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Alleged Cat Owner Who Lost Cat in Jurong West Unable To Get Cat Rescuer To Return It

2022-02-13 , 11:24 am

While everyone else was busy with the Chinese New Year festivities, a cat drama was brewing within a Singapore cat community.

A lost cat, a cat rescuer and the alleged owner couldn’t come to an agreement on a particularly cute cat that was found outside an HDB flat.

Here’s what happened.

Homeowner Asks For Help on Facebook Group

On 5 February 2022, a Facebook user turned to Sayang Our Singapore Community Cats for help.

Image: Facebook (Sayang Our Singapore Community Cats)

She said that a Persian flat face cat kept meowing outside her gate, and asked if there are any cat rescuers willing to come and help out.

According to her, the cat kept hiding underneath the shoe rack outside her home and she was not able to bring the cat into her home because she has serious asthma issues.

After waiting a long time, no one turned up to claim the cat.

In an update on the same post later, Lee said that the cat was rescued by a cat rescuer, and thanked everyone for the help.

So, all’s well that ends well, right?

Apparently not.

Owner Turns Up To Claim Cat

A Facebook user later turned up in the comments section of the post, claiming to be the owner of the Persian flat face cat.

It was mentioned that he was working the morning shift, and the cat went missing when under his niece’s care.

The original homeowner who made the report on the Facebook group directed him to the cat rescuer who took away the cat.

However, it seems that getting the cat returned isn’t as easy as it seems.

The alleged owner claimed that the cat rescuer wasn’t cooperative in returning the cat.

The Other Side Of The Story

The cat rescuer in question took to the group to share his own side of the story.

He pointed out that he couldn’t return the cat without confirming ownership of the cat.

When the cat was rescued, it was in bad condition. It was dirty and unkempt, which is definitely not a “one-day thing”, had dirty, matted fur around its neck and stains around its eyes.

He added that people have sent private messages to him, claiming ownership of the cat.

However, he emphasised that he will not be returning the cat without being shown concrete proof, including:

Microchip number
Vet bills with name
Why you lost it
When you lost it
Pictures or videos of you with the cat

In a follow-up post the next day, the rescuer who picked up the cat said he would be more than glad to return the cat.

However, the owner has to fulfil a few responsibilities before he can return the cat:

The cat will have to be sent for sterilisation before it can be returned with an overall health check.
Sterilisation costs have to be reimbursed together with the vet fees
The house must be meshed correctly, to be verified via video or a house visit
The cat’s fur must be brushed daily and its eyes cleaned regularly
The cat must be groomed every two months
The cat cannot be allowed to roam, and care must be ensured when opening windows or doors to prevent escape
If the particular cat escapes and is found again due to negligence or breaching of agreement, it will be rehomed.
Food given to the cat must be of a certain quality
A reimbursement of S$15 a day for the fosterer who took care of the cat over the past week
No abandoning of the cat

The cat rescuer says that he’s only doing this for the well-being of the cat, and nothing else.

Netizens’ Reactions

Netizens, meanwhile, have mixed reactions towards the cat drama.

Some felt that the cat rescuer was within his rights to ensure the cat’s welfare before returning it to the owner.

Other netizens, however, felt that the rescuer had gone too far.

Whose side are you on…in this cat fight?