We like strays but we would like a clean environment too
11 January 2009
WE have been reading a lot about cat lovers, their love for strays, the effort and money they spend on these creatures and how all they want is for others to respect their ways.
It's about time some feedback is given to cat lovers about how their feeding of strays poses an inconvenience to other residents.
In my estate at Aljunied Crescent, I have noticed people feeding stray cats at different times each day for as long as I can remember.
The feed varies from dried pet food to leftovers wrapped in newspapers.
During feeding times, there are seven to 10 cats at the lift landing or the void deck, and this can be quite scary for residents trying to use the lift, especially young kids.
After feeding, the leftovers are not cleaned up. And the strays often get more than they can eat, resulting in more leftovers.
The result is a dirty, smelly and unhygienic environment.
I am surprised that for so long nobody has spoken out about this. Perhaps, people do not want to be labelled as animal haters and choose to bear with it.
We respect cat lovers' compassion for these strays. At the same time, I hope other residents' wish for a clean and pleasant environment can be respected too.
A solution could be organising a feeding schedule among cat lovers in the area, and they could be given a designated spot where they would not disturb others and where they will be expected to clean up after every feed.
If the cat lovers do this, other residents will be able to truly appreciate their efforts.
ALICE POH
Click here to feedback on this letter
1) Littering is a major prbblem in Singapore, not restricted to people who feed cats.
2) Responsible feeders are NOT visible.
3) Town council and RC (Residents' Committees) should promote Responsible Feeding.
4) Designating area in each block as a "cat feeding" area or "cat cafe" is a good idea.
From www.catwelfare.blogspot.com
Monday, September 18, 2006
"Caregivers end up cleaning other peoples' mess too" (Today 18-9-06)
Letter I sent in.
We refer to Mr John Ang's letter. Responsible feeding is part of what every responsible caregiver practices.
However, there are some people who will not listen and whom the caregivers wish to stop as much as Mr Ang does.
Their actions dirty the environment, making it unpleasant for the people, and downright dangerous for the cats who get blamed for it and killed as a result.
Mr Ang might also like to know that in general, cats bury their defecation. As such, the excrement he sees may not be left by community cats.
Many caregivers already do pick up after the mess left by others and we are often told, much of it is litter left by a minority of irresponsible people.
Soft drink cans and soiled sanitary napkins are some of the things that have been found. Perhaps Mr Ang can also help out.
Being a civic-minded jogger who goes around the estate and notices the litter, perhaps he can help to look out for, and pick up litter - whether it be of the human or animal variety.
Working together is the best way to keep the environment clean.
Litter Awareness if part of wider social responsibility (Today, 18-9-06)
Since the letters seem to get meshed together in the text version, here's the two letters that were printed out today.
Letter by Tan Chek Wee.
Many cat caregivers like myself are as upset as Mr John Ang ("Cat-feeders, please clean up too", Sept 15) about the mess left behind by irresponsible cat feeders.
Many, if not most, cat caregivers are aware of the danger of irresponsible cat feeding to the lives of cats — who have been caught by pest controllers to be killed following complaints from the public of leftover food.
Hence, they will speak to feeders whenever they chance upon them, to clean up. Cat caregivers who are responsible in feeding cats do not get noticed or appreciated, precisely because their acts are "invisible".
However, littering from cat feeding is part and parcel of our general lack of social responsibility. You will notice that the overwhelming type of litter is directly human-related.
Therefore, may I extend Mr Ang's call to all residents to pick all types of litter as we walk about this island.
