Sister of man, 22, allegedly seen trying to stab cats in Redhill, says family working to get him help

The sister of the man, who was recently accused of trying to hurt cats in Redhill, has come out to say that her brother with special needs recently developed a "fixation with cats".

Photos of the man began circulating in the Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats Facebook group on Aug. 20, with commenters saying spotted the man attempting to stab cats and harass them.

In a statement posted to the Facebook group on Aug. 23, the older sister said her family "fully acknowledges and condemns" the man's actions.

"We agree that having special needs does not give one the right to harm animals," she wrote, adding that the family has been trying their best to think of different ways to engage him following his fixation with cats in recent months.

Unaware of his intentions to hurt cats

The family was unaware of any intentions the man had to look for and hurt cats during the day when he goes out for training, the sister wrote.

The man attends a special needs training centre in the area.

The sister explained that while he has special needs, he is "generally very independent" and enjoys travelling around Singapore himself.

"Although he has special needs, he is still a human who craves freedom and this is something that we do not want to take away from him," she said.

As the family have their own responsibilities in school and at work, they do not follow him around all the time, she said, adding that she does, however, keep track of his location.

Doing their best to care for brother

Caring for someone with special needs has been "extremely challenging" for the family, the sister wrote.

"I wish that I could tell you it has been easier after my brother became an adult but instead his behaviour has only gotten more challenging," she added.

"I know it may not appear to be so but we are trying our best to ensure that my brother is a good law abiding citizen."

After learning about the recent incidents from NPark officers and seeing her brother’s face online, the sister said her "heart sank".

"It was even scarier to see how people took pictures of him around the neighbourhood and in the MRT even when he was not doing anything," she said.

She is now fearful of her family and brother's safety, as some have taken to talking about following him home and doxing him.

She appealed for online users to "think twice" before sharing her brother’s face in comments, saying that the family has been "extremely distressed" seeing his images being circulated online.

Working with social worker

The family is now working closely with a social worker to get the man the "attention and intervention" that he needs, the sister wrote.

"We acknowledge that this problem has gone out of hand and requires immediate intervention to prevent further attempts from happening," she said.

She added that her brother’s profile does not fit that of mental illness, and as such, the family has to think about which services best serve his needs.

She welcomed any suggestions people may have for relevant services.

The sister also expressed gratitude to those who tried to explain that the man's behaviour may indicate he has special needs, and those who condemned others for posting his image online.

"I would like to say that as a very distressed sister, thank you. Thank you for making me feel seen and validated and I appreciate you so so much," she added.

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Top photos via Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats