Disabled but resilient and no less affectionate

10 special needs cats participated in the Exceptional Category of the 6th TICA Cat Show

- Joanne Soh

Mika, a red-and-cream tabby, requires bladder expression three times a day because the three-month-old male kitten is half-paralysed.

Awal, seven, is a brown tabby with only three legs after an amputation. Yoona, a brown domestic shorthair, suffers from a spinal injury and is fully paralysed. The four-month-old kitten moves by tossing herself about.

The three disabled cats were among the 10 participants of the inaugural Exceptional Category of the 6th The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Show, held on Aug 3 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

The TICA Cat Show is part of the Singapore Pet Festival 2025, hosted by Clubpets, a local pet community portal.

The Exceptional Category, organised by Feline Club Singapore, was started to honour cats who have overcome immense odds as well as to foster a greater sense of compassion and inclusion within the feline community.

BIG HEARTS, SPECIAL CARE

It takes a big heart to embrace these special needs animals, and for Mika, Awal and Yoona, they are in the good hands of Ms Julie Chong.

The operations coordinator, who is in her 40s, has been looking after cats with special needs and those requiring palliative care for many years.

Ms Chong says that looking after disabled cats needs extra time and can be tiring, as they have to be closely supervised due to their health issues.

She explains that special needs cats can develop sores, urinary tract infection, constipation and also colon issues.

Ms Chong is their main caregiver, and when she is at work, her helper chips in. Mika, in particular, needs help to manually empty his bladder as he is unable to do so on his own.

The cats' expenditure is about $2,000 a month, which is spent on their wet food and supplements, as well as other daily necessities, including pee pads and wet wipes.