, she admits, was "ugly". The round legs add some elevation to the cottages, helping to prevent them from getting wet on rainy days. PHOTO: JANET CHIN She then set out to "beautify" the make-shift cottages, beginning with the addition of water-resistant wallpaper, taken from her personal stash of crafting materials - leftovers from a home decor project for her living room. She sources for leftover cardboard from grocers or supermarkets, or opts for recycled materials, including the plastic containers used for cat treats. Eventually, she cut out windows in the boxes and added planters and other fixtures like chimneys - a cottage in miniature. She cut out windows in the boxes and added planters and other fixtures. PHOTO: JANET CHIN "It became a little addictive. The more I made, the more fulfilling it felt," said Ms Chin, a sales consultant in the bedding industry. Soon, her hobby started eating into her lunch breaks and days off work. In three years, she has built close to 100 cat cottages, she said. Whether embellished with cut-outs or framed by cobblestone walls, each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect the spirit of seasonal festivities. For instance, a cottage could be festooned with snowflakes and cutouts of a Christmas tree during the holiday season, or adorned with spring festival couplets and Chinese knots for Lunar New Year celebrations. Each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect the spirit of seasonal festivities. PHOTO: JANET CHIN Eventually, Ms Chin began putting up photos of her cottages on the Facebook group Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats. One such post drew over 200 reactions, with netizens thanking her for her "lovely gestures" and "kindness". She then started getting requests from cat lovers keen on helping stray cats get their own shelters, marking her foray into the cat cottage "build-to-order" market. Often, the requests are for replicas of cottages she has built before. "I want the KFC house," one cat lover said to Ms Chin. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cat cottages she built that are modelled after fast-food eateries. Her most recent request came from a resident in Braddell, who wanted six houses. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cat cottages she built that are modelled after fast-food eateries. PHOTO: JANET CHIN Caregivers reminded to maintain hygiene standards When asked if she gets paid for her work, she said she does not charge for her work but sometimes asks for a small donation. Ms Chin said what she is doing is not a commercial venture. Donations she gets are used to cover veterinary and cremation fees for neighbourhood strays. Often, the people who cough up money for these expenses are seniors in the neighbourhood - cat lovers who also help feed the strays. All that she asks is that the people who buy a cat cottage take responsibility for maintaining the shelters they leave out for the cats. She said: "I don't want people to just ask for one cat house and leave it there. They are not the caregivers for the cats, so they just leave the cat house along the public spaces without maintaining its cleanliness." In response to queries, Ms Li Jiehui, senior community engagement manager at the Cat Welfare Society, said that while the shelters "are a welcome respite for some of our community cats", residents should also "display (their) care in a responsible fashion". These shelters should be placed away from human traffic areas and hygiene standards should be maintained, she said. Ms Chin said she takes pride in designing cat cottages designed to suit the occupant's personalities and needs. Sociable felines may receive larger homes - up to 1m long - to accommodate room-mates, while more reserved ones get smaller, cosier versions. Sociable felines may get to share their larger homes measuring up to 1m long. PHOTO: JANET CHIN Each shelter is equipped with at least two access points, allowing the cats to flee if the need arises. Perhaps the most thoughtful touch - fresh, dry towels, which Ms Chin replaces when she gets the time. Ms Chin, who is married with no children, said she believes the homes add colour and vibrancy to the neighbourhood. They are also help spark conversations among residents, and help them see stray cats in a more positive light, she added. Said Ms Chin: "They are a part of our community, they have a house, they have a caregiver. They are taken care of. They are not simply dirty cats."
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Stylish cat ‘cottages' a labour of love for Chong Pang resident
For the last three years, Janet Chin has been transforming scrapped cardboard boxes into whimsical homes for stray cats in Yishun. PHOTOS: JANET CHIN SINGAPORE - Whenever heavy rains lash across the island, a handful of stray cats in Yishun are able to stay warm, cosy and safe from the deluge. But you won't find them in somebody's home at such times. Instead, they can be found in charming, handcrafted shelters with sturdy legs, dotted around parts of the estate. The shelters or 'cat cottages' are the handiwork of Chong Pang resident Janet Chin , 54. For the last three years , she has been blending her love for animals with arts and crafts, by transforming scrapped cardboard boxes into whimsical homes. The idea, she said, came to her one rainy day, when she began thinking about how stray cats that lacked proper shelter often sought refuge in precarious locations - under parked cars and other such spots - to escape the elements. 'That was when I started to think of doing a cat house.' The first ones she made were crafted out of plain cardboard boxes covered with a dry towel - a set-up that, she admits, was 'ugly'. The round legs add some elevation to the cottages, helping to prevent them from getting wet on rainy days. PHOTO: JANET CHIN She then set out to 'beautify' the make-shift cottages, beginning with the addition of water-resistant wallpaper, taken from her personal stash of crafting materials - leftovers from a home decor project for her living room. She sources for leftover cardboard from grocers or supermarkets, or opts for recycled materials, including the plastic containers used for cat treats. Eventually, she cut out windows in the boxes and added planters and other fixtures like chimneys - a cottage in miniature. She cut out windows in the boxes and added planters and other fixtures. PHOTO: JANET CHIN 'It became a little addictive. The more I made , the more fulfilling it felt,' said Ms Chin, a sales consultant in the bedding industry. Soon, her hobby started eating into her lunch breaks and days off work. In three years, she has built close to 100 cat cottages, she said. Whether embellished with cut-outs or framed by cobblestone walls, each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect the spirit of seasonal festivities. For instance, a cottage could be festooned with snowflakes and cutouts of a Christmas tree during the holiday season, or adorned with spring festival couplets and Chinese knots for Lunar New Year celebrations. Each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect the spirit of seasonal festivities. PHOTO: JANET CHIN Eventually, Ms Chin began putting up photos of her cottages on the Facebook group Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats. One such post drew over 200 reactions, with netizens thanking her for her 'lovely gestures' and 'kindness'. She then started getting requests from cat lovers keen on helping stray cats get their own shelters, marking her foray into the cat cottage 'build-to-order' market. Often, the requests are for replicas of cottages she has built before. 'I want the KFC house,' one cat lover said to Ms Chin. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cat cottages she built that are modelled after fast-food eateries. Her most recent request came from a resident in Braddell, who wanted six houses. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cat cottages she built that are modelled after fast-food eateries. PHOTO: JANET CHIN Caregivers reminded to maintain hygiene standards When asked if she gets paid for her work, she said she does not charge for her work but sometimes asks for a small donation. Ms Chin said what she is doing is not a commercial venture. Donations she gets are used to cover veterinary and cremation fees for neighbourhood strays. Often, the people who cough up money for these expenses are seniors in the neighbourhood - cat lovers who also help feed the strays. All that she asks is that the people who buy a cat cottage take responsibility for maintaining the shelters they leave out for the cats. She said: 'I don't want people to just ask for one cat house and leave it there. They are not the caregivers for the cats, so they just leave the cat house along the public spaces without maintaining its cleanliness.' In response to queries, Ms Li Jiehui, senior community engagement manager at the Cat Welfare Society, said that while the shelters 'are a welcome respite for some of our community cats', residents should also 'display (their) care in a responsible fashion'. These shelters should be placed away from human traffic areas and hygiene standards should be maintained, she said. Ms Chin said she takes pride in designing cat cottages designed to suit the occupant's personalities and needs. Sociable felines may receive larger homes - up to 1m long - to accommodate room-mates, while more reserved ones get smaller, cosier versions. Sociable felines may get to share their larger homes measuring up to 1m long. PHOTO: JANET CHIN Each shelter is equipped with at least two access points, allowing the cats to flee if the need arises. Perhaps the most thoughtful touch - fresh, dry towels, which Ms Chin replaces when she gets the time. Ms Chin, who is married with no children, said she believes the homes add colour and vibrancy to the neighbourhood. They are also help spark conversations among residents, and help them see stray cats in a more positive light, she added. Said Ms Chin: 'They are a part of our community, they have a house, they have a caregiver. They are taken care of. They are not simply dirty cats.' 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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘What kind of person will do this?': Shanmugam condemns abuse, killing of Yishun community cat
SINGAPORE – Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam condemned the gruesome killing of a community cat in Yishun, which was found on the morning of May 9 disembowelled, and with its eyes gouged out. In a Facebook post on May 9, Mr Shanmugam said: 'What kind of person will do this? This is not who we are as a people.' Photos of the cat were posted on Facebook page Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats on May 9, with a warning that a cat killer was at large in Yishun. 'The cat's name is King Kong, and he is well-loved. I fed him daily and cannot believe this news,' read the post by Ms Min Kaung, one of King Kong's regular feeders. The post also appealed for witnesses. Ms Min Kaung, 25, told The Straits Times that the cat's carcass was found by a resident at around 6.15am on the road at the entrance to an estate there. She said the neighbours who loved King Kong came down to see him after the resident sent a photo of King Kong's mutilated body to the neighbourhood WhatsApp group. She said she suspected the abuser had placed the cat on the road to make it appear like roadkill. '(In most) hit-and-run cases, the body would be crushed, but King Kong was not crushed at all. His eyes looked gouged out and his left thigh and body looked (like it was) slashed by sharp objects,' she said. Pet owners and lovers in Nee Soon South are currently looking out for the remaining three community cats in the area, said Ms Min Kaung. She added that she hoped the authorities would take action and punish whoever is responsible for the cat's death. 'We hope King Kong will have justice as he is such a caring and loving cat.' In response to an ST query, the National Parks Board's (NParks) group director of enforcement and investigation Jessica Kwok said it had received feedback about a cat that was found dead in Yishun Street 51. NParks is looking into the matter, she added. Ms Kwok said NParks takes all feedback received on animal cruelty seriously, and advised the public to promptly report any suspected cases. Members of the public can call NParks via its Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600. 'As with all investigations, all forms of evidence are crucial to the process, and photographic and/or video-graphic evidence provided by the public will help,' said Ms Kwok. When contacted, the Cat Welfare Society said it was aware of this incident. A spokesperson said the society had contacted the cat's caregiver about reporting the incident to the authorities. The spokesperson said the society is not aware of any similar cases in the area recently, and added that it will be approaching the town council for permission to put up posters in the vicinity to seek information on King Kong's death. When contacted, Nee Soon Town Council said this case is not under its purview. Additional reporting by Ian Cheng Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
