SINGAPORE, July 20 — Cat owners in Singapore will have a few things to tick off their list in the coming weeks, from microchipping and licensing their pets to checking whether they qualify to keep more cats at home, news outlet CNA reported over the weekend.
From September 1, all pet cats must be licensed, while approved fosterers will be allowed to care for more cats under a new two-year pilot scheme.
What changes from Sept 1?
All pet cats must be:
- Microchipped
- Licensed
Owners who keep unlicensed cats after Aug 31 may face enforcement action.
The penalty for failing to comply is a fine of up to S$5,000 (RM20,450) under the Animals and Birds Act.
How many cats can I keep?
From August 3, approved cat fosterers will be allowed to keep more cats under a two-year pilot scheme.
The new limits are:
- HDB flats
- Up to six cats in three-room or larger HDB sold flats.
Private homes
- Up to 10 cats.
The limit includes all cats in the household, including existing pet cats.
Example:
- A fosterer with two pet cats in an HDB flat can keep up to four foster cats.
- A fosterer with two pet cats in a private home can keep up to eight foster cats.
Who qualifies as an approved cat fosterer?
Applicants must:
- Have experience caring for cats.
- Have enough time and financial resources to care for foster cats.
- Live in a private home or a three-room or larger HDB sold flat.
- Ensure all cats kept or fostered are sterilised and microchipped.
- Have no recent animal welfare or pet licensing offences.
- Have no adverse feedback relating to pets or disamenities at their premises in the past two years.
Why is Singapore allowing more cats?
The Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) said fosterers help provide safe homes for cats in need and reduce the number of free-roaming cats in the community.
The pilot scheme is intended to test whether higher limits can support responsible cat fostering while addressing concerns from the wider community.
What happens to cats I already own if I exceed the limit?
Owners with existing cats that exceed current limits may continue keeping them under a transition arrangement, provided the cats are licensed during the transition period.
What about licensing fees?
AVS will waive licensing fees for foster cats during the two-year pilot.
For unsterilised foster cats:
- A one-year licence will be issued with the fee waived.
- The licence will not be renewed if the cats remain unsterilised after it expires.
When does the pilot end?
The pilot scheme will run until July 31, 2028.
AVS said it will review feedback from fosterers and the wider community before deciding on longer-term rules.
