KOTA BARU: More than 400 stray cats at the Prihatin Care Centre in Kampung Kubang Terap, Pasir Mas are in danger after the shelter became submerged under more than 2m of floodwater.
Shelter owner Aelyusmida Awang, 27, said that she and several other employees had been unable to visit the centre for two days as they were also displaced by the floods.
"Our last visit to the care centre was two days ago. At that time, the water level was already chest high.
"Given that the water level is rising, we are worried about the cats' safety, so we broke part of the ceiling to let the cats (climb higher)," she said on Friday (Nov 29).
She said they only managed to move some of the cats to an old building in the vicinity while the other half were still in the existing building.
Aelyusmida said they were unable to move all the cats because the water level was rising rapidly and they had to leave the area.
"We managed to provide them with food but it has been two days, so the food may have run out.
"We planned to go there today to break the roof of the building so the cats could get to higher ground but were told the entrance was flooded and the centre is only accessible by boat," she said.
She contacted the security agencies but they were busy rescuing flood victims and could not divert resources to help save the cats.
The centre, opened in February, houses more than 400 stray cats captured by local authorities around Pasir Mas.
Aelyusmida said she and five friends decided to set up the centre on a piece of waqf (charitably endowed) land.
"We hope someone will come forward to help save these cats because if the flood worsens, there is a possibility they will be swept away by the current and die," she said. – Bernama
