Several cat feeders are up in arms over the alleged hoarding of around 40 cats in a rental flat at Ang Mo Kio.

The cats remain locked inside the two-room flat at 323 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, despite the owner having moved out.

Cat feeders have accused the owner of neglect and being resistant to their efforts to help.

However, the owner has disputed this, accusing the other parties of attempting to break into her home to feed the cats.

The owner also shared that she returns daily to feed the cats despite the feeders' claims. This was corroborated by neighbours.

Cats would cry out when feeders approach

One feeder, Crystal Tan, shared more with Mothership about the situation.

Tan, who lives several blocks away, was first alerted to the case of hoarding in April 2023 by another cat feeder claiming that the cats had not been fed in two weeks.

Since then, she has been going down almost three times a week to feed the cats, which she says are malnourished and neglected.

She described how the cats would start wailing out when she approached the windows of the unit, which face the corridor.

Tan would then throw food to them through the gaps in the window grilles. She shared that the sight would bring her to tears as well.

"All of them would jump up [towards the window] because they want food."

Videos she and another cat feeder filmed of the flat's interior showed numerous felines in one room.

The flooring of the flat appeared to be broken in some parts, and objects and trash littered the floor.

Owner rejected cat feeders' offers to help

Tan lamented that aside from feeding and checking up on the cats, there was nothing more she could do.

She had met the owners once, and offered to help feed and even clean the flat but was rejected. Tan recalls one of the owners apparently scolding and hurling vulgarities at her.

"I'm very willing [to do these things]," Tan said. "As long as the cats are able to live in a clean environment, they won't fall sick."

The owners claimed that they would return three times a day to the flat to feed the cats, but Tan disagrees, reasoning that the cats would not be meowing so loudly if they weren't hungry.

In an Instagram post calling for the authorities to take action against the cats' owner, another cat feeder shared more about her interaction with the man:

"On that day, we bumped into the owner and we offered to pass the cat food to him but he rejected and even called the law enforcement officers. [...]

We told the owner we can hear the cats crying and out of kindness we just want to provide more nourishing food to his pitiful cats, he rejected. He claimed he has fed them and then I questioned him if fed why are the cats crying inside? We can hear them crying and we can't sit by and do nothing, he kept silent and avoid eye contact."

Additionally, this cat feeder claimed that the owner "was very hostile and agitated", and "was about to get rough and violent".

After the owner allegedly called the police on Tan and the other cat feeder, police advised Tan against feeding the cats. Since then, Tan has avoided heading down for the past few weeks.

Cat feeders are trying to break into her home: Owner

The owner, who identified herself as 34-year-old Raihana, told The Straits Times (ST) that she, her husband, and their three children, are currently staying with a relative.

They had to move out as a neighbour had called child protection services on her, and accused her of endangering the health of her baby as they were living in a "less than healthy environment with 40 cats".

At the time, the baby had not yet received her vaccinations.

Raihana disputed Tan's accusation of them not feeding the cats, stating that her husband returns to feed them every day and washes the house twice a week.

"We did not abandon the cats," she told ST.

Instead, she accused the cat feeders of breaking into her home "to steal the cats", and shared that she has made three police reports against the feeders.

Neighbours complain

When Mothership went down to the fifth-storey flat on Aug. 16, the windows were shut and any gaps were completely taped up.

The gates were also covered with metal grilles.

Standing right outside the unit, a pungent odour of urine and something akin to the smell at a zoo or farm is evident.

Contrary to what the feeders shared, no noise was heard from inside the unit from both cat or owner despite multiple calls.

No one answered the door as well.

The other cat feeder claimed that before we arrived, she had seen a light on in the kitchen from the ground floor.

One neighbour we spoke to, who resides on the same floor as Raihana and preferred to remain anonymous, shared that she is able to smell the stench from inside her house.

Additionally, the cats' cries are loud enough to be heard from her rooms as well.

Despite the feeders' doubts about whether Raihana returns to feed the cats, the neighbour confirmed that Raihana or her husband returns to the unit twice a day — once in the afternoon and a second time at night — presumably to feed the cats.

This aligns with what Raihana previously told ST.

The cat feeders believed that the cats were silent as they had just been fed. Additionally, the neighbour shared that the owner had been by the unit merely an hour before us.

AVS & HDB find cats "generally well" but SPCA says they don't seem to be in good health

Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) told Mothership that they were first alerted to the case on Mar. 31.

They conducted multiple joint visits to the flat alongside Cat Welfare Society and the authorities, and based on their assessment, they determined that the cats are "kept in poor conditions and do not seem to be in good health".

"To our best knowledge, they are unlikely to be vaccinated or dewormed," SPCA stated.

The organisation said it made multiple attempts to engage the owner, but the resident was "not cooperative".

SPCA shared that it offered to see the unwell cats at their Community Animal Clinic, but the owner did not turn up for their scheduled appointment.

SPCA also provided options for rehoming the cats and veterinary assistance to ensure the cats’ well-being. However, their efforts have apparently been in vain.

"Regrettably, despite our efforts, we have encountered challenges in making progress on this matter. The resident has not yet agreed to surrender the cats to the SPCA for rehoming, nor have we been allowed to intervene directly."

It added that the organisation does not have the enforcement power to take someone’s pets away without their consent.

As such, it has "escalated the case to the appropriate authorities".

"We hope that they will be able to address the concerns raised and ensure the safety and welfare of all involved parties."

SPCA noted that they will follow up closely with the authorities on this case.

In response to Mothership's queries, NParks' Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) and Housing & Development Board said in a joint statement that they are aware of this case.

A joint inspection by the two agencies was conducted in April, and contrary to SPCA's assessment, they observed "that the cats looked generally well".

They also reached out to the cats' owner, "who had been feeding the cats regularly and has been making arrangements to rehome the cats".

The agencies said they will continue to monitor the case.

Raihana told ST that 14 cats have been rehomed thus far.

Responsible pet ownership

Pets are a lifelong commitment.

NParks advises those who are unable to care for their pets to find a suitable home for them or approach an animal welfare group for help to rehome their pet.

Those found guilty of failure in duty of care to their pets (including pet abandonment) can be charged under the Animals and Birds Act.

First-time offenders who fail in the duty of care to their pets may face a fine of up to S$10,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

The public can also alert AVS of any suspected cases of pet abandonment via its website or via its Animal Response Centre hotline at 1800-476-1600.

Top photo from anonymous user / FB and Ashley Tan