Cat Ownership in HDB Flats

Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the rule disallowing cat ownership in HDB flats may be abrogated and replaced with rules promoting responsible cat ownership; and (b) whether there are plans to expand the pilot HDB cat ownership programme in Chong Pang to other constituencies.

Mr Lawrence Wong: HDB’s pet ownership policies have to strike a balance between residents who are pet lovers and those who are not. A necessary precondition is responsible pet ownership. Most cat-related dis-amenities are due to the irresponsible behaviour of certain owners. Pet owners must ensure that their pets do not adversely affect the living environment in high-rise, high-density Singapore.

AVA works closely with HDB, Town Councils and Animal Welfare Groups to encourage responsible behaviour among pet owners. In May this year, AVA appointed the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) as a third-party mediator for cat-related issues nationwide. We hope that this will help bring affected parties together to achieve amicable solutions to cat-related disputes. AVA and HDB will continue to closely monitor the effectiveness of these measures, as well as to engage stakeholders on cat ownership issues.

The Member asked about the Project Love Cats pilot in Chong Pang. This is a community-owned project, and requires the sustained support of residents, grassroots leaders, and MPs. Its success is contingent on responsible pet ownership and neighbourly conflict resolution between residents. Among other measures, CWS has been working with the Chong Pang community to sterilise the cats to minimise the risk of dis-amenities, and to microchip them to strengthen owner accountability. These are required for the long-term success of this pilot. We can consider further expansion when the Chong Pang pilot meets these outcomes, and when there is strong community support in other parts of Singapore.