The impervious midnight litter-bug feeder
btmao feeds the Area 3 Street Gangs brekkies and dindins, 7 days a week.
But when she first started, she only served breakfast, as there was another feeder who did the night rounds.
This feeder, a self-styled care-giver had seemed at first to be committed. But with time, we've been inexorably drawn to a reclassification.
She was not a care-giver. If any's due for mojo-removal, she notifies us, makes excuses for not handling it herself, and asks that we do the honours and split the bills with her. She never pays. If any cat gets sick, she notifies us, sometimes very dramatically, makes excuses for not handling it herself, and asks that we do the honours and split the bills with her. She never pays. So she was merely a midnight feeder.
Worse, she was irresponsible, to the point of abject incorrigibility. Despite our repeating, ad nauseum, the importance of responsible feeding, she continued her habit of leaving enough food to feed a whole army.
Every morning, btmao was greeted with tons of leftovers, infested with ants. Passers-by gave dirty looks of course. There was no other choice, and btmao became her cleaning service. So this feeder was a irresponsible midnight litter-bug feeder.
This feeder proved to be impervious. We tried reason ("CWS also say..."), logic (leftovers attract ants, unhygienic, waste), emotional (the cats will get killed! K.I.L.L.E.D!), and even outright told her we'll take over the night-feeding, and she can go concentrate on the ones in her own neighbourhood. But no, she persisted. We even used her religious leanings and tried to drill the concept of guilt by fait accompli, aka her irresponsible feeding. But all it achieved were threats that she would REALLY stop, and that we were monsters for trying to pin religious transgressions/impiety on her. We rubbed our hands in gleeful anticipation that she would finally stop endangering the Area 3 gangs and relieve btmao of her cleaning-up duty. But to our chagrin, this feeder was just making empty threats.
So she was a irresponsible, impervious midnight litter-bug feeder. And what a prime specimen she was of WPDS too.
If ever any defense department needs new angles on bullet-proofing, she could probably patent and sell her imperviousness, and be set for life.
She haunted and frustrated us, well, mostly btmao, for 4 years, at least. We despaired of making her see reason. And short of murder, it seemed that there was no getting rid of her.
We were dead-ended. But Bast was looking out for the gangs it seemed. Late last year, after almost a year of threatening to stop feeding and move out, she finally moved out!
At last, the light at the end of the tunnel got through, for the Area 3 gangs and btmao's sanity.
So now, btmao serves 2 meals, 7 days a week, and is thankful for the fact that the dangers posed by the impervious midnight litter-bug feeder (imlf) has been resolved.
- Go to Write-Protect Disk Syndrome
- Go to Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Check out the purrsNswipes Adoption Guidebook
- Meet our homeseekers
- Go to Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
Write-Protect Disk Syndrome
Basically, this entry is to offer commiseration with fellow caregivers. I was inspired to write this after going through the Mr EKAT entries by vegancatsg (Mr Ekat chronology: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10). At last, there is proof that we are not alone.
Let's start at the beginning.
A question first: What happens when you try to reason with people who refuse to see reason?
It's like getting voluntarily stone-walled, or being in a straitsjacket with a desperately needy itch in an awkward place. But most of all, it's like trying to write data to a disk that seemed ok, only to get, persistently, "Disk Error" or "This disk is write-protected" sort of messages. Both these messages are simply warnings to tell you you can't write data to the damn disk.
With a floppy, it's simple, you just need to slide the write-protect thingy on the diskette the other way to be able to write, provided the diskette has not gone moldy or otherwise damaged.
But technology has advanced, and the floppy is relegated to out-of-date artefact status. Now, you use CDs, CD-R are write-once disks, once something has been stored on it, you can't add new data or overwrite existing stuff. CD-RW, are write-many-times disks, and you can add new data or overwrite existing stuff -- provided you made the correct choice when the system asked you the million dollar question.
Now it would be fine if you can change the disk, but what if the confounded disk is stuck inside your drive?
So now you ask: what's all the computer storage stuff to do with reasoning with people? Plenty, analogically at least. So hold that image of a stuck, unwritable disk for a while and let's move on.
btmao and I have met a number classic cases since we self-conscripted into the mojo-robbery business.
Now, we've learnt to appreciate a few precious commodities: our sanity and patience. Sometimes it seems feeders have memory-retention issues, compounded by reality-check and commitment issues. At times, we also get driven up walls, modicums of common-sense in the general public seemed so rare. These people have what I would like to call the WPDS - "Write-Protect Disk Syndrome"
I guess it's accumulative, and perhaps there's something in the air or water that inhibits their function, but it seems people, whether self-professed cat lovers or the general public, are just clueless about cats. It is really rare to encounter people who have sense or know anything at all about even the basic cat stuff, so when these basic characteristics of sentient beings manifest, they are highly appreciated by btmao and me.
In any case, where' s the fun in writing about normal? It's the ones who drive you nuts and then turn around and shell your brain as easily as a peanut pod that makes for juicy and cynical potshots.
So, here's our mini-monument to WPDS among humans. I hope it helps preserve the sanity of fellow-care-givers who've been emotionally scarred by WPDS encounters. Remember, you are not alone.
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to
Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Check out the purrsNswipes
Adoption Guidebook
- Meet our
homeseekers
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to
SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
Thanks to Dawn for the headsup. Some of these stuff are also part of the TNRM workshop 'goody bag' that CWS gives out. But, you've to admit, having the softcopy handy makes it that much easier to make professional looking copies.
TNRM Useful Resources On the CWS site
Note: These are in pdf version, you need ACROBAT reader to view them. Download the free reader here.
- Go to Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Check out the purrsNswipes Adoption Guidebook
- Meet our homeseekers
- Go to Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
Joey the Self-Recliner
Look at that impressive tum-spread! Apparently, Joey Inc carries only 1 recliner model, and it has not changed much in design or features, just a change in internal-machinery here or a tweak in girth there.
Who cares a hoot about Osim or Oto - can't even tell the diff between those tow pretenders to the throne.
But the original self-recliner Joey, one in a million! No wonder no other recliner comes close.
Self-recliner Joey, 2003 edition
Self-recliner Joey, 2006 edition
- Go to Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Check out the purrsNswipes Adoption Guidebook
- Meet our homeseekers
- Go to Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
Dawn spoke about another close-shave with the Bedok serial cat-killer:
Vegancat and another volunteer told me that the Bedok cat killer was seen taking another cat up into his flat. I've been told that I must have misunderstood earlier and that the kitten ran out before the police arrived. This is really quite worrying but the volunteers are all keeping a close watch on him. The volunteer took the cat home.
Update: highlighted text replaced this sentence on Dawn's entry: "Fortunately the volunteer saw him and called the police and the kitten was rescued." Thanks to vegancatsg for the alert.
Getting worrisome indeed. Already I can see one big question mark: the kitten escaped, but what about charges, records, warnings?
What can you and I, mere tax-paying minions in straitlaced Singapore do? Here's one thing: WRITE.
Write to the PM, the AG, the police and whoever you think oughta know and have the decision-making capacity.
If you need ammo and stuff, this entry may provide a starting point. Please don't belittle your ability to speak up - just write from your heart. Action speak louder than words, and now's not the time to keep mum.
If you're worried about repercussions, look at me, I've written any number of letters, mostly pointed, to the press, and to various officious entities too, and one of the communications, very recent, in fact, was really blunt. I'm still alive and even got start this blog!
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
How pathetic the 'man' who derives his machismo from terrorising small defenceless animals. more pathetic is the 'woman' who displays her alluring vulnerability by screaming for help at the sight of small defenceless animals, woh would'nt want anything to do with such irritating shrieking creatures anyway.
"... A stray cat had leapt onto a seat at a vacant table in the open section of the
hawker centre and made itself comfortable.
It clearly was not making a nuisance of itself in any way as the young occupants of the neighbouring table were not even aware of its presence initially."
".. as the group was about to vacate the table, two women in the group noticed the animal and started shrieking in horror, clambering quickly out of their seats. "
"A short while later, one of men in the group returned from the restroom.
Realising the 'situation', he proceeded to 'resolve' it by planting a well-aimed kick in the middle of the hapless feline's face."
.. more
Chronology
-
I should have stood up to bully who kicked cat (St, 20051003)
-
Will the bully who kicked the cat please stand up? (ST, 20051007)
- Go to
Animal Abuse - You Can Stop It!
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
Did someone hit the replay button on the ugly petshop saga??
THREE puppies from the same pet shop fell ill and died from a canine virus after they were taken home by their new owners.
Both the owners complained to the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).
Their beef: The pet shop did not vaccinate the dogs - an AVA regulation - before selling them and this led to the dogs' deaths.
Joy Doggy Pet Shop in Upper Thomson Road, which sold all three dogs, was fined $100 by the AVA.
... more
Chronology
-
Virus kills 3 pups - pet shop fined (ST, 20060417).
Write! Background info to aid with writing.
-
Stiffer penalties needed to rein in pet shops;
Tough action needed to protect puppies and prevent negligence (ST20060420)
Reminiscence:
-
Shop's cages so small, dogs could hardly move (ST, 20060302)
-
Horrific find in dog farm in Pasir Ris (ST, 20041217)
-
Breeders could be abandoning dogs (STREATS, 20040723)
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
Don't Breed Or Buy While Shelter Animals Die
Bedok Nth St 3 serial cat killer, David Hooi is in good company it seems.
"IN a part of Bedok South, some aunties who are taking care of stray cats, speak of a man who would bring the cats to the top to the block of flats where he lives, and throw them to their deaths.
"They say he has also been seen to thrust a stick into the anus of a cat causing it to have difficulty with its bowel movements. But it miraculously survived this attack.
"The aunties say it is hard for the police to take action against the man in the absence of hard evidence.
Cat killer, in Bedok South this time (TNP, 20060425)
Chronology of the Bedok South Serial Cat Killer
-
Cat killer, in Bedok South this time (TNP, 20060425)
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to
Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
Another Cat killer at large...Old Airport Road (singaporecats, 20060410)
This one is still uncaught. I only hope the authorities sit up and take these cruelty cases seriously, or else we're just going to end up with another killer-nabbed-at-long-last-released-early-to-continue-killing-spree case ala Bedok Nth St 3 serial cat killer, David Hooi
There seems to be a serial cat killer at large in Old Airport Road area. He strikes every week in the night. According to the bangaladesh cleaner, bodies of cats were found almost weekly. Just last week, one cat was strangled to death and hung up the tree. Sadly, no one had made any police report. However, there are feedback and we do have a suspect in mind. Those who resides that area, please do look out for a man who carries a long umbrella and always holding a kerosene container. He doesn't seem to be mentally sound though. Someone witnessed him pricking a cat with a needle. And once, a lady saw him catching a cat and when she walked nearer, she found a pool of blood... no bodies were found.
Another Cat killer at large...Old Airport Road (singaporecats, 20060410)
Chronology of the Old Airport Road Cat Killer(s)
-
Another Cat killer at large...Old Airport Road (singaporecats, 20060410)
-
Residents should catch cat killer (
TNP, 20060412)
- Give counselling to animal killers, Animal bashers can be fined and jailed (
TNP, 20060421)
-
Old Airport Road Killers Strike Again!! (singaporecats, 20060425)
-
Cat-killings still a problem (TODAY, 20060508)
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to
Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
Maybe there is hope afterall
I vaguely remember, just before I got sideswiped by bacteria in the food, I was ranting about Singapore's deplorable attitude and ignorance about the need to be compassionate for non-humans
Guess what I found in my mailbox?
From: Amy (Acres) amy@acres.org.sg
Date: Apr 21, 2006 4:29 PM
Subject: [Acres Action Alert] Help stop Canadian seal slaughter
To: volunteer@acres.org.sg
Dear Acres
Supporters,
This has been a very busy time for Acres in terms of our awareness programme, with four talks held during the past ten days at Meridian Junior College, the Canadian International School, United World College and Victoria Junior College. The replica model of a bear at a bear farm proved to be a major talking point, generating a lot of interest and discussion about the bear bile trade among the students.
Several more talks are lined up for the near future at Singapore Sports School, Victoria Junior College and Tajong Katong Secondary school. These educational visits to schools are a vital part of our work, raising awareness on animal welfare issues among the younger generation. We would like to thank all those who have invited us to their schools and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them in the future.
Action alert:
A number of our members have written to us expressing their concern over the slaughter of helpless baby seals in Canada, a barbaric practice which has received a lot of media attention worldwide. Acres is strongly opposed to this seal hunt and we urge you to take a few moments to sign the "Tell Canada to Speak the Truth About the Seal Hunt" petition found at the following link http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/263683224
More on the Canadian seal hunt and ways you can help to speak out against this
cruelty can be found on the website of the International Fund for Animal
Welfare (IFAW) at http://www.ifaw.org/
Please continue to be the voice for the animals.
Best wishes,
Amy
Corrigan (BSc)Director of Zoology Animal Concerns Research and Education Society
(Acres)http://www.acres.org.sg/
11 Pasir Ris Farmway 2Singapore
519326(O): +65 6581 2488(F): +65 6581 6318(HP): +65 9155 7295
Now we're not saying we're the pioneer Singaporeans for awareness of animal welfare, and animal rights, btmao and I. But it used to be that anything that's not about the 5Cs, celebrity gossip, or very local-contextual stuff, drew complete BLANKS. We might as well have been pantomining or doing something like make like trees and drew utter disinterest (or artificial polite response, if lucky).
The fact that ACRES supporters wrote in to ACRES to voice their concerns is a start. Its a small start, but at least it's there. I really hope we see people speaking up in the public forums of newspapers and so on too.
As an aside, I wonder if ACRES had a chance to raise this issue atthe talk they held for the Canadian International School
Go here or here for more details on the CRUEL and UTTERLY unnecessary Canadian annual seal-slaughter. (Please also go to CARE! to learn about other issues needing your help.)
Still, this is about a global issue. I'm still vacillating between hopeful and hopeless for Singapore cats:
Not to forget the other animals too (
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.)
Breathing 'Izzy'
Since Izzy and Samia returneth, peaceful the nights are.
Diminished has the threat of complaints.
Either being mojo-less agrees with them or they've moved their night-time performance venue.
We're hoping that it's the former. Actually, they're really pally, and Izzy-boy allows the smaller Samia to boss his bulging gut. They would make a lovely pair, but I'm doubtful about her chances.
I've yet to write up a proper adoption notice for the CWS adoption board. Of course, they're also missing the money-shots. The problem is they're so loving they just keep coming at the camera. At this point, I wish I could do the acu-point immobilisation thingy pugilists/heroes of the fictional!Chinese martial arts-scene seem to do so easily.
One Western equivalent would be the star-wars universe.
But, forget Luke Skywalker, give me Yang Guo anytime! They may both have lost an arm each, but Yang Guo did without lightsabers and X-wings, no "Low Batt" and fuel-tank empty worries cramping his style, just a plain saber he wields through sheer mastery, and a self-refueling companion Condor.
Oops, did we veer off-course?
Izzy get a home! Izzy get a home!
- Meet our homeseekers
- Check out the purrsNswipes Adoption Guidebook
- Go to Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
blogor mortis
The silence trips the guilt, and my fingers itch,
the keys' senseless rhythm make them twitch,
alas updates denied and the weekend burned,
as the runs hit, and guts churned and turned,
brain cells seemed to drain out the other end,
and the frontal lobe robbed of bends.
Naught to do but sleep like the dead,
while precious blog-thoughts fled unsaid.
There! Awful poesie of the moment, call it abstracted tummy aches. Anyway, that's why this blog's been silent for the past days.
But there's life in these fingers yet.
Hopefully, we'll be back to the usual verbal diarrhea tonnage soon, at least I'm looknig forward to it, it's so much more endurable than the other variety.
Here's a poser. Replace every occurence of "American" with "Singapore" in this quote, and what do you see?
The American Cat Project is a web site for people who have discovered issing kittens hiding under the porch, skinny cats begging in the coffee-shop parking
lot, or feline shadows lurking in the local park.
If you aren't the kind of person who can just walk away, you aren't alone.
The street cat is the original American cat. Countless kittens are pulled from the streets into homes, and countless more feral (wild) cats remain outdoors, uncared for. They were once ignored to live or die. But now caring neighbors are unwilling to turn a blind eye to cat overpopulation and street cat suffering. They want to do
something to stop the problem.
They aren't just wild cats. They are our cats. They are American cats.
(from The American Cat Project)
Unreachable utopian dream? Maybe, but people who care for cats, or other animals in Singapore can hope right?
Oh, I know, fully aware, in fact, that we've got the
Cat Welfare Society. But what about the public, the individuals, the average Ah Seng, Ahmad, Bala, John? Do they care? Can they care?
Look at our
official pendulum swing with TNRM, how
90% of Singaporeans are denied the privilege of having cats at home. And look at the case of
David Hooi, serial cat killer extraordinaire
When will Singapore begin care for anything but ourselves? Do the authorities understand or give a hoot for the voiceless ones-the ones who don't pay taxes, do not contribute to the economy, and certainly they do not have voting rights.
Bleah.
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to
Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Meet our
homeseekers
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to
SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
Homeseeker: Izzy
Izzy is a 6-8 month old male Mackerel tabby kitten, with a long perfect tail.
He was found crying, and was probably abandoned. He is extremely friendly and affectionate, and has the very cute quirk of showing his little pink tongue.
Izzy has been sterilised, vaccination and litter-box training status unknown.
If you or anyone you know is interested to take away the reason for his crying, and give this affectionate young boy a home, please write to sephycat at gmail dot com.
His Story
A week after Samia re-appeared, btmao came home looking peeved and worried.
There was a mackerel tabby, a young cat, running around Area 1 of the Street Gangs. He was crying, like a lost child, and the thing was a scaredy cat, running away at any noise.
btmao was certain the poor thing was spooky because it was abandoned - the markings were quite pretty, and unlikely to be a local cat - since we've stole the mojo of everybody in the vicinity, no nursing mother's been spotted for at least 3 years now.
Two days after that, btmao spotted the kit again, more calm this time, and willing to let her serve food. A boy, with a long perfect tail and really beautiful mackerel tabby markings.
Izzy seemed to latch on to Samia for comfort, and she in turn was receptive to his companionship.
Still, he seemed to miss his heartless family. Worse, he was a true cryer, and with a LOUD voice. He kept the crying up for 2 whole nights, during the weekend. We had to do something, before he brought the wrath of officialdom down upon us all. Keeping him away was a good idea at that time, and he seemed due for mojo-robbery anyway.
And so we sent both in for mojo-removal together. He was sent in on Monday, 17 Apr. His mojo was taken the next day, 18 Apr. After a 2 day recovey period, he's back, spotting the tip-ear. He is well, and took an enjoyable leisurely dinner. Let's hope he doesn't cry tonight.
Foster Mum seem to be at capacity, we'll have to check again. IF he can't check-in with her, we'll have to do a Bobby, and let him hang around Area 1 while we try to get him a home.
Izzy gossip
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
- Meet our
homeseekers
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
Samia - the kitten lost and found
Samia, 20060206
In Oct/Nov 2005 on a very rainy morning, a kitten appeared as a little scaredy kitten in Bobby's place, in the east end of Area 2 of the Street Gangs.
We couldn't get near, and so didn't even give the hungry, crying baby some food.
I thought that was the last we'd see of the little thing, as there was no sign of tail or whisker for the next weeks. Then 1 day, btmao called me excitedly, a kitten, with the markings of the little scaredy one, ran across her path whiel she was looking for members of the Area 2 gang.
After that, from time time, we'd sight the little one.
Finally, the kitten seemed to settle down at the west end of Area 2, where she found a friend in a free-roaming pet cat of about the same age whom we named Salma. The little one was cautious, and we had to leave food at a distance. By late January, however, btmao was pally enough to be able to check the kitten out- a girl. We named her Samia.
By February, btmao had achieved the milestone of being able to stand next to her. At this time, we estimated Samia to be about 4/5 months old. Just about time, by the time Samia trusted btmao enough to let her carry, we could send her in for mojo robbery.
Alas, it was not to be. Samia went MIA a few days after. We thought she was gone for good.
Then, three weeks ago, in late March, a new long-tailed tri-colour/tortie girl appeared in Area 1. btmao was excited - she was the MIA'd Samia!
I was doubtful at first, because this new girl, though her size fits what Samia should be now, was FRIENDLY. But the markings, and her face, after 1 sighting, I was convinced too.
What happened to her during this intervening time? What helped her overcome her wariness of people? We'll never know, but the important thing was, she is easy to send for mojo-robbing now.
She made a new friend too - Izzy.
And so we sent them in for mojo-removal together. Samia definitely needed hers removed, before she got into trouble with heat-induced caterwauling or had babies.
Samia was sent in on Monday, 17 Apr. Her mojo was taken the next day, 18 Apr. After a 2 day recovey period, she's back, spotting the tip-ear. She is well, and took an enjoyable leisurely dinner. In one thing, she has not changed, she takes her time with food, truly an auntie of catdom when it came to tummy-filling.
Samia gossip
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
Associates
When a family has cats/dogs, it's rarely a one furry-creature home. In the course of rehoming, we've gotten to know a few four-legged cuties too. They ought to have a mention, if only for being the house-mates of our successful homeseekers.
We know quite a few from
Foster Mum's too.
- Meet our
homeseekers
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
Mao Mao, Bobby's housemate
Mao Mao is a seven-yr-old. Doesn't look a day over 3, does he? He's the first Associate, and what an inductee for the inaugral of the Associates' list.
April and Alvin, Bobby's parents rescued Mao Mao off the streets in August last year. They started with just feeding him. But out of the generousity of their hearts, they opened their home to him. I believe it was inevitable, only a matter of when.
What catalysed the event was Mao's 2 week MIA scare, after which he reappeared with a limp. Distressed and at a loss, April and Alvin brought him to the SPCA, not knowing their kill-rate. Luckily, the vet assessed Mao and determined that he's suitable for home-living. That sealed his fate.
Look how well he took to his new home: personal Pooh, and hidey-hole bed.
He's very sweet, and very adorable. btmao and I were very taken with him too.
- Meet our homeseekers
- Go to Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Meet other Associates
Just released on 14 Apr, the Bedok cat killer is already starting to menace the community and the cats:
I spoke to one of the caregivers in Bedok and asked how the situation has been since the Bedok cat killer was released. According to her, he made a threat against one of the caregivers.
Dawn's blog. More...
In the corresponding comments, this one is most disturbing:
said...
I spoke to one of the caregiver and she said that David Hooi was seen "playing" with one of the community cats under the care of another care-giver. It was a big ginger cat. A police patrol car came by and he ran off. The area was searched for any missing cats. None (yet).
Just fresh out of prison, and a shortened sentence at that, and lready this is happening. How long do you think the threat of police patrols will stop Hooi from torturing cats, or worse? I'm not optimistic at all.
- Go to main entry:
Man jailed 3 months for torturing kitten till its eye protruded (ST, 20060307)
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
Homeseeker: Bobby
Bobby is a large handsome young adult male, 2-4 yrs old, who appeared at the neighbourhood carpark in Apr/May 05. He is a beautiful tabby with white underside, topped off with a unique white diamond covering his nose and a white crest on his chest. A majestic-looking gentleman, he is an abandoned pet cat, and though shy and reticent at first, is easily socialised. He is very friendly and affectionate, and is so trusting that he will offer his vulnerable underside for a tummy rub, especially after a meal. Sterilized with a tipped ear.
His Story
Bobby popped up in Area 2 of the Street Gangs, and jostled with Booties/Beanie, Timmy, and blue-eyes in the carpark.
He was a scaredy-cat, a majestic, virile male, with the most soulful eyes, but a scaredy-cat.
He was ravenous too. But within 3 days, he was putting his paws on btmao's lap, and hoisting his body up to supervise the food-prep.
Was he an abandonee? We suspected so. He cries, and is bewildered. We've seen him prowling the linkway roofs calling loudly, and he wasn't advertising his availability to the ladies, he was crying out to his family to come bring him home.
He was easily popped into the carrier for his mojo-removal two weeks later. More evidence in support of the abandonment theory.
Then one day, btmao came home after dinner service, and she looked really peeved. A boy had ran past as she served Bobby, and he casually stated: "My friend's cat. His mother put him here."
btmao lost it, and lectured him on responsible pet-ownership. Too bad, he ran off before she could get him to tell her his friend's address.
So, indelibly an abandonee, Bobby was easy to befriend. Soon, he trusted me too. He was a fussy eater, not in the sense of food-pickiness, but rather comfort and reassurance. You have to sit with him, speak to him, and give him headrubs. You can't leave before he's done. Because he won't be done. He'd anxiously abandon face-stuffing and follow you with plaintive "Where are you going? Can I come along?" meows.
When he's done with food, he will present his tummy for the requisite after-dinner tummy rub. Otherwise, he'd also follow you with plaintive "Where are you going? Can I come along?"
And cursory rubs won't do - rubs must last at least 5 minutes. He will see you off after that, but you feel horrible leaving the poor boy there, alone and forlorn.
Bobby became the friendliest tummy around. An aunt, and our mum, visited him on different occasions, and he presented his tummy to them without hesitation.
Still, Bobby showed us he definitely wanted a home. But Foster Mum was at capacity. We couldn't board him, but we decided to try rehoming him anyway.
We decided against moving him into Foster-care after, as he seemed to be adapting well to the ways of the world. But he definitely still wanted a home.
Bobby was on the CWS adoption board for 9 months, starting from late May/early June. We had some enquiries for him, but no one ever made it to his carpark for a visit. We persevered, and he remained among our famous five on the CWS adoption board, together with Booties/Beanie, Frankie, Orli, Timmy.
We were still cautiously hopeful that his true parents would come along and scoop him home. Then things took a sudden downturn. In late November, a resident complaint about noisy cats in the middle of the night landed Bobby in trouble. We scrambled, and luckily got him released from the cat trap that very night.
At this point in time, Foster Mum was again at capacity - so he couldn't check-in. We decided to move him to Area 1 instead. Dazed, and a bit limpy, he wandered around, and gravitated to the carpark. It was heart-rending to see him being so bewildered, and scared.
We don't blame him. This was like a second abandonment. And he wasn't at fault. He had been in Area 2 for 6 months, without incident. If he was a noisy nuisance, complaints would have been lodged much earlier. Plus, he's mojo-less already. The culprit must be someone else. We suspect it was the elusive Ivan the Terrible. But why did the resident pick out Bobby to the town council?
It was easy to fathom. The Area 2 carpark was very near some of the flats. Residents could easily see Bobby, and had probably seen him frequently - he doesn't hide and the only place he's ever found in is the carpark. The complainant must have ASSumed it was Bobby making the nuisance. Bobby was the hapless victim of lazy, irresponsible complaining.
Over the next weeks, we had anxious nights and distracted days, hoping Bobby would stay, and alternately wondering if he'll adapt to the new lay of his land. Plus, Ivan lurked in Area 1 from time to time too. We hoped he was away while Bobby oriented himself.
Initially, we had to sweep down all levels of the carpark to find him. But after a week, we sort of got confident he was staying.
Bobby did still manage to give us a few scares - he disappeared from time to time. And btmao would find him back at his old home. Luckily, he did not develop an aversion to the carrier. We brought him back to Area 1 each time. We were worried about the vacuum effect in the Area 2 carpark, but we were even more worried about Bobby's commuting.
We did debate, at several points, whether the coast was clear enough to let him go back. This was an especially attractive option when, after a few weeks, Bobby spotted a horrible limp (probably an encounter with Ivan, and not the first), and began to behave skittishly with me - some person(s) must have spooked him really bad. We ruled Ivan out since they've 'met' before, and Bobby did not carry any emotional scars from their meetings.
I guess the spooking was done by kids: once while I was feeding him, a family with 2 kids got out of a lorry, the kids, a boy and a girl, preceeded to hazz Bobby, from a distance. Their fantastic parents did not even bother to control of course.
Poor Bobby couldn't enjoy his food though, he kept looking up and checking the danger zone, and was especially wary of the pyjama-clad little freaks.
The horrible monsters, and their useless handlers left only when he was almost done.
By January this year, I was tempted to take him off the adoption board, at least for a while as he rehab his fear of people, since his skittishness wasn't abating, and he wasn't ready for meeting anyone.
In the end, I decided to let his adoption notice run its course.
Home!
In February, I got an email from CWS - someone was interested in Bobby! I did not have my hopes up, given the state of Bobby's psyche. But I called Alvin anyway, and laid out the situation to him. Alvin listened, and said he'll call the next week to arrange a vist, as he was tied up with work til then.
So that was that. I thought that was it, as experience tells me.
Imagine my surprise when, like clockwork, his wife, April, called on Monday the following week, and visited Bobby the next night! They stayed for nearly 2 hours, and we talked a fair bit - they were looking for a companion for their Mao Mao, a boy whom they picked up and adopted in August last year. As it turned out, April has had her eye on Bobby since December!
Bobby, as I expected, did not make a good impression - he hid under the cars the whole time!
But Alvin and April were very understanding and patient. I liked their sincerity.
At the end of the visit, April said they would like to visit during the coming weekend, and try to feed him, as we suggested.
And indeed, April and Alvin visited both weekend evenings, and stayed for at least 2 hours each time. They came armed with Natural Balance, after listening to what we found out about cat food nutrition. I liked them even more.
April and Alvin also showed their determination to befriend and know Bobby. Imagine grown-ups on knees in grimy carpark lots, trying to entice a scaredy cat with food and treats, for 2 hours!
Through the three visits, btmao and I talked to April and Alvin. We explained the introduction process, and told them about how adults tend to take longer to accept each other, and that males tend to take longer than females. We also talked about FiV/FeLV, the risks to both cats, and testing. Alvin and April were understanding about the introduction bit, and were still willing to take on the challenge. They also agreed that doing the tests makes sense. I'll confess that their empathy, and their sincerity left a very deep impression. I felt apologetic on Bobby's behalf.
I decided to take the plunge then and proposed to let them take Bobby home the following Saturday, if he and Mao Mao pass the tests. This is because Bobby would probably be more receptive to friendship in a home environment, and at the rate we were going with the friending, it could take months - given Bobby's personality, I was certain that speeding the process up by ensconcing him in a home environment was the better option. I also felt that the Area 1 carpark environment was too close to the cause of his skittishness, to have his true personality come out, he had to be removed from the site.
April and Alvin were game and amendable to the proposal. I was both happy and anxious of course.
The intervening dats was a horribly restless week to endure.
Finally, the big day arrived. We got to the clinic first, and Bobby's test results? FiV positive, FeLV negative. Right then, we resigned ourselves to the possibility that Bobby might never get a home at all.
We told Alvin and April about his results when they arrived. Mao Mao's results? Cleared of both FiV and FeLV. Mao Mao was also aged - 7-8. April and Alvin were surprised, as they had thought he was about 4. They were also impressed and very happy with the professionalism of Dr E and his willingness to entertain questions, and share knowledge.
Anyway, deliberation time. Dr E did mention the availabilty of vaccines.
I was very very touched when April and Alvin decided to vaccinate Mao Mao!
So, on Mar 4 06, Bobby has a home again.
Mao Mao wasn't too keen of course, but it was as expected. Hopefully, they won't take too long to accept each other.
Follow-up visit
On Mar 11, the following weekend, we visited Bobby. He was aloof and distant. Probably, he was angry with btmao for 'abandoning' him, his third experience. His only response to us was to hiss at btmao toward the end of our visit. It was bitter-sweet, of course.
But the fact is, Bobby lucked out, despite the long 9-month wait. Alvin and April are responsible and conscientious, and the extent to which they went to help Bobby settle in was commendable! April bunked in with Bobby, and Alvin, to whom Mao Mao is very attached, worked on reassuring Mao Mao.
Update
Today, April contacted me - she was concerned with Bobby's growing over-confidence. Where he would previously give way to Mao Mao, he now expected Mao Mao to do so instead. He was becoming a bit of a tyrant and a bully!
I feel bad for Mao Mao, having seen it with Teddy and Bam Bam, our resident coots.
We discussed a few things, and hopefully, it's part of their own way of working out the social order. I'm trying to find ways to help bring Bobby down a peg or two, and to bring up Mao Mao's confidence.
I'm also keeping my fingers crossed, but with our home slacker experience, especially with Bam Bam, the resident evil, I feel it's only a matter of time before Bobby and Mao Mao works it out.
The boy, Bobby that is, better behave, or I'm going to smack him to his senses!
Bobby at home
Bobby and Mao Mao in a moment of peace
My name is...
Bobby's got a new name too. April decided to call him BoBo (as in Ball-Ball) .
Read about other Home Seekers.
Go to Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
Ivan the Terrible
Ivan the Terrible. How do you rob a tom with a moniker like that of his mojo? With patience, of course. Oh and load up on the gumption pills too.
Ivan is a full-fledged virile Tom - big head, battle-scars and all.
Where did he come from? We're not sure, all we're sure of is that he's definitely 4 yrs at least.
We noticed that Ivan began haunting and terrorising the resident cats in the Street Gangs' Area 1 and Area 2 about 1.5, maybe 2 years ago.
He is LOUD, but extremely cautious. But depending on how one views it, he might as well be called THICK. His modus operandus is to make a ruckus, so you know he's there. But he won't show himself. And even after you've put food down, he'd continue to cry for a while before he breathed, and find the smell of food in the air. Then he'd cry somemore, but this time with that "Dude, is that food?" vibe.
You have to locate him, get his attention, go back to the food-drop, signal, point, and otherwise make a FOOL of yourself to get him to see where the grub is. Then, you have to move FAR away before he'd come of hiding and eat.
He is the resident terror - every cat we know in Areas 1 and 2 bear proof of his personal attention.
The moment we saw him in his full seedy glory, we knew we had to rob his mojo. The greater good was at stake.
The plan was to befriend him, and then betray him - the usual mojo robbing procedure.
But we underestimated him. With Ivan, we encountered roadblocks, high-speed crashes and sleepless nights. Ivan is the frequent-flyer of catdom. He commutes, sporadically and elusively, between Area 1 and 2, and goodness knows where else, but refuses to publish his itinerary in advance.
So we've been relegated to reacting to his appearances. And it has been hair-tearing, teeth-gnashing days.
Finally, half a year back, a school-girl in Area 1, K, whose family also feeds the local gang members, told us Ivan is a regular at her place. He's as sneaksy as ever, but allows her dad to carry him.
We thought: Hope at last!
But it was not to be. Ivan was either very intuitive to mojo-robbing vibes (given his caution/thickness about food, we doubt), or had really unpleasant experiences with boxy thingies. K's dad couldn't get him into the carrier either.
So back to the drawing board. Now we know he's decided to be a permanent guest around Area 1 at least. What could we do? He wouldn't let himself be carried or put in carriers.
Cajoling, and betrayal wasn't gonig to work with le Terrible. Entrapment might be the answer.
We decided to loan a cat-trap from CWS, and asked K's family to help with getting Ivan used to the trap and to lure him in. Patience, we said, because if he's spooked before he got trapped, there'll be no other option.
A month passed, then two. We twiddled thumbs. During this time, K told us that Ivan could be an abandonee - they have their suspicions about who owned' him, but could not be sure. So we had to let it pass. Poor boy, a bit of his incessant crying seemed to make sense.
Then, in late February, Ivan decided he liked btmao's dinner service! btmao became the annoted friend, not that it surprised me - she does have a way with felines. Within a week, Ivan was literally eating out of her hands!
This was too good a chance. We made logistical arrangements with V, our transport guy who also does cat/dog rescue, and booked the mojo-rob pro through Foster Mum.
On Mar 3, 2006, V helped btmao nudged Ivan into the carrier he prepared.
SUCCESS! The euphoria was unbelievable! Still, I felt a little bad, because he was crying horribly and trying desperately to get out of the carrier. His plaintive attempts to get out deflated the euphoria really well.
Ivan officially lost hold of his mojo on Mar 4. He came back later that evening.
Looking at him then, I felt really sorry for him - he lurched, and was limping from achy right hindleg arch. But by all accounts, any damage he sustained was self-inflicted - apparently he was a monster in the clinic.
We did debate on whether he need medical attention. But, given his reaction to being confined, it seemed we might be setting him up for worse injuries instead. V wasn't for taking him in again so soon either. And he helped us out of our dilemma by assuring us that it's not something that's likely to bring Ivan down. He's seen cats with similar or worse get well - given his extensive mojo-robbing experience, it was somewhat comforting. Plus, a number of vets have remarked on the stoicism of toms before - otherwise they would all be prim ninnies, not battle-scarred veterans on the mating scene.
There was no help for it, Ivan had to recover on his own. Good thing though, V promised to help us trap Ivan should he really need medical attention.
We notified K, so that they could also watch out for him too. K's family were all stunned at Ivan's eunuch-hood. They did not expect him to be so rob-able, and by us, and so quickly and easily. Personally, I felt that Bast must have been smiling on us on this venture.
btmao made a conscious effort to feed Ivan brekkies and din-dins, to help him get up his strength and recovery rate. We monitored his progress. The Natural Balance goodness did wonders for him - his recovery was rather rapid, in 3 weeks' time, he's back to 90%. His limp is totally gone now.
The best part in the whole deal is, he regained his trust of btmao after only 2 days. He was still in love with btmao and now he ADORES her. I haven't seen him in the last month, since he's so wary of others, but btmao said he was a LOVER - more interested in headrubs than food.
And with his mojo-swagger gone, he's staying put - gone are the days of here-today-gone-tomorrow.
The cats in Areas 1 and 2 can rest easy too.
In defence of Ivan, he deserved the title of "Terrible", just as his namesake was "Terrible":
The English word terrible is usually used to translate the Russian word grozny in Ivan's nickname, but the modern English usage of terrible, with a pejorative connotation of bad or evil, does not precisely represent the intended meaning. Grozny's meaning is closer to the original usage of terrible—inspiring fear or terror, dangerous (as in Old English in one's danger), formidable, threatening, or awesome. Perhaps a translation closer to the intended sense would be Ivan the Fearsome. (Compare the city name Grozny.)
(source)
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to
Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
This is scary stuff indeed. What would qualify as a bloggie nightmare? How about this:
Thousands of Blogs Fall Silent
By Michelle Delio (Jun, 15, 2004)
Blogging pioneer Dave Winer unexpectedly closed Weblogs.com, his free blog-hosting service, on Sunday, leaving thousands of bloggers without access to their blogs.
Blogs affected by the shutdown now redirect to a generic message posted by Winer.
Some bloggers are screaming that the shutdown is a serial "blog murder." Other bloggers slammed the people whose blogs have vanished from the Internet, saying that no one should expect continuity from a free service.
more...
The article closes out with this paragraph, which seems to be a good gauge of how important archiving would be to any self-respecting bloggie.
"I just have my fingers crossed that my girlfriend gets her blog back," said software programmer Tom Gortell. "She feels like someone just sucked out her brains. I don't get it, it's just an online journal, right? But she feels like her entire life has been stolen."
To bloggies who bail out on the sandman just to post their latest epiphany on why Jane dumped Joe, how to improve snot-projectile accuracy or whatever,
da blog is obviously a larger cause than their 8 hours.
Now, I can't resist making like the yahoo ads:
do you uh, archive?
Woot! Certified Not Splog
Wow, what a bit of whinging can get you. Remember my mini rant yesterday about being slapped with word-verification when posting?
Guess what landed in my mailbox this morning?
From: Blogger Support
Date: Apr 20, 2006 4:24 AM
Subject: Re: [#457756] Non-spam review and verification request:
http://purrsnswipes.blogspot.com
Hello,Your blog has been reviewed, verified, and cleared for regular use so that it will no longer appear as potential spam. If you sign out of Blogger and sign back in again, you should be able to post as normal. Thanks for your patience, and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.
Sincerely,
Blogger Support
The
splog brand has been lasered off!
There really are
gobs (gods of blooger.com), and they're not divinity in absentia. My faith is restored: all hailed the
gobs!
Now we have licence to annote. And, you know what this means? I get to keep my membership with Annotation Junkies Anonymous!
From the singaporecats msn group,
David Hooi is now released back in the community since 14th of April.
If you would like to give moral support to the care-givers who helped to nabbed him, leave your email address here and I will connect you to one of the caregivers.
The caregivers appreciate help in sponsoring the sterilization of the community cats so that there will, hopefully, be no more unwanted kittens at the mercy of the likes of David Hooi.
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
Singapore UGLY - Human Nuisance Version
Purge your tummy, and hold tight to your barf-bag. Ready? Here goes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/humannuisancesingapore/show/
How much Singapore dirt and grime can be really pinned onto the favoured scapegoats, the cats, dogs, crows. Even the rats would sue if they knew how!
If you have a similar story, caption and upload your evidence of "human nuisance" to www.flickr.com and tag as "humannuisancesingapore"
go to SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
Apparently, I'm a spam blog bot
Now, whenever I publish an entry, I've to do word verification too. Seems like some blogger sentry has decreed that we've got spam-blog characteristics - due to the linkies population explosion.
DUH.
Is it a crime to suffer from Archiver's Syndrome? What's wrong with healthy doses of links? How else can I interest readers to find out more without them doing the work?
Now i've to wait for the gobs (gods-of-blogger.com) to grant me amnesty.
DOH.
Monthiversary
Well, it's been a month since our bloghood initiation. Actually 1 month and 1 day. How amazing! And I've yet to finish up with getting all the reference stuff in.
SIGH. Still, it seems like I've gotten some headway in... on with the slog.
Sara/Mocha totes a collar now
Sara/Mocha was sent to the vet, here's the update from her mum I saw this morning, and the subsequent exchanges. I'm so relieved the vet doesn't consider her case serious. Definitely appreciate YH's updates!
Hi all,
Some update on sara/mocha's condition after a trip to the vet:
She is suffering from a bacteria infection in her stomach, which is causing a slight temperature and the diahorrea. Vet suspects she may also have worms, but deworming will have to come later after she recovers from the infection.
Apart from that, her sores are caused by a fungal infection.
So now she has to take several medicines (which she tends to vomit out), shave off the fur, apply topical cream to the sores, and wear a hood (to stop her from licking
them), which she's pretty upset about.
All in all, not a good day
for a cat.
Best,
YH
Hi YH,
Thanks for the update. So it looks like the sores are back - remember that one of the reasons we decided to board her was because of the sores? They had cleared up pretty nicely then. Guess this is an aftermath. =(
I hope her tummy issues are mild. I will let Foster Mum know about the tummy bug, so she can watch out for the others as well.
So sorry you've had to get to the vet already. But I think with your TLC, _mocha's going to be just fine. =)
Thanks, YH!
calsifer
Hi YH,
I just spoke to Foster Mum, and she's just as concerned as I was because _Mocha had been fine.
But she also said the sores did resurface a bit when _Mocha was moved from her initial quarantine quarters into the cat room. But she had been quite hale since.
We talked for a bit and deduced that _Mocha's sores is probably her system's way of dealing with stress - and i guess you know cats tend to stress over changes in environment, food etc. I think most cats get flu, but others just deal with it differently, eg, our Bam Bam lick himself bald in specific spots.
_Mocha probably is having tummy trouble for the same reason. Her former roomies are all doing well, but Foster Mum will keep a lookout.
... I forgot to ask about deworming - sorry!
Hope the info helps. =)
calsifer
Hi calsifer,
Thanks for your concern. So she wasn't dewormed before?
The vet didn't seem to think her case was serious, as these are common symptoms amongst stray cats, but Foster Mum might want to keep any eye on the other cats as the vet said the cat's stools had a very high level of the bacteria protozoa (I think that's how it's spelt), which was causing the diahorrea too. Hence the suspicion of worms as well.
Her sores have been there from the start (large spots on both hind legs, a mid sized one on one front leg and two small spots on the back), but it got worse as she kept licking them (hence the hood). But they are now healing pretty well - scabs are forming - and we hope they will be the first to heal so at least she won't be so miserable wearing the hood.
Her enthusiasm has waned somewhat on seeing us since we've been force feeding her medicine and making her wear a hood, so here's really hoping she'll get better soon.
On a seperate note, we've been feeding her avoderm and using the same kitty litter (clumping) that Foster Mum used to lessen _mocha's stress.
Cheers,
YH
Hi,
I'm not sure if she was. Assumed so, but will confirm - Foster Mum has gone out to work and is not reachable right now.
Do you urgently need to know?
Foster Mum will def watch out for the other cats.
THat's a relief that it's not serious. Sure hope _Mocha recovers soon - cats just hate not being to reach everywhere and groom, huh?
So considerate of you to use the same food and litter. =) I always thought it funny that a cat's psychological adaptability seem to be such a separate creature from the physical.
heh... good thing you can stop forcing her once she gets well. Our Bam Bam has to be given half a pill nightly for his kidney problem, and it's a permanent arrangement... we feel like monstrous foie gras farmers. =
Thanks, YH!
calsifer
- Meet our
homeseekers
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
What an interesting way to put it!
Toothpaste and pillows
Dubbed Nafanua, the cone is made from large pillow lava, a type of rock that forms when hot magma spewed by underwater volcanoes or cracks in the Earth comes into contact with water and congeals into large blobs, or "pillows."
"Imagine a replica volcano on your tabletop and somebody squirting toothpaste out from underneath," said study team member Hubert Staudigel from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California.
"If you keep squirting toothpaste from this one place, the squirts will overlie one another. Depending on their viscosity, the squirts will have a very flat slope or just stay in place and pile on top of each other," Staudigel told LiveScience.
Geologists are presumably having raptures over this 'live' demo!
I would be too, if I were one. The Earth lives and breathes!
You Don't Have To LOVE Them, Honest!
I'm still thinking about 5-cat Style's post "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly ", specifically:
The Good (made up mostly, but not exclusively, of cat-lovers)
...
- a man, who isn't a cat-lover, was interested in finding out more them after reading the many forum letters in the newspapers about the ban of cats in HDB flats... he was also keen to understand how he could help if he saw pest control taking sterilised community cats away
THIS is the kind of Singaporean attitude I really hope will develop. You don't have to be an avowed animal lover, just empathetic, compassionate, and tolerant -
traits that are part of a gracious society but sorely lacking in Singapore. Is that too much to ask? Wait, don't answer it, it was rhetorical.
Today, the PAP has announced its final batch of new candidates. Apparently, "
PAP plans to give voters what they want, ..."
I am not interested to jump in the politics commenting fray, it is not my cuppa at all. But I am, I must say, as disappointed as ever, that all the new candidates talked about empathising with the common man, wanting to aid their various personal (human-related, bread-and-butter) causes, as expected. Quite trite, and run-of-mill, frankly.
Not one demonstrated an aspiration to help Singapore become the gracious society it should be. Certainly no one talked about his/her chidlhood memories with a beloved pet, and how he/she understands this bond, and how it helps develop the traits of a gracious person, and by extension, a society.
The political candidate I would root for is someone who not only cares for the day-to-day concerns in my life, but who is also concerned about the ungraciousness of Singapore society, our environment, and recognise the rights of the animals who share our streets to live.
So, I can save on the pom-pom making effort yet again. Yup, I'm disappointed, but not unexpectedly so.
(
Previous post on
5-cat Style's post "
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly ")
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
HDB bans cats - government body chronically misconceived
- Go to
Singapore's Love-Hate Relationship with Trap-Neuter-Release Management
What is abandonment if not cruelty?
7.10pm: Carol said she saw a nervous whitish kitten running to hide a car while walking to the carpark where I was waiting to drive to the vet clinic. She thought it was a "new" abandonee.
7.30pm: We arrived at the clinic and picked up the two boys sterilized yesterday. The calico girl was eating well and so we left her to recuperate till Monday. One of the boys were too fierce to be transferred into a carrier, so we took him back in the trap.
8.15pm. We released the tom-prince at the block next to one car park. Then I drove to the adjacent car park to release the tom-king junior at the block next to it. I drove out of the carpark and was about to park to let Carol off when she screamed. A car
directly opposite mine was reversing out the car park lot and ran over a kitten with a thump. The driver would have seen the convulsing kitten as the headlights were shining on it but he just drove off.
vegancatsg and Carol endured a night of sorrow and anguish, as they helped this abandoned kitten on his way. But it needn't have been, if he wasn't abandoned, and if the bastard who reversed his car was a bit more careful and conscientious. But regardless of the blame of the idiot who just drove off after committing this heinous crime, the biggest blame must lie with the person(s) who abandoned him.
Nameless abandoned kitten as life slipped slowly, ever so excruciating slowly away. (video of his last moments)
The kitten had beautiful blue eyes and a check revealed it was a boy. Carol then recognised this blue-eyed boy as the kitten she first saw at the carpark about a week ago. We couldn't find him to trap last evening. He was a recent abandonee and had not yet learnt to be streetwise.
I whispered prayers into his ears. I stroked his head, his chin and his chest. I kissed him on the side of his face. Blood started to ooze from his mouth. He took his last breath at 8.47pm.
We wept.
This is how some abandoned cats and kittens "vanished".
If only we can let the people who abandoned this sweet kitten know what they had done!
WHAT could possess people to abandon?? Why does it have to be this way?
It is symptomatic of Singaporeans callousness - have cats, but don't
sterilise, when people complain of the cauterwauling, abandon. Convenient excuse? Forgot. No money.
Excuse me??
Forgot? How the heck do you forget something like
sterilisation for your cat when he/she is always reminding you, the girl with her heat cycles, and the boy with his incessant need to wander and his irrepressible response to caterwauling receptive females? Even the
major religions SUPPORT sterilisation, so divine mandate is no excuse either.
No money?? How much is a sterilisation operation? It is just a ONE-TIME expense. You can afford cigarrettes, branded goods, nights out on the town, makeup, designer clothes, but you can't spare $100 (tops) to sned your cat for a ONE-TIME sterilisation operation? Despite all the benefits for
your cat and
you? You cannot be serious!
Even if no one complains, when the unsterilised cats of irresponsible owners have kittens, abandon - convenient excuse? Can't take care of them.
IF sterilisation had been done for the parents, and you KEEP your cats INDOORS, would there be a problem with kittens you have problems finding homes for?? Between pregnancy and birth, there is at least 1-3 months, depending on how attentive you are to your cat, where you can start finding homes for them. There is no excuse for you to suddenly want to dump a whole litter of kittens, that you KNEW IN ADVANCE was coming along.
You can't claim ignorance of a possible end like this kitten. NO ONE, NO ONE can be that impervious and ignorant.
You can't absolve YOUR responsiblity, no matter how you try to slither out of it.
The biggest crime, always, lies with the abandoner. The blood of all those innocent lives are on irresponsible Singaporeans, the heartless ones.
Seems like we're not the only ones who are enraged by this kitten's death, additional comments:
Tragic end of an abandoned kitten! (singaporecats, 20060120)
And yet, we keep coming across people who threaten abandonment if their kittens are not adopted, eg case
Please help..kittens to be adopted or else to Spca or thrown to the street! (singaporecats, 20051010)
Today, someone has again tried this stupid tack of emotional blackmail. What's rich is that she spammed
Dawn's blog, no less, about her friend "urgently" needing homes for
TEN kittens, and
threatening abandonment otherwise.
She claimed her friend posted to
CWS and did not receive any response. I take high umbrage with that claim. As an active user of the CWS adoption board, and being familar with how it works, I have my doubts about this claim. Read Dawn's response and see if you catch the flaw in this claim.
I'm not interested in finding out anything else about this spam, I only hope this spammer will do the right thing and ensure her friend does not commit the unforgivable crime of abandonment.
What's the gist of this post? Simple, I want to know, as do many enquiring minds: what will it take for these irresponsible, and rude, Singaporeans to wake up??
- Go to
SINGAPORE UGLY / Casefile: Cruel Singapore. Hack-care Singapore.
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Go to
SOS and see how you help some Singapore animals in need
- Go to
Pawprints: TNRM
Sara, now Mocha, gets a bed of her own
vegancatsg and I have been in communication with Sara's mum, YH, due to her on-again-off-again third eye-lid syndrome, and a few red spots on her skin that's causing her new parents to worry. Now Mocha, she will be seeing the vet this weekend. I am hoping it's nothing serious.
Also, YH sent these pics on the night of Sara's adoption - 9 Apr, but the photo upload thingy didn't work til just now, so here they are, plus the email that came with it:
Yup will be sending her for a checkup some time this couple of weeks - she seems
quite young, I reckon she looks abt a year old.
She was having some bowel incontinence (leaking) last night but this morning we found she had done her business during the night in the litter box, so that was a relief (pun intended)!
We bought the water fountain but she doesn't seem very impressed by it. Ironically we were the ones who were quite excited, spending an hour fixing it up, oohing and aahing over it when it finally worked.
Same thing for the cute "cheese" bed we bought her (see attached pic). We thought that was the cutest, sofest bed ever, and in typical cat fashion she spent maybe 2 minutes in it and then jumped out and proceeded to lie down on the floor next to it. Huh.
- Meet our
homeseekers
- Go to
Pawprints: TLC for cat minon requisite education
- Check out the purrsNswipes
Adoption Guidebook
