GEORGE TOWN: The owner and staff of a cat shelter affected by floods decided to stay and take care of 137 cats at the place despite having run out of food.
Rescuers on boats have stopped more than once at the shelter, which is located on the second floor of a shoplot in Pasir Mas, Kelantan.
However, the owner and staff refused to abandon their cats.
Owner Nur Emillia Samsudin, 39, said she and her three workers decided to stay back to look after the felines, some of which needed medical attention.
“We can’t bear to leave the cats behind, they need us to look after them,” she told Sunday Star yesterday.
The shelter caring for stray cats has been in operation for four years.
Nur Emillia said electricity has been cut off and Internet connectivity is deteriorating.
She said the cats have not eaten in two days and they have about a day’s supply of cat food left.
“There is nothing left to do but be patient, pray and wait for the flood to recede,” she said.
“We hope that someone can come and donate food for us and the cats.”
Nur Emillia said the water levels rose so fast and the ground floor of their shoplot in Lubok Jong was submerged before she and her staff could take action.
A Kelantan Civil Defence Force spokesman said a team from the force and another rescue agency are working hard to rescue the operators of the cat shelter.
“The location of the cat shelter is in Pasir Mas, which is among the worst-hit districts in Kelantan,” he added.
He said more than 25,000 people have been evacuated to 64 temporary relief centres in that district alone.
He advised flood victims to prioritise saving their own lives first.
“We hope the public understands our situation.
“Please cooperate with us and be aware of the challenges we are facing.
“If you receive instructions to evacuate immediately, we hope that you can cooperate and adhere to the directives of officials of rescue agencies,” he said.
On Friday, the owner of another cat shelter in Pasir Mas said she feared that more than 400 stray cats at the shelter were victims of the floods when the shelter was flooded by more than 2m of water, Bernama reported.
Its owner Aelyusmida Awang, 27, said that she and several workers had not been able to visit the centre for two days.
