Man caught on CCTV cutting community cat's whiskers and fur in Everton Park
A man has been caught on CCTV cutting off a community cat's whiskers and fur at Everton Park near Tanjong Pagar.
A 57-second video uploaded on Feb 8 by Instagram user @timmytheblackcat_ shows a man in a brown shirt and shorts approaching a cat, which is obscured by a short wooden box. He is wearing white gloves and holds a pair of scissors in one hand.
Known as Timmy to residents, the black cat is often found at Block 5 Everton Park.
Despite the feline's repeated attempts to push the man away, he persistently bends over to cut its fur. At one point, Timmy leaps out of its resting spot and the man chases after it, holding the cat down to continue his act.
The man dusts off his scissors over Timmy's bed, then turns around and walks towards the cat. It proceeds to hide under a nearby drain.
The caption in the video states that the full incident lasted six minutes.
Netizens call for punishment against perpetrator
The incident was met with outrage, with netizens demanding the perpetrator be held accountable by the police. Some noted that the man's gloves showed that it was a planned act.
"Poor Timmy, he is just resting in his usual spot like a normal day and this guy has to come and torture him. Yes the very fact that he wore protective gloves says it is planned and with the intention to cause harm," one netizen said.
"Imagine if this guy was a little more aggressive and did something worse! Our laws should be tightened for animal abuse!!" another comment wrote.
In response to a comment, timmytheblackcat said a report has been lodged with the Animal and Veterinary Service.
Responding to a query from Stomp, Director for Enforcement & Investigation Joshua Teoh said NParks is aware of the allegations and is currently looking into the matter.
Members of the public are reminded to promptly report suspected animal welfare cases, such as animal cruelty or neglect, to NParks at go.gov.sg/reporttoavs, or call its Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from NParks.
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