SINGAPORE \u2013 The National Parks Board (NParks) is investigating the case of a pet cat that was stuck on the ledge of a 10th-floor HDB flat in Bukit Batok West for nearly 15 hours on Nov 18. <\/p>\n
The cat was spotted at Block 465A Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 at about 1am by Ms Tabitha Thompson, 28, who had heard distressed cries coming from the ledge.<\/p>\n
It was rescued shortly before 3.50pm the same day and was returned to its owner.<\/p>\n
In response to queries from The Straits Times, NParks\u2019 group director of enforcement and investigation Jessica Kwok said arrangements were being made to safely rescue the cat by entering a resident\u2019s flat when a member of the public separately managed to retrieve the cat.<\/p>\n
\u201cNParks takes all cases related to animal welfare seriously and is investigating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Thompson alerted members of the Lost and found pets in Singapore Facebook group about the situation in a now-deleted post at about 11.30am. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know who to contact. But there\u2019s been a cat (jumped from 11th floor to 10th) outside my neighbour\u2019s window. The home owners aren\u2019t in either,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
The cat\u2019s owners, who live on the 11th floor, had not been home for about two days, she told ST, adding that their windows were also observed to be slightly open and unmeshed.<\/p>\n
Ms Thompson reached out to NParks and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and she also turned to other Facebook users for help.<\/p>\n A crowd of concerned neighbours laid a mattress on the ground and on top of a rubbish bin in case the cat fell.<\/p>\n PHOTOS: ELIZABETH GOH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Ms Elizabeth Goh, an independent animal rescuer, saw Ms Thompson\u2019s Facebook post about an hour later and contacted the Jurong-Clementi-Bukit Batok Town Council.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a crowd of concerned neighbours and another independent cat rescuer had gathered at the block to lay a mattress on the ground and on top of a rubbish bin in case the cat fell, she said.<\/p>\n She added that a member of the public had climbed onto the ledge to save the cat, which has since been reunited with its owner.<\/p>\n According to Ms Goh, the owner was caring for a relative when the incident happened.<\/p>\n In response to ST\u2019s queries, SPCA said that it had contacted HDB for help to access the 10th-floor unit so that it could determine whether the cat could be rescued safely.<\/p>\n NParks\u2019 Ms Kwok, in her statement, reminded cat owners that they are required to take reasonable steps to protect their pets.<\/p>\n This includes ensuring the cats are kept in a safe environment that minimises the risk of injury, preventing them from being exposed to the risk of falling from a height and ensuring they do not leave the premises unless under proper control.<\/p>\n Failure to comply with these requirements is an offence, she said.<\/p>\n ST has contacted the town council for more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>