Civet cat sneaks into Pasir Ris home, climbs curtains during face-off with pet cat
A Stomper was startled to find an unexpected intruder in her Pasir Ris home — a civet cat.
Stomper Mili, 47, said the incident happened at around midnight on April 20.
“A sneaky intruder got into my house,” she said. “Not just any intruder, but a wild animal… a civet cat!”
She said she first heard her cat yowling in the living room — something it has never done.
“When I turned on the light, I thought it was a kitten.
“When I got closer, I saw its long tail and thought it was a baby monkey. But when it turned to face my cat, it struck me — it’s a civet cat!”
Mili said she was initially alarmed but kept her distance as the animal moved around her home. She added that her cat kept an eye on the creature throughout.
As the civet tried to escape, it climbed up her curtains.
“My cat just stood guard patiently, which kept the civet cornered on the curtain,” she said.
In a video shared with Stomp, the civet is seen perched on her curtains, looking down at Mili’s cat, which sat on a chair below watching it.
‘No idea who to call’
Unsure how to handle the situation, Mili began calling various agencies for help.
“I called every department I could think of for help,” she said. “Since it was my first time dealing with this, I had no idea who to call.”
She said she called the police, town council, National Parks Board (NParks), National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).
“One told me to call another,” she recalled. “I was stunned when I was told to just open my window and door and let it leave — I had no idea about the animal’s behaviour.”
While waiting for help, Mili and her 20-year-old daughter tried to stay calm and even looked up information about civet cats online.
“My daughter was panicking upstairs, and I had to keep things steady,” she said. “We managed to gather ourselves and call for help.”
She added that there were signs the civet might have been injured during the encounter.
“We saw some blood on the floor, possibly from it defending itself against my cat.”
Civet eventually captured
After about three hours, help finally arrived.
“Finally, we got a call from the company NParks works with,” she said.
Mili said the wildlife crew checked both animals and found no major injuries.
“The creature was in my house for a little over three hours before it was captured and released back into the wild.”
Reflecting on the incident, she said: “It was truly an experience — exciting yet educational in a way.”
She also believes urban development may be pushing wildlife closer to residential areas.
“With all the deforestation, urban development and construction going on, wildlife are seeking refuge and food elsewhere,” she said.
“I live close to nature, and we occasionally see otters, monitor lizards, snakes and monkeys. But not this close.”
“And no, I won’t be starting a luwak coffee business anytime soon,” she added.
Stomp has contacted NParks for comment.
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
