PUBLISHED ONJuly 13, 2022 7:32 AMByMelissa Teo For over a decade, some of the residents living at Blk 365 Yishun Ring Road have had to keep their windows shut due to the overwhelming stench of cat urine and faeces.
And it's all because of a woman who has been keeping over 50 cats in her four-room HDB flat, reported Lianhe Zaobao yesterday (July 12).
When the Chinese daily went down to 54-year-old Hasmawati's home, they said that they could smell a strong stretch from the lift area of the fourth floor.
The sound of cats meowing could also be heard from the outside of this administrator's unit.
When the reporters entered the house, they saw that some of the cats were kept in cages in the living room and the floor was also covered in yellow stains, presumably from the cat urine.
Hasmawati shared with Lianhe Zaobao that her collection of cats started more than 10 years ago when she brought home a stray cat that had followed her.
After the first cat, she decided to adopt a second one and the two cats started breeding. Separately, a family member also gave her more cats.
"And now, I have more than 50 of them," said Hasmawati.
One neighbour, who goes by the surname He, 66, complained that the problem has persisted since 2007. It was so bad that her daughter eventually moved out because she couldn't stand the smell.
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And it isn't just the stench that is causing problems — the cats occasionally wander into other neighbours' houses too.
Another neighbour, who goes by the surname Huang, said that cats have broken into her house twice and she had to call her husband to return home to help her remove the felines.
She shared that she has a fear of cats.
Some of the residents said that they have reached out to the town council but the situation did not improve.
AsiaOne has reached out to the Nee Soon Town Council and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for their comment.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, HDB said that they received feedback about Hasmawati's situation in May this year.
During a house visit, HDB said it observed that there were more than 50 cats in the unit, with poor living conditions.
"Together with the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of National Parks Board, and the Cat Welfare Society (CWS), we engaged and advised the resident to find an alternative home for the cats.
"Agencies and the CWS also inspected the cats to assess their health. Agencies are partnering animal welfare groups to assist the resident with sterilising and rehoming the cats, and will continue to provide support on these efforts," they said.
We understand that about 30 or so cats have been removed from the woman's house last week.
An AsiaOne reader who was outside the unit today (July 13) shared that the woman's door was closed and there were no cats in sight.
The reader also shared that the "corridor was clean and has no cat smell".
HDB also said that this is not the first time they have taken enforcement action against such HDB flat owners.
In a previous case, court action was taken against a flat owner who had repeatedly failed to rehome 13 cats "in spite of agencies’ best efforts, and intervention by Adviser and community partners", said the housing agency.
That flat owner was fined $11,300.
HDB is also taking legal action as a last resort against another household which houses as many as 10 cats.
The housing agency said that the neighbours of the household gave feedback that a persistent foul smell has been emanating from the flat.
And despite being given ample time, said HDB, the flat owners "continued to ignore advice to rehome the cats" and the cats have continued to cause disamenities to the neighbours.
According to information from HDB's website, cats are not allowed in flats as they are difficult to contain within the flat and also make caterwauling sounds.
And when cats are allowed to roam indiscriminately, they tend to shed fur, defecate or urinate in public areas.
On Tuesday (July 12), Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng posted on Instagram a survey conducted by CWS in Nee Soon East this year about responsible cat ownership.
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The survey of residents from 929 homes there showed that 94.7 per cent of the non-cat owners expressed that they have no concerns with their neighbours owning pet cats.
This isn't the first time a cat lady has caused problems by keeping so many cats in a HDB flat.
Back in 2016, a woman, who had 20 cats, ended up with a cockroach infestation problem after a bad fall left her immobile and unable to take care of her felines.
ALSO READ: The true cost of pet ownership in Singapore: Are you ready?
melissateo@asiaone.com