Wednesday, August 16, 2006

My heart skips a beat ...

From the desk of Mama Piggy:



... whenever I see Tortie Mummy aka Milo's Mummy at the multi-storey carpark in my estate. And then I give thanks for the fact that she is still well and alive.

I worry for her, because she is such a friendly and approachable community cat -- an easy target for potential abusers and "the authorities".

Also, some feeders in my estate have been leaving food in disposable containers for the cats, and it's a messy sight. I haven't been able to catch them in the act and advise them to clean up.

While I am glad that there are kind souls who care for Tortie Mummy and a couple of other community cats here, I hope they realise that their very action could get the cats into trouble, if they don't clear up the mess.

Already, the Malay uncle who also feeds Tortie Mummy (with dry food) told me the other day that someone from the town council told him to stop feeding the cats. I gave the uncle my mobile number and told him to contact me if the town council guy harangues him again. It also came to my knowledge that earlier on, "the authorities" had sent cat traps to our estate. Surely we can work out a more humane solution instead of a quick-fix that necessitates the loss of innocent feline lives?

As for "the authorities", is it too much of me to ask that you DO NOT round up cats with tipped ears?!? Cats like Tortie Mummy have already been "fixed", now go "fix" something else, like the broken solar-powered lamps at Potong Pasir!

Cat quote of the day:
Cats do not declare their love much; they enact it, by their myriad invocations of our pleasure.
- Vicki Hearne

4 comments:

Zeus said...

I agree with you. Surely, there has to be some better way to make sure these felines get the care they need. Trapping them might be a quick fix, but just because it is the fastest one doesn't make it the right one.

Singapore Community Cat said...

Do consider writing a letter to the MP,cc the CEO of the town council. Get the support of the feeders (Just their names, block number and mobile). It does help to protect the cats, if not all, at least the tipped ear ones and then quickly get the untipped tipped!

Kootoo | Muffin | Milo | Mama said...

The MP here is ok, he's seen my cats during a house visit and said as long as no one complain it's ok (actually there is nothing to complain about, is there? I keep my cats indoors). I think some town council officers can be overzealous, or perhaps some residents have been making noise about the community cats of late. I have been trying to catch hold of the other feeders to no avail. The untipped ones here are mostly males and they are really hostile, I can't even get within 5 metres of them, not even when I lure them with food!

Singapore Community Cat said...

Town Council officers learnt from their predecessors who would, by default, call the PCO (presumably stands for Pest Control Officers) in ANY complaint about cats, even if it were an anonymous ones. To these officers, it has been drummed into their heads that cats = nuisance, with no feelings, just like any piece of discarded furniture.
It takes an extraordinary TC officers to act extraordinary by asking..hey...it this right? Isn't there a better way to resolve the problem?
Until that day, we, who DO NOT want cats to be killed, must voice out and demand for the same right given to people who ask for cats to be "removed".

You will need a trap to catch those fertile guys.....get one from AVA..free delivery and free return.
Number to call: Animal Control & Welfare - 6471 9987 (ask for the "no hook" trap)