For the last three years, Janet Chin has been transforming scrap cardboard boxes into whimsical homes for stray cats in Yishun. - JANET CHIN
SINGAPORE: Whenever heavy rain lashes across the island, a handful of stray cats in Yishun are able to stay cosy and safe from the deluge.
But you will not find them in somebody’s home at such times. Instead, they can be found in charming handcrafted shelters with sturdy legs, dotted around parts of the estate.
The shelters or “cat cottages” are the handiwork of Chong Pang resident Janet Chin, 54.
For the last three years, she has been blending her love for animals with arts and crafts, by transforming scrap cardboard boxes into whimsical homes.
The idea, she said, came to her one rainy day, when she began thinking about how stray cats that lacked proper shelter often sought refuge in precarious locations, such as under parked cars, to escape the elements.
“That was when I started to think about building a cat house.”
The first ones she made were crafted out of plain cardboard boxes covered with a dry towel – a set-up that she admits was “ugly”.
She then set out to “beautify” the makeshift cottages, beginning with the addition of water-resistant wallpaper, taken from her personal stash of crafting materials – leftovers from a home decor project for her living room.
She sourced leftover cardboard from grocers and supermarkets or opted for recycled materials, including plastic containers used for cat treats.
Eventually, she cut out windows in the boxes and added planters as well as other features like chimneys, creating a miniature cottage.
“It became a little addictive. The more I made, the more fulfilling it felt,” said Chin, a sales consultant in the bedding industry.
Soon, her hobby started eating into her lunch breaks and days off work. In three years, she built close to 100 cat cottages, she said.
Whether embellished with cut-outs or boasting a cobblestone look, each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect the spirit of seasonal festivities.
For instance, a cottage could be festooned with snowflakes and cut-outs of a Christmas tree during the holiday season or adorned with Chinese knots and couplets for Chinese New Year celebrations.
Eventually, Chin began posting photos of her cottages on the Facebook group Sayang Our Singapore’s Community Cats. One such post drew over 200 reactions, with netizens thanking her for her “lovely gestures” and “kindness”.
She then started getting requests from cat lovers keen on helping stray cats get their own shelters, marking her foray into the “build-to-order” market.
Often, the requests were for replicas of cottages she had built before.
“I want the KFC house,” one cat lover said to Chin. The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cottages resembling fast-food eateries.
The KFC house, modelled after a popular chain selling fried chicken, is part of a series of cottages resembling fast-food eateries. - JANET CHIN
Her most recent request came from a resident in Braddell who wanted six cottages.
Caregivers are reminded to maintain hygiene standards
When asked if she gets paid, she said she does not charge for her work but sometimes asks for a small donation.
Chin said what she is doing is not a commercial venture.
The donations she receives cover veterinary and cremation fees for neighbourhood strays. Often, the people who cough up money for these expenses are the seniors in the neighbourhood – cat lovers who also help feed the strays.
All that she asks is that the people who request a cottage take responsibility for maintaining the shelter they leave out for the cats.
She said: “I don’t want people to ask for one cat house and just leave it there. They are not the caregivers for the cats, so they simply leave the cat house in the public space without maintaining its cleanliness.”
In response to queries, Li Jiehui, senior community engagement manager at the Cat Welfare Society, said that while the shelters are “a welcome respite for some of our community cats”, residents should also “display (their) care in a responsible fashion”.
These shelters should be placed away from human traffic areas and hygiene standards should be maintained, she said.
Chin said she takes pride in designing cat cottages designed to suit the occupant’s personality and needs.
Sociable felines may receive larger homes – up to 1m long – to accommodate room-mates, while more reserved cats get smaller, cosier versions.
Each shelter is equipped with at least two access points, allowing the cats to flee if the need arises. And perhaps the most thoughtful touch is the fresh, dry towels, which Chin replaces when she gets the time.
Chin, who is married with no children, said she believes the cottages add colour and vibrancy to the neighbourhood. They also spark conversations among residents and help them see stray cats in a more positive light, she added.
Said Chin: “They are a part of our community, they have a house, they have a caregiver. They are taken care of. They are not simply dirty cats.” - The Straits Times/ANN
