Cat feeder Uncle Ong & 7 others spend 2 hours rescuing cat that got run over in Kallang industrial area

Something bad has happened.

One of the cats that Uncle Ong had been feeding for years in the Kallang industrial area was found badly injured one evening.

It was believed to have been run over by a vehicle while crossing the road.

The ginger female, which is one half of a pair of ginger sisters frequently seen together, had her left front and hind legs crushed.

These were the last few photos and videos of the pair taken a few weeks before the incident.

The cats' feeder, Uncle Ong, 71, personally saw to the rescue.

Heard meowing loudly since early evening

Loud pitiful meowing was heard in the vicinity of the Kallang industrial area at about 6pm on Feb. 20.

The cat's distressed meowing was noticed by members of the public, one of whom grew concerned enough to alert the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to the cat's plight.

The meowing sounds were apparently coming from a drain.

Uncle Ong to the rescue

Uncle Ong, who has been feeding the cats in the area the past 18 years on a daily basis, arrived at the scene some time before 8pm.

He immediately knew something was wrong and started crying.

He told Mothership that his first thought was that the cat was abused, but subsequently, reasoned that it was more likely a vehicular accident that caused the injuries.

The injured ginger cat, while accustomed to Uncle Ong's presence, was skittish around other people.

As she was badly injured and nearly incapacitated that evening, she instinctively ran for cover and hid in the drain.

Uncle Ong got into the drain and brought the cat to the grass patch where it continued to meow loudly.

The cat feeder was the only one who could handle the cat at that point, as the cat was familiar with him and allowed him to touch her.

Uncle Ong had to be helped out of the drain as he has limited mobility.

However, the cat apparently panicked and ducked back into the drain, despite having one badly fractured leg.

For the next two hours, the race to get to the ginger cat was on.

Good Samaritans stopped to help

The sight of an elderly man struggling to get to the cat prompted members of the public and foreign workers in the area to step forward to help.

In total, at least seven people stopped to give Uncle Ong a hand.

The individuals included staff working in the area, a motorcyclist who stopped riding to render assistance with the heavy lifting, a SPCA personnel, and a pair of foreign workers, who did not have any qualms getting into the drain to secure the cat.

Access to the cat was hampered as the drain cover by the kerb was difficult to remove initially.

It required a few male adults working together with rods they found to lift the drain cover.

The rods were used to nudge the cat out of the drain slowly.

Eventually, Uncle Ong managed to secure the cat with everyone's help.

Cat rushed to vet

The ginger cat was rushed to the veterinary clinic by another Good Samaritan, who has been assisting Uncle Ong in taking sick and injured cats to receive medical help.

This Good Samaritan has been assisting Uncle Ong after his cat-feeding antics were publicised.

The vet staff named the ginger cat "Hong Lei".

Hind leg amputated

Besides her injured left front and hind legs, the ginger cat was diagnosed with a fractured pelvis.

The vet estimated that she was four years old at the time of the accident.

Her hind leg eventually had to be amputated.

Recovery is expected to be slow, but she is responding well to the care and treatment.

She is no longer out on the streets.

Ginger siblings separated

It has been more than four months since the accident and Hong Lei is still recovering.

She has regained her strength and appetite, but still requires constant care.

Uncle Ong said he has visited her twice.

However, her sibling is still living in the Kallang industrial area.

Both siblings have since been separated.

Attempts were made to inform the ginger sibling that her other half has been hospitalised and is alive.

How to donate

Those who wish to help Uncle Ong purchase cat food for his daily feeding of cats can do so via this link.

The products are labelled "Cats of Kallang".

The pet shop overseeing the donations will allocate the cat food that the public has purchased for Uncle Ong to pick up.

Donors who are keen to help by contributing smaller sums can contact S&S Pet's Shop at [email protected].

All media by Mothership