The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority says it is investigating a case of a community cat in Queenstown that was found trapped in a wooden crate at the base of a rubbish chute.

Facebook user Seri Amirah, who posted photos and a video of the cat online, said she was informed by two neighbours that they were searching for the cat, one of several strays in the area, which had been missing for two days.

They found the cat at night on Monday, October 2, after hearing its mews at the base of a rubbish chute at Block 50, Strathmore Avenue, inside a wooden crate with black cloth draped over and stapled to it.

She said five other heavy crates were stacked on top of the one holding the cat, an orange tabby.

Seri told Mothership that the feline has since been rescued and is currently under the care of a resident in the estate.

You can see her Facebook post here:

Likely a deliberate action

Speaking to Mothership, she said she and her neighbours are relieved that the feline has been found, but believe this was a deliberate act of cruelty.

"They (her neighbours) saw a stack of six funeral flower stands, and the cat happened to be at the bottom."

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Here's a video she posted of the cat trapped inside the sealed box:

[video width="224" height="400" mp4="https://static.mothership.sg/1/2017/10/cat.mp4"][/video]

Seri added that the crates stacked on top of the one containing the cat were so heavy that they required the strength of two people to remove each one from the pile.

She also told Mothership that her neighbours have filed a report with the police. The Tanjong Pagar Town Council has also been informed.

The AVA has classified this case as "alleged cat cruelty".

Community cats have been going missing in the estate

Sadly, Seri pointed out that this orange tabby is not the first cat to have gone missing in their neighbourhood.

She told Mothership that of the seven community cats she and other neighbours fed and tended to, four of them recently went missing.

They have not yet been found.

She added that the cat-loving group of neighbours has since resorted to fostering the remaining community cats among themselves for the time being, lest more go missing.

According to the Animal and Birds Act, those found guilty of cruelty to an animal can be jailed up to one year or fined up to S$10,000 or both.

Top photo collage via Seri Amirah's Facebook post