SINGAPORE: Two recent community cat deaths in Yishun and Punggol were likely the result of vehicle accidents, with no evidence pointing to deliberate cruelty, the National Parks Board (NParks) said on 3 June.
NParks’ group director of enforcement and investigation, Jessica Kwok, said the findings were based on post-mortem results, veterinary assessments, and the initial locations where the cats were found.
She also provided updates on two other recent cat deaths in Yishun and Tampines.
First Yishun Case: Blunt Force Trauma from Vehicular Impact
A cat was found dead at Yishun Street 51, and NParks was alerted to a suspected animal abuse case by the police on 9 May.
According to the Sayang Our Singapore’s Community Cats Facebook group, residents said the cat was discovered with its eyes gouged out and its body dismembered.
NParks’ investigation included interviews with the person who reported the case, reviewing CCTV footage, and identifying potential witnesses.
According to Kwok, a passer-by had initially found the cat on the road and moved it to a nearby void deck.
A post-mortem conducted by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) revealed that the cat sustained blunt force trauma.
Injuries included fractures to the pelvis and sternum, multiple areas of internal bleeding, and a partially displaced right eye.
However, there was no evidence of sharp force or penetrating injuries.
“When the injuries are considered as a whole, a vehicular impact is the most likely cause of the blunt force traumatic injuries,” said Kwok.
Punggol Case: Cat Likely Struck by Vehicle
In the second case, a male tabby known as Shere Khan — or “Papa Cat” — was found injured near the loading and unloading bay of Block 326B Sumang Walk in Punggol.
The incident is believed to have occurred on 11 or 12 May.
Animal welfare group LUNI Singapore initially suspected abuse due to the cat’s injuries, which included bilateral proptosis (abnormal eye protrusion), tongue lacerations, facial bruising, and frayed nails.
NParks retrieved the injured cat after being notified on the morning of 12 May and sent it to a private veterinary clinic.
After tracing the cat’s microchip, NParks informed its caregiver and advised them to contact the clinic.
At that point, the case was treated as an animal rescue, since there was no evidence at the initial stage to suggest abuse, said Joshua Teoh, NParks’ director for enforcement and investigation.
He added that a representative from an animal welfare group decided to euthanise the cat on welfare grounds.
The cat was not sent for a post-mortem and was later cremated by another caregiver.
The private veterinary clinic’s report detailed the injuries and noted that the lesions and findings were “usually suggestive of blunt trauma” to the head.
A common cause, according to the vet, would be a road traffic accident, Kwok said.
NParks began investigating the case on 13 May after receiving feedback suggesting the cat may have been abused.
Officers interviewed the individual who found the cat, spoke with potential witnesses, and retrieved CCTV footage from multiple nearby cameras.
However, the footage did not capture how the cat sustained its injuries.
Kwok said NParks assessed that the cat was likely injured in a vehicular accident, with no evidence of deliberate cruelty based on the investigation and where the cat was found.
She added that NParks takes all reports of alleged animal cruelty seriously and will thoroughly investigate any feedback or new evidence.
Two More Cases
Kwok also addressed two additional incidents.
On 1 June, another cat was found dead at Block 510A Yishun Street 51 — just one block from the earlier Yishun case.
The cat was discovered with its legs splayed.
A preliminary examination found no visible external injuries, and a post-mortem is being conducted.
In a separate case on 24 May, a community cat in Tampines West known as Sunshine was found dead and wrapped in plastic beside a trash bin at a void deck in Tampines Street 81.
The cat had suffered blunt force trauma to the right side of the head and a dislocated lower jaw.
NParks established that Traffic Police officers had attended to a road incident involving a car and a community cat earlier that day.
“The Traffic Police officers moved the cat’s body to the void deck as it was likely to pose a safety hazard to other road users and to prevent other vehicles from running over the cat’s body,” said Kwok.
A member of the public later came across the cat’s body and reported the case to NParks.
No further action will be taken, as the car driver had reported the accident to the police within 24 hours.
Rising Animal Cruelty Cases
NParks has observed a consistent trend in animal cruelty cases, with only about 6% of reported cases providing concrete evidence of deliberate cruelty.
Most cases are related to public disputes, environmental disamenities, or animals that died from natural causes.
However, 2024 saw a sharp rise in reported animal welfare and cruelty cases, reaching a 12-year high.
According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), there were 961 reported cases involving a total of 2,190 animals, with cats making up 1,330 of those cases.
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