'I pet pet the cat, I happy already': Singaporeans show how community cats keep them going in TikTok trend

It is said that time spent with cats is never wasted.

In the latest viral TikTok trend, Singaporeans have been showing how they "pet pet" their neighbourhood community cats. 

These videos show these neighbourhood stray cats receiving plenty of love from cat enthusiasts, who shower them with pats and food — as well as snippets of the cats, well, being cats. 

The soundbite appeared on TikTok last Sunday (Nov 21), and so far, more than 300 people have used this audio clip in their own TikToks. 

@roastedbeanssss

i have never resonated so much with a tiktok audio ##sgfyp ##cats ##straycats

♬ I LOVE HDB CATS - Benwhoah

@wayzenvi

last cat agrees w the audio

♬ I LOVE HDB CATS - Benwhoah

@suwzk

“thank u cat ah” but not rly ? still love u mr garfield u chonk

♬ I LOVE HDB CATS - Benwhoah

This one in particular, has a community cat "making biscuits" on the TikToker's lap — a sign of affection from the feline. 

@nooby1212

 

♬ I LOVE HDB CATS - Benwhoah

"I find the most meaning in life ah, is from those HDB cats below my block. They keep me going you know." 

"Sometimes when I quarrel with my family ah, I go downstairs, pet pet the cat, I happy already! [sic] Thank you cat ah," says a male voice, in a distinctively Singaporean accent. 

The audio actually originated from TikToker BenWhoah, who was reacting to the results of a recent Pew Research study on where people all over the world find meaning in life. 

According to the survey's results, zero per cent of Singaporeans derive their meaning in life from pets — a statistic that Ong took issue with, which sparked this trend. 

Although cats aren't allowed to be kept as pets in HDB flats, stray cats are a common sight in housing estates.

To keep the stray cat population at bay, the Stray Cat Sterilisation Programme was launched in 2011. 

Under this programme, the Animal and Veterinary Service partially subsidises sterilisation costs for each cat, working in collaboration with other organisations like Town Councils, the National Environment Agency and Cat Welfare Society. 

The programme covers all HDB estates, private residential, commercial, and industrial areas. 

ALSO READ: This photographer is making waves on TikTok with his special models - stray cats

claudiatan@asiaone.com