Volunteers express dismay over Straits Times framing of Bukit Batok cat rescue

Animal welfare volunteers involved in the high-stakes rescue of a cat from a 10th-floor ledge in Bukit Batok have voiced deep frustration over how the incident was reported by The Straits Times (ST), saying their firsthand accounts were used to portray the authorities in a favourable light—while civilian efforts were downplayed. The incident occurred on 18 November 2025, when a cat was spotted stranded on a ledge at Block 465A, Bukit Batok West Avenue 8. Tabitha Thompson, 28, who first discovered the animal around 1.00am, reached out to various government agencies throughout the morning. Despite her repeated efforts, she was told they could not assist. “I was calling agency after agency, and every time I got the same answer—‘we can’t help,’” Thompson said. “After a while, I felt completely defeated. I was standing there watching this cat, wobbling on the ledge. The sky was darkening. I thought, ‘I’m going to watch this cat fall, and there’s nothing I can do.’” In desperation, she began dragging discarded mattresses to the base of the block with the help of foreign workers and a few bystanders—hoping to break the fall if the cat slipped. A civilian later dubbed “Spider-man” arrived after seeing her social media plea. Equipped with only a rope and helmet, he scaled the building and retrieved the cat just before 3.50pm. The rescue effort, however, soon became the subject of controversy—not because of what happened at the scene, but because of how it was presented in the media. Both Thompson and another volunteer, who manages the Rescue with Love SG Instagram page, had provided information to The Straits Times after being approached for comment. They say they were motivated by a desire to spotlight the difficulties encountered, especially the lack of institutional response and the helplessness experienced by those on the ground. But when the ST article was published, they said they were “flabbergasted.” “Wow, just wow,” the volunteer shared with The Online Citizen (TOC). “Flabbergasted is the word I would use to describe how I feel.” She added, “The whole idea of me agreeing to do that piece with ST was because I wanted to bring across the helplessness we faced when trying to rescue the cat. I am shocked at how something such as laying the mattress would need more than two hours of approval when I called before 1.00pm to inform about the possible situation of the cat falling to its death.” Despite these delays and frustrations, the article presented NParks as being in the process of making arrangements to rescue the cat when a civilian “separately managed to retrieve” it. “I felt like I was being made use of,” the volunteer said. “It looked as if NParks was part of the rescue. But the truth is, when Titi (Tabitha Thompson) reached out to them, they could not provide any solution.” According to both accounts, SPCA referred the matter to HDB, SCDF declined involvement, and the police indicated they had no jurisdiction. “It felt like a game of ping pong,” she said. Thompson added that the ST report incorrectly cast her as the central figure in the rescue, when in fact she was operating from desperation. “It made it sound like I was the hero, but that’s not true. I was just someone trying everything I could. The real credit belongs to the man who risked his life to save the cat.” NParks has since confirmed it is investigating the case. In a statement to the media, Group Director of Enforcement and Investigation Jessica Kwok said NParks had been making arrangements to access the cat via a neighbouring unit and reiterated that pet owners are legally required to ensure their animals’ safety. While volunteers welcome that NParks is looking into the owner’s responsibility, they remain disappointed by how their contribution was portrayed in the national paper. “We weren’t looking for praise,” the Rescue with Love SG volunteer explained. “We just wanted the public to understand the reality—that when animals are in immediate danger, the system is not equipped to respond fast enough. It was community members who showed up, not officials.”