Yishun woman's cardboard cat cottages shelter strays for three years

Janet Chin, a 54-year-old Chong Pang resident, has spent the last three years handcrafting elaborate shelters for stray cats across Yishun, transforming scrap cardboard boxes into whimsical homes. The idea struck her during a rainy day when she realized stray cats often sought refuge in precarious locations like under parked cars; she decided to build them proper shelter instead. Starting with plain cardboard boxes covered in towels, Chin gradually "beautified" her creations by sourcing leftover materials from grocers, supermarkets, and her own craft supplies, adding water-resistant wallpaper, cut-out windows, planters, and decorative features like chimneys to create miniature cottages.

Each shelter has its own distinct character, sometimes decorated to reflect seasonal festivities—Christmas trees and snowflakes during the holidays, Chinese knots and couplets for Chinese New Year. Over three years, she has built close to 100 cat cottages, a hobby that has consumed her lunch breaks and days off work. After posting photos on the Facebook group Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats, one post garnered over 200 reactions, with netizens praising her "lovely gestures" and "kindness." The positive response led to requests from other cat lovers seeking to replicate her work, turning her personal project into a "Build-To-Order" market for community cat shelters.

• 22 May 2025straitstimes.com