“CatsHope™ Ambassador Mascot – Ms. Tamara Tigerlily (Tami)”
Photographs © CatsHope™
Tami: Lost and Found Part 2 – Why Tami’s Story Matters: The CatsHope™ Perspective
Tami’s Story and the CatsHope™ Philosophy
Tami’s story is much more than the rescue of an abandoned pregnant cat. It reflects the realities faced by countless abandoned cats and explains why CatsHope™ has developed its philosophy on rescue, rehabilitation and responsible cat ownership.
Our perspective has not been formed through theory alone. It has been shaped by years of caring for abandoned cats, observing their behaviour, responding to medical emergencies, managing colonies and supporting adopters. Every rescue has strengthened our understanding of what abandoned cats need—not only to survive, but to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
The principles presented here are the result of those experiences and form the foundation of CatsHope™’s approach to feline welfare
“Tami in 2026”
Photographs © CatsHope™
Abandonment Is Only the Beginning
Abandonment does not simply leave a cat without a home.
It exposes that cat to hunger, dehydration, disease, injury, fear and countless daily dangers. Every abandoned cat must struggle to find food, water and shelter while avoiding threats that domestic cats were never meant to face.
For pregnant mothers like Tami, those challenges become even greater. They must not only survive themselves but also protect and nourish the lives growing inside them.
CatsHope™ believes that every abandoned cat deserves the opportunity to leave that life behind permanently.
Photographs © CatsHope™
Rescue Is a Lifelong Commitment
Rescue begins when a cat is brought to safety.
It continues through medical treatment, rehabilitation, proper nutrition, emotional recovery and responsible placement into a suitable home.
The responsibility does not end when adoption papers are signed. A successful rescue is measured by the quality of the cat’s life for the rest of its lifetime.
CatsHope™ believes every rescued cat deserves that lifelong commitment.
Responsible Adoption
Adoption is not simply about providing shelter.
It requires preparation, knowledge and commitment.
Every adopted cat deserves:
- appropriate nutrition
- regular veterinary care
- sterilisation where appropriate
- a safe indoor home
- emotional security
- patience and understanding
- timely medical attention when needed
Successful adoption is built upon responsibility rather than good intentions alone.
Why CatsHope™ Advocates Keeping Cats Indoors
CatsHope™ strongly advocates keeping companion cats safely indoors.
This position has been shaped by years of rescue experience and by witnessing the preventable suffering endured by abandoned and free-roaming cats.
While cats possess remarkable survival instincts, survival should never be confused with welfare.
A cat that survives outdoors continues to face unnecessary risks every day.
“Tami—When I was Lost”
Photographs © CatsHope™
The Risks Faced by Outdoor Cats
Outdoor cats are exposed to numerous dangers, including:
Infectious Diseases
- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
- Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
- Feline Herpesvirus (FHV)
- Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
- Feline Panleukopenia
- Ringworm
- Fleas, ticks and ear mites
- Intestinal parasites and worms
Injuries
- Territorial fights
- Bite wounds
- Abscesses
- Eye injuries
- Torn ears
- Broken bones
- Tail injurie
Hunger and Exposure
- Starvation
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Heat stress
- Heavy rain
- Storm exposure
Human-Related Risks
- Abandonment
- Abuse and cruelty
- Poisoning
- Theft or kidnapping
- Illegal breeding
- Animal hoarding
- Neglect
Environmental Hazards
- Road traffic accidents
- Construction sites
- Heavy machinery
- Storm drains and monsoon drains
- Drowning during heavy rain or flash floods
- Becoming trapped in drains, pipes or abandoned buildings
- Falls from heights
- Redevelopment and demolition works
Animal Threats
- Dog attacks
- Territorial conflicts with other cats
- Pythons
- Monitor lizards
- Other predators
“Tamara’s Brood”
5 Kittens born on the 17th December 2020 named Tigger, Kopi, Simba, Rockie, and Cougar. Tigger and kopi were adopted at 4 months old and were renamed Issey and Akira by their adopters. Their stories can be found on “Featured Adopters”.
Photographs © CatsHope™
Reproductive Risks
- Repeated pregnancies
- Kitten mortality
- Disease transmission
- Continued growth of abandoned cat populations
Many of these dangers are preventable.
CatsHope™ believes that providing a safe indoor home is one of the greatest gifts we can offer a companion cat.
The CatsHope™ Commitment
Tami’s story represents far more than one successful rescue.
It reflects the values upon which CatsHope™ was built.
We believe every abandoned cat deserves:
- compassion
- protection
- responsible medical care
- lifelong commitment
- the opportunity to live safely indoors
- the chance to experience a life free from unnecessary suffering
CatsHope™ exists not only to rescue abandoned cats, but also to promote responsible pet ownership through education, advocacy and practical action.
Tami’s Legacy
Had Tami remained beside the roadside drain where she searched for food and shelter while carrying her unborn kittens, her story could have ended in tragedy.
Instead, she became one of the Fourteen CatsHope™ Mascots.
Today, her journey reminds us that rescue is not simply an act of kindness. It is a promise—a promise to protect, to care, to advocate and to give every rescued cat the opportunity not merely to survive, but to live a safe, healthy and loved life.
Photographs © CatsHope™
Responsible Cat Ownership in Singapore Today
Singapore’s current regulations place clear responsibilities on cat owners. Pet cats are not to be allowed to roam freely. Owners must take reasonable steps to keep their cats in a safe environment, prevent them from falling from height, and prevent them from leaving the premises unless they are under the physical control of the owner or another authorised person.
Pet cats must also be microchipped in order to be licensed under the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) cat licensing framework. The two-year transition period for licensing ends on 31 August 2026.
These requirements are particularly relevant to adoption. Once a cat is adopted, responsibility for its food, shelter, safety, veterinary care and welfare rests with its owner. An adopted cat should not be allowed to leave its new home and wander through an unfamiliar neighbourhood.
Singapore law also provides penalties where owners fail to meet their legal responsibilities:
- Failure in the statutory duty of care:for a first offence, a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both. A subsequent offence may result in a fine of up to S$20,000, imprisonment for up to 2 years, or both.
- Animal cruelty or causing or permitting unnecessary pain or suffering:for a first offence, a fine of up to S$15,000, imprisonment for up to 18 months, or both. A subsequent offence may result in a fine of up to S$30,000, imprisonment for up to 3 years, or both.
- Breaches of specified requirements under the Animals and Birds (Licensing and Control of Cats and Dogs) Rules 2024, including requirements relating to keeping cats safely and preventing uncontrolled roaming, may result in a fine of up to S$5,000.
Pet Cats and Community Cats Are Different
The rules governing an owned pet cat should not be confused with the management of established community cats.
Under Singapore’s Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) programme, community cats are trapped, sterilised, microchipped and ear-tipped. Where a community cat is to be returned rather than rehomed, the objective is to return the cat to its established community and continue its management there.
For CatsHope™, returning a community cat means returning it to its place of origin—the area where it was trapped. The cat already knows that territory, its shelter and hiding places, the other cats living there and, importantly, the feeders or caregivers who continue to provide food and monitor its welfare.
This is entirely different from allowing an adopted pet cat to roam outside an unfamiliar home. Tami and her kittens had been adopted as pets. They had been moved away from the territory they knew and depended upon their adopter for their care and protection. Tami should never have needed to leave that property in search of food.
CatsHope™ Recommendations for Responsible Cat Care
In addition to complying with Singapore’s regulations, CatsHope™ recommends the following practical safeguards for pet and community cats:
- Cat-proof the home.Securely mesh windows, balconies and other openings through which a cat could escape or fall. Doors and gates should be managed carefully to prevent cats from slipping outside unnoticed.
- Keep pet cats safely indoors.Cats should not be permitted to roam freely outside the home, particularly in an unfamiliar neighbourhood.
- Use proper restraint outside the home.When a pet cat needs to leave the home, CatsHope™ recommends using a secure carrier or a properly fitted harness and leash, with the cat remaining under the physical control of its caregiver.
- Microchip and license pet cats.Identification provides an important link between a lost cat and its owner and is part of Singapore’s current cat-licensing framework.
- Provide continuing veterinary care.Responsible ownership includes timely medical treatment, vaccinations where appropriate, parasite control, sterilisation and attention to changes in a cat’s health or behaviour.
- Return TNR community cats to their place of origin.Where an established community cat is trapped for sterilisation and is to be returned rather than rehomed, CatsHope™ recommends returning the cat to the location from which it was trapped. This allows the cat to remain within familiar territory and continue receiving care and monitoring from the feeders or caregivers responsible for that area.
Article by Tiffany Argent,
Cats hope Ambassador
