A man who abused six cats, resulting in the deaths of two animals, has been sentenced to 31 months’ jail and banned from owning animals for 12 months upon his release.
The court heard that 27-year-old Tan Yi Bin Ryan was first arrested in October 2024 after he attacked five cats, including throwing an orange domestic shorthair cat from the 34th floor of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block.
He was later released on bail on Oct 30, 2024, but reoffended in March 2025 by abusing another cat, which suffered severe injuries and had to be euthanised.
Tan pleaded guilty to three charges of animal cruelty, with another three charges taken into consideration during sentencing.
The National Parks Board (NParks) said in a statement that this is the heaviest sentence handed down so far for an animal cruelty case.
According to court documents, Tan was working as a food delivery rider when he began targeting community cats between July and September 2024, reportedly after experiencing personal relationship issues.
He later escalated his actions from stabbing cats to more violent attacks, including throwing and beating animals, with several incidents captured on CCTV footage.
Investigations showed he had even searched online for information on how to injure cats and the legal consequences of killing them.
In one of the most severe incidents, Tan was seen attacking an orange cat inside a lift before throwing it from a high floor. The cat later died from its injuries.
In March 2025, while out on bail, he was caught on CCTV abusing another cat by dragging it and slamming it against a wall multiple times, leading to its death.
NParks said the case was solved with assistance from police, CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts, and veterinary reports.
Authorities also stressed that public reports and video evidence played a crucial role in securing the conviction.
The agency reminded the public to report suspected animal abuse cases through official channels to support ongoing enforcement efforts.
