Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on managing stray cat population in housing estates
Feb 6, 2017
Ms Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development
(a) how does AVA monitor the population of stray cats in housing estates;
(b) what is the population trend of stray cats over past three years;
(c) what measures are put in place to manage its population; and
(d) what actions are taken against irresponsible cat feeders.
Answer:
AVA does not track the population of stray cats. But AVA works with the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) on stray cat sterilisation. Efforts are also made to try to rehome stray cats, although this is not feasible in all cases.
Under the Stray Cat Sterilisation Programme (SCSP), AVA subsidises the cost of sterilising and micro-chipping stray cats in HDB estates, industrial and commercial areas, as well as in private housing estates. Through these efforts, the annual number of feedback cases on stray cats has dropped from more than 4,000 in 2014 to fewer than 3,000 in 2016.
AVA also works with CWS and the SPCA to educate community feeders to feed stray cats responsibly. This includes placing food in receptacles and clearing up after the feeding. If these conditions are not adhered to, irresponsible feeders can be fined up to $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000 for their first, second and subsequent convictions for littering.