2 cats in a flat? Welfare groups cheer AVS move but call for enforced sterilisation, ‘responsible’ ownership

Some people highlighted possible conflict between neighbours.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said common complaints from neighbours of cat owners include hoarding of cats leading to unpleasant smells, cluttering the corridor with litter boxes, food and water bowls, and allowing cats to roam outdoors.

If the cats urinate or defecate indiscriminately when outdoors, this can inconvenience members of the public, said Ms Aarthi Sankar, SPCA’s executive director. Cat cages can also take up space in common corridors, and sometimes turn into a welfare issue if the cats are confined for long periods.

MANDATORY STERILISATION

Even among those who support the proposal, there were calls for sterilisation to be made compulsory.

“The SPCA welcomes the proposal, especially since we have long advocated for cat ownership in HDB flats and for more formal regulations,” said Ms Sankar.

“We also urge the authorities to consider mandating sterilisation for all pet cats (regardless of the number) to prevent accidental breeding,” she added.

Sterilisation can also address behavioural concerns such as caterwauling and contributes to overall feline health, she said.

AVS said on Saturday it would strongly encourage sterilisation of pet cats. Cat licences will have lifetime validity if the pet is sterilised and limited validity for those that are not sterilised.

Ms Thenuga Vijakumar, president of the Cat Welfare Society (CWS), said the lack of mandatory sterilisation is a “glaring lacuna” in the proposal.

“Even one cat will lead to a potential noise or roaming and marking complaint when it goes into heat,” she said, adding that the “best practice” is to ensure all pet cats are sterilised unless there is a vet-certified reason not to do so.

She said CWS was heartened to hear that AVS is considering overturning the ban on cats in HDB flats, and the society supports the need for licensing conditions.

CONCERNS ABOUT MISINTERPRETATION

CWS and SPCA both said there needs to be clear communication with cat owners who have more than two cats.

When announcing the proposed framework, Mr Tan said those who have more than two cats can apply to license and keep all their existing pets, subject to AVS’ approval and checks on the cats’ welfare.

“We believe that the biggest problem that could arise even now … is that the public will misunderstand the proposed threshold,” said Ms Vijakumar.

If that happens, those who have more than two cats may abandon or “recklessly give their cats away”, she added.

CWS surveys in the past two years show that most cat owners have between one and three cats.