Louis delivered his budget cut on Expansion of the Love Cats Programme at Committee of Supply 2017.

Louis: Next, the Love Cats pilot programme, managed by the Cat Welfare Society and conducted in Chong Pang between 2012 and 2016, achieved far-reaching effects to help the Town Council, AVA and relevant agencies better tackle cat-related disputes in the community. In support of this pilot, MND provided a two-year grant. However, funding has since stopped, though the pilot continued with a robust mediation and resident engagement model, with much success in resolving neighbourly issues related to cats. Will the Ministry consider supporting and extending the funding of this pilot to more estates in Singapore?

Dr Koh Poh Koon (The Minister of State for National Development): Mr Louis Ng also asked whether we can extend the funding and support for the Love Cats pilot project to more estates in Singapore. We are currently in the process of assessing the Cat Welfare Society's proposal, but we do need to recognise that there are differing views among residents on this subject. We want to be a City in a Garden with its attendant flora and fauna. For that to be a reality, all of us, we all need to play a part in finding the right balance between human-animal interaction and conflict. We expect pet owners to be responsible for their pets, just as we expect others to treat animals with respect and tolerance.

Louis: Fourth, on the Love Cats programme, I understand that a review is going on, but this has already been done for two years. Is there a timeframe where we will finally make a decision?

Dr Koh Poh Koon: For the Love Cats project, I think once the agencies, after engagement with stakeholders, have an interim review to engage the animal welfare groups further, we will release the outcome.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis asked the Minister for National Development (a) for each year in the past ten years, what is the number of cat-related nuisance feedback for common property areas that HDB has received involving (i) stray cats and (ii) owned cats living in someone else's residence respectively; and (b) whether such feedback has decreased in the Chong Pang constituency over the past 10 years.

Mr Lawrence Wong (MND): Cat-related nuisance feedback in HDB estates is tracked by individual Town Councils. AVA, in its role as First Responder for animal-related feedback, receives cat-related nuisance feedback from across Singapore. AVA started tracking such cat-related feedback from 2016. Stray cat-related nuisance feedback across Singapore increased from around 2,300 cases in 2016 to 3,600 cases in 2018. Pet cat-related nuisance feedback increased from around 500 cases in 2016 to 900 cases in 2018. Cat nuisance feedback in Chong Pang constituency has remained relatively constant over the same period.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the rationale for not allowing people living in HDB flats to keep cats; and (b) whether the Ministry is reviewing this rule.

Mr Lawrence Wong (MND): HDB's pet ownership policies have to strike a balance between residents who are pet lovers and those who are not. Irresponsible pet ownership can lead to disamenities in the community and cause unhappiness. In the case of cats, disamenities include shedding fur, defecating/urinating in public areas, and caterwauling by roaming cats. 

Notwithstanding these concerns, HDB recognises that there are many residents who are cat lovers and who would like to keep cats in their flats. Hence HDB will continue to review and update its pet ownership policies, together with NParks/Animal & Veterinary Service which is responsible for the broader issue of animal welfare and licensing. 

While we would like very much to accommodate the wishes of all pet owners, we also have to take into consideration the views of other home-owners, and take a holistic and balanced approach in addressing this issue.  

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis delivered his budget cut on Allowing Cats to be Kept in HDB Flats at Committee of Supply 2020 as follow.

Louis: Lastly, it does not make sense that someone who lives in a condo is allowed to keep a pet cat while someone who lives in a HDB flat is not allowed. Why? HDB has stated that "[Cats] are generally difficult to contain within the flat. When allowed to roam indiscriminately, they tend to shed fur and defecate or urinate in public areas, and also make caterwauling sounds, which can inconvenience your neighbours." 

Surely, these concerns apply to people staying in condos as well. Some condo units are even smaller than HDB flats. It also does not make sense that one is allowed to keep a dog, and now a big dog, but not a cat, not even a little kitten. Dogs can also shed fur and defecate or urinate in public areas. What is more, they bark.  

HDB's concerns can be easily addressed. We can ensure that pet cats do not roam indiscriminately and are sterilised. Sterilised cats do not make caterwauling sounds. I have seen firsthand how all these simple measures can be taken and people can keep cats in their flats without affecting their neighbours. 

So many people are already keeping cats in their flats. Will the Ministry consider taking the step to officially allow people staying in HDB flats to keep cats?

Ms Sun Xueling (The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development): We recognise that there are residents who are cat lovers and who would like to keep cats in their flats. We are continuing to have conversations around how to best strike a balance between residents who are pet lovers, those who are not and those who are concerned about disamenities. HDB will work with NParks to take a holistic and balanced approach in reviewing and updating its pet ownership policies.

Louis: Thank you, Sir. I am very happy that the person that is sitting on the chair I used to sit on also now asks animal-related questions.

But if I could bring the topic back to cats. Can I just ask Senior Parliamentary Secretary that the current rule is that you are not allowed to keep a cat in a HDB flat. So, how and when does HDB enforce this ruling, because a lot of the residents I see, most of the time is because they complained against a neighbour and the neighbour, then realises, "Oh. You have a cat there. Now, I complain about the cat." And the cat becomes a sort of collateral and then, they are forced to remove the cat.

Let me repeat – when does HDB enforce the current rule of a resident not allowed to keep a cat in an HDB flat.

The second clarification is back to the divorcees with shared care and control. I am very thankful that we will exercise flexibility for those where one party has already has private housing. But could I ask further whether we can waive the mutual consent if both parties that have shared care and control are low income, meaning that both cannot really afford to buy from the open market and would need subsidised HDB flats?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. The HDB will investigate if the feedback is related to pet-related disamenities, and it is not that a cat is a collateral in bad relations between neighbours. HDB will investigate that the feedback is related to pet-related disamenities. And if really there is irresponsible cat ownership and this is found to be the reason, then HDB would advise the owner accordingly with the assistance of relevant agencies where necessary.

Louis: It is a confirmation, actually. I just want to confirm with the Senior Parliamentary Secretary that when HDB receives a complaint, they go down and investigate. If the cat is not causing any disamenities, the resident will not be asked to remove the cat. Am I correct to say that?

Ms Sun Xueling: Yes, you are correct to say that.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore) 1, 2

When debating the HDB (Amendment) Bill, Louis raised that the policy of not allowing the keeping of cats in HDB flats was not considered in this debate.

Louis: My final point is that we have not gone far enough in reviewing our HDB policies. The policy of not allowing the keeping of cats in HDB flats has to be reviewed and changed. I have spoken up about this for more than a decade now. I know this is not part of this Bill but I hope Minister will address this point.

Let me reiterate what I said in this House in March this year, "HDB has stated that cats are generally difficult to contain within the flat. When allowed to roam indiscriminately, they tend to shed fur and defecate or urinate in public areas and also make caterwauling sounds, which can inconvenience your neighbours. It does not make sense that one is allowed to keep a dog and now a big dog, but not a cat, not even a little kitten. Dogs can also shed fur and defecate or urinate in public areas. What is more, they bark. HDB's concerns can be easily addressed. We can ensure that pet cats do not roam indiscriminately and are sterilised. Sterilised cats do not make caterwauling sounds. I have seen first-hand how all these simple measures can be taken and people can keep cats in their flats without affecting their neighbours."

In response to my question, MND said, "When HDB receives a complaint, they go down and investigate. If the cat is not causing any disamenities, the resident will not be asked to remove the cat". I appreciate this reply but my question then is, what is the point of having a rule that we do not enforce? So many people are already keeping cats in HDB flats. Many of us, as Members of Parliament, see this during our home visits and some of us even take photos with our HDB residents and their cats. 

Sir, I sincerely hope that MND will amend the Housing and Development (Animals) Rules to reflect what we already accept in reality – that HDB residents are allowed to keep cats, which can be removed if they are found to cause disamenities in the community.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis joined Ms Raeesah Khan (MP for Sengkang GRC) on Hope For Animals, a local non-profit voluntary animal advocacy group, as guest speakers to a virtual adoption session where both of them discussed and advocated for allowing cats in HDB. Watch the Facebook live session below (54:36 onwards).

Louis delivered his budget cut on Legalise Cat Ownership in HDB Flats at Committee of Supply 2021.

Louis: I spent more than a quarter of my life speaking up about our policy of not allowing the keeping of cats in HDB flats. I last spoke up about this last year, providing various solutions to the concerns MND has.  

I hope we can change our policy to reflect what we already accept in reality – that HDB residents are allowed to keep cats, which can be removed if they are found to cause disamenities in the community. 

This is an issue that affects thousands who currently live in HDB flats and keep cats. It also affects Singaporeans overseas. Sallie wrote to me recently and said, "Thank you for raising this issue again. It is one of the reasons why I can’t come back to Singapore. I have two cats here in Bangkok and I have no place to keep them. I can only afford to buy a HDB flat if I go home as I can’t possibly afford private properties." 

I hope this year and at this COS, we will finally have the good news that we will allow the keeping of cats in HDB flats with specific conditions that will address any issues of disamenities. I should add that Speaker supports this change in policy as well. 

Louis: Thank you, Sir. I believe my cut on cat ownership in HDB flats was not answered but I assume the answer is still a "no" and, if it is still a "no", could I at least ask whether we can extend the current pilot in Chong Pang, where HDB residents are allowed to keep cats, to other constituencies? I would volunteer my own constituency of Nee Soon East and, maybe, the Member of Parliament for Kembangan/Chai Chee will volunteer as well.

Mr Desmond Lee: I mean, my MND colleagues and I do not intend to play a cat-and-mouse game with the Member on this question. [Laughter.] As I have said previously, we are studying this issue. We want to enable pet ownership in a responsible way but we also have to balance a couple of other considerations, including municipal as well as neighbourhood issues. We certainly are studying this proactively.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis delivered his budget cut on Allow the Keeping of Cats in HDB Flats at Committee of Supply 2022 as follow:

Louis: Madam, as I have done in the past decade and as I did last COS and the one before and the one before and I think the one before, I am speaking up again and asking that we allow the keeping of cats in HDB flats.

Minister Desmond Lee replied to me previously that MND does not intend to play a cat-and-mouse game on this issue. Indeed, let us stop chasing each other and let us focus on the facts.

Let me share the President of the Law Society, Mr Adrian Tan's thoughts on this. He calls this rule "irrational and unfair". He gave a breakdown on the four reasons HDB bans cats.

“Reason 1: "Cats are generally difficult to contain within the flat". So are dogs, birds, mice and even humans. I rate this a bad reason.

Reason 2: "Cats tend to shed fur". So do dogs. Another bad reason.

Reason 3: "Cats tend to defecate or urinate in public areas". So do dogs. Bad reason.

Reason 4: "Cats make caterwauling sounds". Very rarely. And dogs bark, especially at strangers walking past a flat. Birds, especially parrots, make a lot of noise too. Bad reason.

Verdict? All four reasons are terrible."

I encourage everyone to read Mr Tan's full post on this issue.

It is time that we progress on this issue and change our policy to accept what we already accept in reality – that HDB residents are allowed to keep cats, who can be removed if they are found to cause disamenities within the community.

Mr Tan Kiat How (The Minister of State for National Development): Mr Louis Ng had also raised the issue of cat ownership in HDB flats. As part of our broader efforts to improve standards in a pet sector, we have been engaging stakeholders on a range of issues such as improving dog rehoming and adoption processes, raising standards of pet borders and breeders. And we are reviewing and will continue to review pet ownership policies to ensure that they balance the needs of different segments of the community, including pet lovers and those who might have concerns about disamenities that may arise.

We are considering this issue from various angles, including enhancing our strategies for the management of both pet cats and stray cats to effectively manage the overall population of cats in Singapore. I would like to assure the Member Mr Louis Ng, that we will continue to work with stakeholders to study this issue carefully.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)