S'porean woman, 33, abandoned 71 cats in Bukit Panjang flat, resulting in 9 deaths, gets 16 weeks' jail

A Singaporean couple abandoned 71 cats in their squalid Bukit Panjang flat for nearly two years without adequate food or water, leading to the death of nine cats. On Nov. 12, Nurul Nadiah Noor Mohamed was handed 16 weeks' jail after pleading guilty to 24 charges for permitting the causing of unnecessary pain and suffering to the animals. The 33-year-old was also disqualified from pet ownership for 12 months, reported The Straits Times (ST). Her now ex-husband, Muhammad Khairul Naim Zainol, 37, had previously pleaded guilty to the same number of charges and was jailed for 16 weeks on Sep. 23. The couple's actions were uncovered after a neighbour reported a distressed and skinny cat on the unit's air-conditioning ledge to the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS). The authorities found a total of 61 living cats, three carcasses, six skulls and a bag of bones upon examination of the flat, excluding the cat found on the ledge. Photo from NParks/court documents Unsterilised cats bred rapidly The couple did not own any pets prior to purchasing their flat in March 2018. They acquired several unsterilised cats in early 2019. The cats "bred uncontrollably", and despite rehoming attempts, their numbers ballooned. The couple left their flat and moved in with Khairul's parents, abandoning the cats in the unit. Photo from NParks Due to unpaid utility bills, a few months later, the flat's water and electricity supply were cut off. Khairul allegedly returned to the flat daily to leave dry kibble and water. However, he stopped once it became more difficult to enter the unit and resorted to leaving the food and water at the unit's doorstep. Photo from NParks/court documents According to ST, Nurul followed her then-husband to most of these visits. The last time he entered his flat was sometime in December 2023. Khairul also claimed that he re-visited the unit's doorstep to place dry food on the morning of Feb. 20, 2024. Cat on the aircon ledge On Feb. 20, 2024, AVS and the police were separately alerted to the unit. AVS received feedback that morning about a cat seen on the air-conditioning ledge of the unit. It was rescued by neighbours residing one floor below the unit and later taken to a vet clinic. Photo from NParks The police had received a call about a smell emanating from the unit. AVS officers noted the dry kibble on the floor near the door entrance and a lack of fresh water supply. Only one small container of water was claimed to have been provided by Khairul daily. Court documents noted that there was one decomposing carcass with maggots seen in the living room. There were also a few cats free-roaming in the unit, with several of them hiding under the mattress or curtains. Photo from NParks The floor and furniture were caked in excreta and dirt. Faecal material was found throughout the flat, and there was a strong ammonia smell. A report by an NParks veterinarian stated that all 61 cats found inside the unit experienced pain and suffering, and all cats were found to be dehydrated on physical examination. 44 cats had a Body Condition Score which showed they were thin or very thin. Nine cats were found to be emaciated. Photo from NParks Sentencing According to ST, a sentence of between 16 and 24 weeks' jail was sought by the prosecution for Nurul, who cited that this was not a momentary lapse of care. Nurul's lawyer noted that she had made attempts to rehome the cats in mitigation. The lawyer added that she was facing financial issues and caring for her ailing father, asking for a sentence of between eight and a half weeks and 16 weeks. The district judge called the case one of the most egregious cases of animal hoarding when it comes to its scale and duration, reported ST. He said this meant a stiffer sentence was warranted.