1154. A stray cat trapper in Singapore

Mar 27, 2015

I met a cat activist, a lady in her late 40s,  bringing in stray cats for sterilisation at James Tan Vet Centre. She was washing the metallic cat traps outside. Her black car was a SUV. The seat was packed with carriers, dry cat food and  cat traps.  

"I would have liked to buy a bigger commercial vehicle," she said. "But I don't have a company to register this van."
"You don't need a private limited company to do it," I said. "You can register a sole proprietorship."
"The ROC (Register of Companies) will close it down as I don't make profits."


"I don't think the government will close a private company that is not making profits annually," I said.

"It can be quite costly for the feeders if there is more than one stray cat," she said. She was a volunteer who would trap stray cats if the feeders agree to pay for the petrol costs, sterilisation and hospitalisation fees at the Vet Centre. The Cat Welfare Society had approved her project.

"Over the years, there have been many stray cats trapped and sterilised," I said. "How come there are still stray cats still breeding? " I don't see more than one stray cats in the Toa Payoh housing estates, the hawker centres and the public parks. Some town councils even employ pest controllers to cull them and at one time, the government AVA was active in doing it."

"There are people who dump their pregnant cats," she said.
"How do you know these cats are not really stray cat?"
"They are not feral cats as they behave, being friendly to people," she replied.
"Where do you she find such cats?" I asked.
"In the Kim Chuan industrial parks. I place food inside the cat traps. They are hungry and so enter the traps."

"I notice you have only one type of dry cat food and one colour," I said. "Instead of the multi-coloured pellets."

"Those multi-coloured pellets are too high in salt," she said. "These light brown ones are better." 
"What brand is it?" I asked.
"SAVA brand. You can buy them from any pet shop "
"Where are they made?" I enquired.
"From Thailand. They are good enough for the strays."

She had her career but spent rime trapping stray cats for sterilisation and release if the cat feeders are willing to pay for the costs. .
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