The Challenges of Managing Stray Cats Amid Trapping and Relocation Practices
Every Tuesday night, Amelia* made her way to a bus stop in Macpherson for a special dinner date. A grey and white cat named Mattar, whom she had been feeding since 2018, would always be there. But in May of this year, Mattar suddenly disappeared, leaving Amelia heartbroken. She put up notices and made Facebook posts, hoping for some news about his whereabouts. Despite her efforts and even contacting a nearby construction site, Mattar never resurfaced. This marked the fourth community cat disappearance Amelia had witnessed in 2023 alone.
She suspects the involvement of pest control companies, as all the missing cats were located near construction sites or bus stops. While Amelia has no concrete evidence, the pattern feels too uncanny to ignore. She is not alone in her suspicion—many community cat feeders share the belief that pest control services may be responsible for trapping and relocating the cats.
The Experience of Alessandro Lange
Alessandro Lange, another community cat feeder, has firsthand experience with pest control’s involvement in cat removals. Between 2020 and 2021, he fed and cared for about 20 cats at a foreign worker dormitory in Penjuru while working as a Covid-19 swabber. The dormitory’s management, however, was not pleased with his efforts to feed and care for the cats. Despite complaints and attempts to prevent him from feeding them, Lange continued his work with the goal of neutering and rehoming the cats through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return).
One day, Lange discovered that almost all the cats had disappeared. He later learned that the dormitory manager had called pest control, claiming the cats were causing a nuisance. The removal was carried out despite the fact that the cats were not a threat to the dormitory environment. The ordeal left Lange deeply upset and prompted him to reach out to the Cat Welfare Society (CWS), which helped ensure the cats’ safety.
The Cat Relocation Problem
Lange’s second encounter with pest control occurred in January 2022, when a friend who tended to a cat colony in Tuas reached out to inform him that the building manager had called pest control to remove the cats. Despite plans to rehome them, the cats were trapped and taken away before any arrangements could be made. Lange successfully retrieved the kittens involved, but the emotional and logistical toll was significant.
Lange describes how the disappearance of the cats is incredibly distressing for feeders, who often don’t know where the animals have been taken. He also highlights the mental and emotional strain of rescuing cats in such last-minute situations, particularly when resources are stretched thin.
The Impact of Pest Control and Relocation Practices
Community cat feeders believe that pest control companies are often called in when building or site managers find cats to be a nuisance. While it is not illegal to trap stray cats, pest control companies are supposed to surrender them to the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) of the National Parks Board (NParks). Unfortunately, this is not always followed, and many cats are relocated without the proper protocols.
CWS president Thenuga Vijakumar explained that they have received numerous reports of pest control companies relocating cats, sometimes to places where they may struggle to survive. She suggests that some pest control companies may think they’re helping the cats by moving them, but this often disrupts the animals’ well-being and makes it harder for them to find food or adapt to new environments.
In May 2023, AVS issued a circular urging pest control companies to surrender trapped cats to AVS’s Animal Management Centre instead of relocating them. This circular has led to some improvement in the situation, but not all pest control companies have complied.
Shifting the Burden
Pest control companies are often seen as the main culprits, but the real issue lies with building or site managers who institute anti-cat policies or arrange for the removal of the cats. These actions only shift the burden of care to another feeder or community group, often without any consideration for the animals’ welfare.
The relocation of cats can cause harm not only to the cats but also to the new caregivers who are left to take on the responsibility of feeding, medical care, and other expenses. Community cat feeders, such as Lange and Vijakumar, argue that the most humane solution is to sterilize and manage the cats in their original locations rather than displacing them.
A Call for Better Management
Vijakumar emphasizes the importance of working with communities to find long-term solutions that focus on responsible cat management, including sterilization, rather than simply removing the cats. She believes that anyone facing issues with community cats should reach out to animal welfare organizations for guidance and support.
The struggle to protect community cats continues, with many feeders like Amelia and Lange left in the dark about the fate of the cats they care for. As the disappearance of another cat named Blackie, who vanished near a construction site, reminds us, the issue of cat relocation is far from resolved. Without proper intervention and responsible management, this ongoing problem will continue to impact both the cats and their caregivers.
