Approved fosterers may keep up to 6 cats in HDB flats, 10 in private homes under new pilot scheme
The two-year pilot scheme will run from Aug 3, 2026 to Jul 31, 2028.
File photo of a cat. (Photo: iStock)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Approved cat fosterers will be allowed to license and keep up to six cats in three-room or larger HDB sold flats and up to 10 cats in private premises from Aug 3, as part of a pilot scheme announced by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS).
The two-year scheme will run until Jul 31, 2028.
The pilot comes after AVS had consulted various stakeholders and considered the views of different segments of the population, with input from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) for cat-owning households residing in public housing, AVS said in a media release on Saturday (Jul 18).
"AVS recognises that fosterers play an important role in cat management by providing safe homes for cats in need," the authority said.
"Fosterers help reduce the number of free-roaming cats in the community and the potential disamenities that they could cause."
Currently, up to two cats are allowed to be kept in an HDB unit, according to AVS' website. A maximum of three cats or dogs, or a combination of both, are allowed to be kept in a private premises.
The new limits include all pet and foster cats in each household, according to the authority. For example, an approved fosterer who has two existing pet cats will be allowed to license and keep up to four foster cats if they live in an HDB flat and up to eight foster cats if they live in private premises.
Approved cat fosterers must also sterilise all cats in their household. This prevents unintended breeding, which can lead to overpopulation and compromise the welfare of the cats in their care, said AVS.
Additionally, AVS said it will waive licensing fees for cats fostered by approved fosterers during the two-year pilot period.
For unsterilised foster cats, a one-year licence will be issued with licensing fees waived. This licence will not be renewable if the cats remain unsterilised upon expiry, according to the authority.
Following the pilot, agencies will assess whether it meets the needs of fosterers and gather feedback from the wider community. The findings from the pilot will inform the longer-term approach for fosterer recognition, including the limits for cat fosterers, said AVS.
Interested applicants may apply to be an approved fosterer via an online form from Aug 3.
AVS said it had gathered input since 2023 on how to better support fosterers under the Cat Management Framework, which was rolled out on Sept 1, 2024.
These included responses to public surveys - respondents included fosterers, residents, cat owners, and non-cat owners to ensure that diverse perspectives - and discussions with partners from the Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage programme.
The authority also said it conducted a survey of fosterers from December 2025 to January 2026 to "better understand the landscape of cat fosterers in Singapore and the challenges they faced".
Eligibility for fosterer recognition
- Fosterer has experience caring for pet/foster cats
- Fosterer has resources (financial and time) to care for foster cats in addition to pet cats, if any
- Fosterer lives in private premises or 3-room or larger HDB sold flat
- All existing cats kept/fostered at point of application are sterilised and microchipped
- There is no adverse feedback relating to pets or disamenities on the premises in the two years prior to application
- Fosterer has not committed any animal welfare or pet licensing-related offences under the Animals & Birds Act in the two years prior to application
- Interested applicants will have to apply for recognition as a responsible cat fosterer via this form from Aug 3, 2026
OWNERS MUST LICENSE CATS BY END AUGUST
Cat owners are reminded to microchip and license their cats by Aug 31, said AVS.
From Sep 1, it will be an offence under the Animals and Birds Act to keep unlicensed pet cats.
AVS said it will investigate feedback received and take enforcement action against owners who have not complied.
Owners who fail to adhere to the cat-keeping rules and licence conditions shall be liable to a fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,872) from Sep 1, 2026.
If the owner's existing pet cats which they owned before Sep 1, 2024 exceed the limits permitted for HDB flats or private premises, they may continue to keep all of them as a transition arrangement for the existing pet cats if their cats are licensed during the transition period, said AVS.
