Tenant Moved Out of Sembawang HDB Flat & Allegedly Abandoned 16 Cats in the Flat

Sixteen cats and two rabbits were abandoned in a flat at 363C Sembawang Crescent’s 12th floor after the tenant got evicted.

Volunteers rescued at least 13 cats and kittens, all looking like they had been abandoned for at least a week.

Here’s what happened.

13 Cats and 2 Rabbits Escaped

According to a notice on the flat’s door, the tenant was asked to leave the premises by 31 March 2023. The message was dated 15 February, and Shin Min Daily News revealed that a young couple used to live in the unit.

According to Facebook user Wati, two rabbits were found abandoned along the corridor, and a group of volunteers rescued them.

They checked the unit to see if the rabbits accidentally got out but realised nobody was in the flat. When they pushed open the unlocked wooden door, 13 cats and kittens ran through the locked metal gate.

The initial group of volunteers then called for reinforcements, who placed the escaped cats into temporary cages and carriers.

The Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) team from NParks brought the rescued cats away and provided them with food and shelter.

Felines In Poor Condition

The felines looked like they’d been abandoned for at least a week, and all were “skin and bones”.

Wati told Shin Min Daily News that the cats were long-haired breeds, the atas types of cats that breeders sell at high prices. They’re not the kinds you’d see loitering around HDB estates.

“They looked like they hadn’t eaten for at least two weeks and were hungry and weak. They were so thin that their bones were visible,” recounted Wati.

The house was also a stinky mess, with boxes and rubbish everywhere.

Some Cats Stuck In Flat, One Dead

To the volunteers’ horror, they could see more cats trapped in the unit through the metal gate. There were at least two kept in locked cages and one lying motionlessly on the floor.

Since the volunteers couldn’t force the metal gate open, they contacted the authorities, who came back at night and unlocked the house.

There was no more meowing heard from the unit after that, and the rest of the cats were presumed to have been rescued by the authorities.

You can view Wati’s posts about this incident on her Facebook page here.

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Cats Now Sheltered by AVS

AVS has confirmed that the cats are currently under their care.

They stated that AVS takes a serious view of pet abandonment and that investigations are ongoing.

If you have any information related to the case, do contact AVS via their website. Alternatively, you can call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

Any suspected cases of pet abandonment can also be reported via those two methods.

If someone is found guilty of pet abandonment, they can face a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to a year.