December 2012- January 2013
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Adoption Drives continue into 2013!!
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The adoption drives continue into 2013!! This year, the emphasis is on pets being a lifetime commitment. So many of the cats hoping to find homes used to have homes but were abandoned and we must be advocates for emphasising to potential adopters and existing cat owners that they are lifetime commitments.The drives will continue on the first Sunday of each month and run from 1-6pm. They will alternate between the Pet Safari outlets at nex and Vivo City. Swing by and say hi on the 6th of January at nex! |
Moving Cats Overseas – one family’s experience
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When people heard we were relocating to Bangkok, one of the first few questions we were asked is “So what will you do with kit cat?” Our immediate answer was always “We’ll take him with us of course.”
Kit Cat has been a part of our family ever since we adopted him 5 years ago from the cat shelter. He is a part of our family, and there was never any doubt that we would bring him with us wherever we might go. When we found out that my husband would be posted to Bangkok, we began researching on how to bring Kit Cat with us.
The natural starting point was the AVA website. It takes a while to navigate but with enough patience you will find the information needed. They also recommend that you go down to their office to speak with the staff directly and we found this to be a better option than calling the hotline. Don’t swing by during their lunch hours (1-2pm). |
| The first documentation you will need is the export permit. You can complete this online and just print them out. The export permit is only valid for 30 days and you must bring your cat out of Singapore within those 30 days.Next, depending on which country you are bringing your cat into, you either need a government health certificate or endorsement of a health certificate by an official veterinarian. You will need to bring your cat to your regular vet to get a health certificate. Check on the specific requirements that the country you are going to because each country differs – Thailand for example, requires the cat to be free of rabies. Vaccinations should generally be up to date and the cat in good health. You need to bring the certificate from your vet to AVA within 7 days for AVA to endorse or for processing the government health certificate. The AVA government health certificate as well as their endorsement of the health certificate is only valid for 7 days so do plan your departure date properly! You can print the government health certificate yourself or self-collect.
With Singapore sorted, it was on to the Thai requirements – an import permit specifically. The information was readily available online and though my husband’s company handled the documents, we learnt that there are companies that can assist with such things in Singapore as well.
After all the paperwork, we needed to decide on an airline. Most airlines require pets to be in the cargo hold. This was not an option for us because Kit Cat is easily stressed and we wanted him to be with us while travelling. Luckily, Thai Airways allows pets in the cabin provided the weight of the pet and carrier does not exceed 10kg and the carrier fits the dimensions. We booked the tickets and informed Thai Airways that the pet needed to be with us. We only needed to inform them of Kit Cat’s microchip and provide his health certificate number.
We arrived early at the airport and had to produce the health certificate and export license but had no other trouble clearing immigration. We covered his carrier with a towel to help calm him, but for a cat that hates car rides, he was remarkably calm and happy on the flight. We brought him through Bangkok customs and the Animal Quarantine sections, produced our documentation, paid the last fees and then it was off to our new home! We have retained all our receipts and documentation for future reference and to prove Kit Cat was brought in legitimately. |
Mythbuster – what’s the deal with cats on cars
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| One of the more common complaints our mediators deal with is cats walking/sleeping/standing on cars. Many complainants insist that the cats have scratched their car. We thought we’d address that specific complaint here with the assistance of one of our readers Ms. Stephanie Teo.Cats use their claws to climb, balance, defend themselves and escape dangers. They have retractable claws and when the cat is walking, especially over smooth surfaces, the claws are retracted because they don’t need to catch onto anything. Since the claws are in, they don’t scratch the surface. Claws are similar to human fingernails in composition and hardness except there’s an extra sheath outside that needs to be removed which is why the cats scratch – it’s a necessary and natural behaviour. So when cats scratch, they prefer rough surfaces because they are trying to remove the outer sheath. It is highly unlikely that a cat would even be interested in scratching a non-textured surface, and even if they tried, damage is also unlikely because their claws are similar to our fingernails in hardness.
Cats seek out cars for the warmth of the engine, and in multi-storey carparks, some shelter from the rain. If owners are truly averse to having a cat on their car, some things they could do are:
1. If the cat is lying on the car, approach it and clap loudly so the cat will move away
2. Purchase a car cover and use it – they are inexpensive and any complaints about dirt will be alleviated
3. A diluted vinegar spray spritzed around the car to keep the cats from going near the car has been employed successfully in one extreme case
Cats are part of our communities. They are not there by choice – they would prefer the safety of being an indoor-house cat to the risks of being outdoors and exposed. If we can help educate complainants and assist them by providing simple solutions to their problems, a more tolerant and gracious community may be achieved. |
upcoming events
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A pet is for life Adoption Drive
6 January @ nex / 3 February @ vivo, 1-6pm
The drives continue into 2013 and we’d love to see you there. Please feel free to share this with as many people as you know and invite anyone thinking of bringing a cat into their life to adopt a pet cat. |
CWS awareness drive at SMU
Date and time to be confirmed
A group of SMU students will be running a second drive to raise awareness about cat welfare and sell merchandise. Dates will be announced once confirmed. |
fun stuff
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How do you resist that face.. |
special appeals
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| Please help the caregivers with their special appeals! |
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Hitam is an ex-shipyard cat who was relocated to the caregiver’s housing estate. Hitam was noticed to be limping and was rushed to the vet where he was diagnosed with a broken front leg. The caregiver opted to allow Hitam to recover with a cast to be worn over several months. Hitam was given sedatives and several injections and is being boarded by the caregiver while in the process of recovery. Please help his caregiver defray the costs. More information on how you can help: http://www.catwelfare.org/node/7708 |
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This community cat was found unconscious and breathing rapidly on a grass patch. When she regained consciousness, the tried to run but her legs gave way and she fell flat on her face. She was rushed to the vet to stabilise her condition. X-rays showed there were a lot of bruises to her lungs and a fracture but surgery could not be scheduled till her lungs improved. She is being boarded by a shelter at present. Please help her caregiver defray the costs. More information on how you can help: http://www.catwelfare.org/node/7748 |
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Loki is a young nursing mother cat who was found suffering from chronic diarrhoea and vomiting. She completely lost her appetite and began losing weight. She was rushed to the vet and had to be hospitalised. More information on how you can help: http://www.catwelfare.org/node/7749 |
support cws
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Make a donation through PayPal, bank transfer, cheque order, or at any AXS Station.
Volunteer with us in your areas of expertise. We can always use extra human hands!
Adopt a cat and give him/her a loving home for life. Click the link to see our adoption board.
Be a CWS member and enjoy sterilisation subsidies and perks at our partner establishments! |
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“Cats are inquisitive, but hate to admit it”
– Mason Cooley
One of the cats that was up for adoption having a little peek around while enjoying a siesta |
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