Written answer by Ministry of National Development on regulations to prevent cat feeding to reduce disamenities

Jan 10, 2024

Question No: 5480

Question by: Mr Lim Biow Chuan

To ask the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider regulations to prevent cat feeding at locations which will cause disamenities to the residents living in the area especially where the cat feeding results in excessive cat faeces in the neighbourhood.

Answer:

Enforcement action can already be taken under the Environmental Public Health Act for irresponsible cat feeding that results in littering. To promote the responsible feeding of community cats, NParks works with stakeholders such as NEA, Town Councils, animal welfare groups (AWGs), and community cat caregivers to encourage caregivers to clear leftover food, water, and containers in a timely manner.

2        NParks also plans to work with stakeholders to develop guidelines for responsible community cat caregiving. These guidelines may cover appropriate locations to feed community cats, to reduce disamenities at high-traffic areas such as lift lobbies and staircases.

3        NParks will continue to work with its partners to take a holistic and science-based approach to sustainably manage the community cat population, such as through the Stray Cat Sterilisation Programme.