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

A Singaporean woman, 33-year-old Nurul Nadiah Noor Mohamed, was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail for abandoning 71 cats in their apartment on Bukit Panjang Road. The cats had lived in squalid conditions for nearly two years without proper food or water, resulting in the death of nine cats. This was her second conviction for permitting unnecessary pain and suffering to animals; her ex-husband, 37-year-old Muhammad Khairul Naim Zainol, received the same sentence in September.

The pair had no pets before purchasing their flat in March 2018, and began acquiring unsterilized cats in early 2019. Their numbers quickly ballooned due to uncontrolled breeding. Despite efforts to rehome some of the cats, the population continued to grow. When Khairul's parents took them in, the cats were left in the apartment.

After their utility bills went unpaid, water and electricity were cut off, leading Khairul to leave dry kibble and water at the door. The last known entry into the apartment was in December 2023. Nurul accompanied her ex-husband to most of these visits. On February 20, 2024, authorities entered the apartment after receiving reports of a cat on an air conditioning ledge.

Inside, they discovered 61 living cats, three dead bodies, six skulls and a bag of bones. The conditions were deplorable: the floor and furniture were covered in excrement, the air was thick with ammonia, and 44 cats were severely malnourished. Nine cats were found to be emaciated. The veterinarian reported that all the cats suffered from pain and dehydration.

Both the woman and her ex-husband pleaded guilty to 24 charges, but Nurul received a slightly shorter sentence due to her efforts to mitigate the situation.