Cat found dead at Marsiling block in case of alleged abuse

Cat found dead at Marsiling block in case of alleged abuse
Posted 19 Dec 2016 20:33 Updated 20 Dec 2016 00:53

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) is looking into a case of a cat that was found dead at the foot of a block in Marsiling on Friday evening.

Nur Irdhawany, 22, posted photos on Twitter of the white cat at the foot of Block 217, Marsiling Crescent, saying that her cat had died in a "senseless act of violence".

The cat, named Casper, had been a day shy of turning eight months old, the part-time student told Channel NewsAsia on Monday (Dec 19). The cat was allowed to roam around the block from 7pm each day and would usually return by 8pm. On Friday night however, Casper had not returned home by 9.15pm, she said.

It was Ms Irdhawany's sisters who later found Casper's body. "My mum had already rushed down before (I did). She called the police while I tried to feel for Casper's heartbeat," she said.

"I know someone threw him down because he didn't know how to climb or jump."

Casper was found at the foot of Block 217 Marsiling Crescent on Friday night. (Photo: @NurIrdhawany/Twitter)

"It's heartbreaking because he really is very harmless and a lot of people around my neighbourhood recognise him," Ms Irdhawany added.

Besides Casper, Ms Irdhawany said the family has two other cats, Casper's mother, and its sibling. In her photos, Casper's mother was seen sitting beside the dead cat before it was taken away.

"There are a lot of cat carers in my area (who) feed stray cats, so I felt safe in letting them roam around a little," said Ms Irdhawany, adding that a neighbour living on the block's seventh floor had seen Casper playing with their slippers at 7pm.

She added that her family has made a police report.

In response to queries by Channel NewsAsia, a spokesperson said that AVA is aware of the case and is looking into it.

Cat Welfare Society spokesperson Veron Lau told Channel NewsAsia that the case appeared similar to another that occurred earlier this month, in which a cat was reportedly found dead on the doorstep of a flat, also in Marsiling.

Ms Lau said that both cats were suspected to have fallen from heights.

She added that while the Cat Welfare Society was aware of the case, no one has come forward to report it, which meant that a case cannot be properly investigated. "This is one of the issues we face in ascertaining if an abuse case reported online is genuine," she said.

However, she said that the phenomenon of cats falling from a height "is very real" and that the Cat Welfare Society receives reports of about five cats falling from heights each month.

- CNA/dl


- wong chee tat :)