Cat Ban Reversal in Singapore Draws Attention to Ownership grey Areas

Singapore recently reversed a 35-year-old ban on cats as pets in public housing. While the move has been a welcome one, it has drawn attention to a few grey areas when it comes to cat ownership in public housing. 

Singapore banned cats on public estates in 1989, stating they were ‘generally difficult to contain’ in apartments. The ban was reversed 35 years later in 2024, which is great news for those secretly violating the rules for the sake of their feline friend. As of today, it is difficult to estimate how many cats live in Singapore’s public housing, with the new rules creating a few issues for the city-state as well. 

Under the new cat rules, each public housing unit will be allowed to have up to two cats with a grandfather clause for cats already housed there, if they are registered within a two-year transition period. However, there is confusion; for example, what happens if you moved in with your partner and you each have multiple cats? What cats count towards the quota, is it owned cats only or are foster cats counted as well? 

The new rules are notably sparse on details and specifics regarding cats. Guidelines regarding sterilization and not mentioned, which often leads to kittens being dumped on the streets and cared for by volunteers. 

Nobody knows for sure how many cats live in Singapore. Registration for domestic cats opened in September 2024 with the new rules being introduced. According to the government, there are an estimated 13,000 ‘free-roaming’ cats in publicly accessible ground-level areas, with the number expected to rise with future surveys. 

The rules are murky at best in their current implementation, with animal welfare advocates noting that they won’t serve as a quick-fix for cat related issues in Singapore. Singapore is infamous for a myriad of fines and punishments for an assortment of infractions, but it still has not announced details, penalties, or enforcement of the new rules.