Meow, meow — licensing scheme to kick in on Sept 1

A NEW framework allowing those living in Housing Board flats to keep cats will come into effect in September, when a twoyear transition period for cat owners to meet licensing and microchipping requirements begins.

The Cat Management Framework – under the National Parks Board’s Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) – will allow up to two cats to be kept in each HDB flat, and three cats for each private residence, with owners required to license and microchip all their pet cats.

“Those with more cats than the limits for HDB flats and private premises will be allowed to keep all their existing pet cats if they license them within this transition period,” said the AVS.

Licensing will be available online via the AVS’ Pet Animal Licensing System portal from Sept 1.

First-time applicants will also need to complete a one-time free online pet ownership course covering basic pet care skills and responsible ownership.

Licensing will be free during the two-year transition period – which will run from Sept 1, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026 – but will subsequently cost S$15 (RM52.50) for a one-year licence for a sterilised cat and S$90 (RM315) for an unsterilised cat, same as the cost of licensing pet dogs.

People are also encouraged to sterilise their pet cats to prevent unintended breeding.

Licences issued during the transition period will have lifetime validity for sterilised cats, while for unsterilised cats, these licences will be valid only during the transition period.

Separately, the Pet Cat Sterilisation Support Programme, which will also be launched by AVS on Sept 1, will provide low-income households with free sterilisation and microchipping for their pet cats.

It will be an offence to keep unlicensed pet cats from Sept 1, 2026, with cat owners subject to fines of up to S$5,000 (RM17,500) for not complying with licensing conditions, similar to the regulations already in place for dog owners.

A ban on pet cats in HDB flats has been in place since 1989, with offenders facing fines of up to S$4,000 (RM14,000).

However, action has typically been taken against owners only if there are complaints about their cats causing a nuisance.