Sharing the contents of a letter

I'm passing to a senior caregiver who recently encountered an agitated housewife worked up over the issue of stray cats feeding. This is a case-specific letter of support.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in fullest support of Mrs K's feeding of community cats and would like to share with you some pointers pertinent to and the benefits of her excellent service to this community:

1. Cats, domestic or stray, use their claws to grip onto grooves or crevices to climb -- for example, the bark of a tree. Where there are no grooves on the roofs of cars, there is no need for cats to utilize their claws, hence it is unlikely that cats will scratch the cars. Moreover, cats' claws, unlike dogs', are retractable, so when there is no need to use them, the claws remain unprotruded.

2. The stains on the floor are not caused by the cats or by cat feeding. If you'd noticed, the stains are deeply ingrained and have been present for a long time, probably as a result of used furniture, discarded cardboard boxes and so on dumped there. If you'd lived here long enough, you'd know that the current location used to be a provision shop with shelves, boxes and other objects placed along the footway previously.

3. All, if not most cats, in the neighbourhood have been sterilised in a humane move to reduce and manage street cats' numbers. Residents and shop owners are thankful for had it not been Mrs K's sound management of the community cats, we would have many stray cats running around. Obvious benefits include:

* Cats keep the number of pests down. Residents in the building and nearby houses, as well as the eateries, are spared from rats problems, as the presence of cats helps prevent pest intrusion in natural and effective ways.
* Infected cats are sent to the vet's to control the spreading of diseases such as feline flu, although there are no known cat diseases that are transmissible to humans. The cats are very well taken of.
* With the cats sufficiently-fed -- coupled with the fact that they are sterilised -- the community cats are satisfied of their basic need and distracted from entering residents' kitchens or rummaging through discarded trash to seek food. Cats-related nuisance is totally, if not greatly, reduced.

4. The statutes of Singapore does not forbid the feeding of community cats. In other words, it is okay to feed, but not litter. Mrs K does not leave trays and containers lying around but collects them and picks up surrounding litter (in fact, other litter left by passer-bys), keeping the environment clean and upkeeping hygiene.

5. It is part of the cats' natural healing system to regurgitate food to remove toxins from their bodies. However, we do not see or smell cat's vomit in this neighbourhood, nor see this as any sign of a problem. As a matter of fact, unpicked dogs' faeces along our pavements are more conspicuous and disturbing.

6. Feeding community cats, keeping cats in households -- these are common to our neighbourhood as a generally cats-friendly estate, as well as to residents -- a handful of whom have been living here for decades.

7. Community cats have been around for years. Residents and retail owners in this neighbourhood are not only tolerant but also supportive of the cats and cats feeding as these cats are well managed and feeding approaches are ethical and hygienic.

8. Cat feeding here is supported and endorsed by the Residential Committee and on a previous account, supported by a local cats welfare organisation.

9. Mrs K has been doing this community a great favour by sterilising, feeding and medicating cats out of her own expenses, in terms of time and money. We are nothing but appreciative of her efforts in making this neighbourhood a gracious one.


I would also like to share that I have been living in this neighbourhood for over 20 years and can vouch for the cats' caregivers involved that what they are doing is adding socio-environmental value to the estate, bringing more benefits to all of us. Cats are among the cleanest animals for they self-groom to keep their coats proper and are integral to our urban ecology.

Just like how we learn and adapt to live harmoniously with our neighbours, we do the same with these cats, and all the more so, with Samaritans like Mrs K who help control the cat population by her own means.

I encourage you to consider my comments and seek your understanding and good heart in this matter. Should you have any query, you may direct it to the residential committee or phone me at [mobile number] .

Thank you for your support.

Best,

[Name]
Resident, [Name of estate]


Letter's modified to protect identities.