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About Us

The Cat Welfare Society is a charity, run almost entirely by volunteers, whose aim is to improve the welfare of community (feral) cats in Singapore. All community cats deserve our compassion and protection, and we believe that there are humane, effective ways to control their population -- that is, through sterilisation instead of destruction.


How We Started

In July 1999, a newspaper in Singapore published a report about 5 kittens being burned alive in a box. Outraged by this and other senseless acts of cruelty towards innocent animals occurring in Singapore everyday, a few friends got together and decided to help other harmless stray cats and kittens that live amongst us.

This was how the Cat Welfare Society began. We felt that having a Society would give us a more effective and stronger voice for the cats who have the right to be represented accurately and humanely, and the right to be free of pain, fear and suffering.

The Cat Welfare Society was officially approved and registered on 23 October 1999. It was registered as a charity in June 2004.



Our Mission

"To Save Lives through Sterilisation"

We realise that the only way to help alleviate suffering and to stop so many cats being killed is to go to the root cause of the problem -- which is that of too many cats being born. In order to do this, we believe firmly in the need to focus on sterilisation.

To put it simply, the fewer cats born, the fewer cats suffer and die.

Records show that 13,000 community cats have been put down every year for the past 20 years. This equates to 35 cats killed every single day. We find that this cannot be allowed to go on.

While we appreciate the work that people put into looking after cats in shelters, shelters are very expensive and time-consuming to run. In well-run shelters, the cats do have a good life, but only a tiny portion of the community cat population can go into a shelter. The rest are still out on the streets breeding and being killed.

If money and resources are channeled towards stopping the breeding by sterilisation, that there will be fewer cats in better health, fewer complaints and annoyances, and a better living environment for all -- whether or not you like cats.

To that end, we believe that by working with volunteers, town councils and management committees, we will be able to bring down the community cat population in an effective, humane way that works, which is through Sterilisation!



Our Aims

  • To promote tolerance, kindness and respect towards cats and other living creatures.
  • To promote sterilisation as opposed to culling (putting to sleep) of cats.
  • To promote responsible pet ownership and responsible management of community cats.
  • To increase awareness of the state of cats living in the streets of Singapore and stop ignorance through education.



    • Plans to Achieve Our Aims

  • Start educational and awareness programmes in Singapore.
  • Set up a network of caregivers and volunteers.
  • Work with and support the people who are caring for community cats.
  • Work with other animal welfare organisations.
  • Work with government and management authorities.



    • The Bottomline
    To carry out our work and to accomplish our goals, we need the support and cooperation of management authorities and the community, as well as sufficient funds. We are also building a network of volunteers and supporters and are always in need of people willing to put aside some time to help us.

    The Society does not receive any funding from government or other organisations. We depend totally on membership subscriptions, donations and fund-raising activities for our projects. Our work is carried out almost entirely by volunteers so all the funds received will go towards making life better for community cats.

    Every person should be encouraged to treat animals with kindness and respect. We hope that one day, with your help, there will no longer be unwanted cats on the streets, vulnerable to neglect and abuse. Every cat should have a loving home or safe shelter where it can live without suffering and fear.

    Join us and help make a difference. Click here to join us as a member.