Ang Mo Kio cat parents and community cat carers, you might want to take note of this - there seem to be two people who are allegedly abusing cats in the neighbourhood.

Footage and photographs of the alleged abusers were uploaded onto Facebook late last week by one Sarah Leong, in two separate posts:

https://www.facebook.com/persimmone/posts/10157368485034348

Leong connected us with the lady who took the video and photos, a housewife who wishes to be identified as Madam Tan.

Speaking to Mothership, Tan said that the abuser, an elderly man, had allegedly been harassing cats for the past five years.

Tan witnessed the man chasing a cat in person on Monday (May 28) morning, at about 9.40am. This occurred at block 503, Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 (Tan had clarified that the correct address is Ave 5 and not Ave 10).

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She then decided to take video footage of the abuser. According to Tan, when the man realised he was on camera, he went up to Tan, attempting to attack her. He held his fist at Tan's face, threatening to punch her while hurling profanities.

As seen in the video, Tan had challenged him repeatedly to go ahead. He continued to make repeated attempts to attack her as she backed away. Tan claims he then hit her on the arm.

Passersby ignored her even when she screamed for help, until Yanti, an Indonesian helper who Tan knew as a regular dog-walker, ran from across the block to help her.

The abuser had then hit Yanti's arm as well, as Yanti attempted to defend Tan.

Tan called for the police, who came over. The man was then given a stern warning after Tan declined to take the case up to the magistrate courts, as the process was tedious, and simply wished for the man to respect the cats and leave them alone.

Another abuser

Tan had also identified another elderly man who she claims abused the community cats around the same block.

This particular man had placed a stick beside the box where a community cat would rest in and would take it to poke the cat.

Tan, who witnessed it, confronted the man, who then said he was playing with the cat.

This was witnessed by another resident as well; someone also saw him shaking the paper box where the cat was sleeping in.

Tan had also been informed by a resident that this elderly man used a lighter to burn another community cat last year. Initially, the patches of raw skin on the cat were thought to be fungal infections.

Worrying

So far, Tan has not seen man who attacked her, while the other has thankfully not bothered cats since.

However, Tan adds that despite these incidents, she is worried that many residents in the area allow their cats to roam free, which may expose these cats to possible abuse.

On sharing the photographs and videos, Tan said that "it's good to let people know the suffering of helpless homeless cats".

Let's hope the stern police warning has kept these two men at bay for now.

Top image adapted via video and photo provided by Mdm Tan

 

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