Jurong’s stray cats lose their best friend who cared for them for 25 years, cat lovers pay tribute to her

Singapore — Cat lovers are paying tribute to a woman who died recently after a quarter-century of dedicating herself to caring for stray cats in Jurong.

Madam Tan Chen Tai, 75, was one of the selfless community cat caretakers who visited her furry friends every day and inspired others to follow in her footsteps. She would walk a distance equivalent to about six bus stops to attend to the strays.

Community cats have become an inseparable part of Singapore culture, with cat lovers pitching in to ensure the wellbeing of their resident felines.

A fellow cat feeder heard the sad news from Madam Tan’s husband, and posted a tribute on Facebook, highlighting the dedication and generosity of the woman she had met in 2004 and followed in feeding the cats.

She said of Madam Tan: “She taught me what healthy cat food is best for cats. I am very grateful to her for her guidance, generosity, and kindness to me, others and cats.”

Madam Tan also helped people who kept cats as pets, and she would also donate to needy caregivers for cat-related issues.

The Chinese-language evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported that Madam Tan would feed the cats, take them to the vet when necessary and pay for their treatment. Her son said she would budget the allowance she received from her children so that she could splurge on the cats.

She would also help strays find forever homes and even donate to needy families who kept cats.

Although she started out caring for one or two animals, it got to the point when she needed to spend about an hour a day tending to the strays.

Madam Tan died on Dec 9. She suffered from a heart condition that worsened about a month ago.

Her friend and fellow cat feeder said she had reassured Madam Tan that the community cats would continue being cared for as they continued her legacy.

“You had a heart of gold, and all your kindness to the cats and people will always be remembered.”/TISG

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