Man caught throwing footwear at community cat in Upper Boon Keng: ‘Blatantly terrorising’
A cat owner was horrified to witness a man throwing his footwear at a community cat in Upper Boon Keng.
Stomper JJ was in the area on Aug 30 at about 4.20pm when he witnessed a man in a blue helmet removing one of his black sliders, aiming it at a community cat and throwing it at the creature, which darted away swiftly.
“This is the first time in public that I have seen someone so blatantly terrorising the neighbourhood cats,” JJ said, aghast.
He showed Stomp a video of the man in action. Upon witnessing the man’s behaviour, JJ can be seen walking up to the man and shouting: “Hey! What you doing?”
The man — who is also wearing sunglasses — turns in the Stomper’s direction and begins walking away as JJ pursues him.
“Throw cat, ah?” JJ asks as the man proceeds to put on his sliders. The Stomper continues to ask the man why he threw his footwear at the cat and warns him not to do it again.
While the video only captured the man tossing his sliders at one cat, JJ said he believed the man had been “bullying” other cats too.
“I was feeding the community cats. Then I first saw a slipper flying, but didn’t take much notice until I saw the slipper flying again and someone went to pick it up and throw it again,” the cat owner recounted.
It was then that he started recording.
JJ noted that there were multiple passers-by in the vicinity, but they “turned a blind eye as they were afraid to cause trouble for themselves”.
Man seemed aware of his actions
JJ sent Stomp another video, which shows both men standing in close range, with at least four people in the background.
JJ confronts the man about his behaviour. “Why bully cat?” he asked the man.
The man stares at JJ for a moment, and mumbles in reply before falling silent even as JJ repeats his question.
“Want to call police?” the Stomper asked, to which the man said “no” repeatedly.
JJ subsequently asked the man why he “bullied” the cats again. The man responded by saying: “I use my slipper.”
“I try... hit the cat,” the man adds uncertainly.
JJ told Stomp that he lodged a police report that same day. The police confirmed with Stomp that a report was lodged.
‘These animals should be loved’
JJ observed that the man appeared to be “unclear in communication”, but he was not sure if the man had been feigning a condition.
“But he seems very clear and understood he was throwing slippers at the cats,” said JJ.
When asked how he felt about the incident, JJ said that he felt sad. “I myself have a cat, and I feel these animals should be loved and protected, not abused.”
“They are vulnerable,” the Stomper added, referring to community cats.
He shared this incident with Stomp to remind members of the public to treat animals kindly.
“And for people to stand up to animal abusers instead of turning a blind eye and walking away. These little animals do not have a voice when bullied.”
Members of the public who encounter wildlife in distress can contact the Acres Wildlife Rescue Hotline at 9783 7782 or NParks’ Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.
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