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The Singapore Turf Club (STC) in Kranji will close by March 2027.

Amid anxieties surrounding the future of staff, jockeys, and horses, yet another group at the Turf Club faces an uncertain fate.

Cats.

Cat community multiplied over the years

The STC stable grounds are home to 100 cats.

Apart from their hooved occupants, each of the 20-plus stables can shelter one to more than 20 cats.

Apprentice jockey, Jerlyn Seow, told Mothership that vets helped to neuter the felines, although the more feral ones were hard to catch and bred over the years.

Free to roam the grounds' expanse, these furry residents have their own daily routine.

"The cats just do their own stuff," said Seow.

In typical cat fashion, they don't interact with the horses, only walk pass them.

Those with more hunting instinct can be found stalking rats and pigeons.

Looked after by stable staff

The cats are also beloved by the stable staff, who feed and pet the animals every day.

"There's no fear of them starving because there're plenty of stable people around," assured Seow.

The cats also hang out with the staff in their resting rooms.

Uncertain futures

According to Seow, the weight of the Turf Club's imminent closure has been hard to bear.

"[The stable staff] have all been feeling down and depressed, and on top of that we still have to worry about the 700 over horses and the stable cats."

They've even launched a petition to save SG horse racing.

In the meantime, the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) has reached out to Seow to see if they can lift some of the staff's burden on the cat-side of things.

Seow said as of now, no cats have been adopted.

However, the apprentice jockey is certain that the staff will be taking the cats with them when they leave, as they already see the cats as their own.

She added that if any member of the public is keen to adopt a Kranji cat, they can drop her a message on Instagram to check if the staff would be willing to put the cat up for adoption.

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All images from @kranjicats/Instagram