SINGAPORE - In the wake of the brutal killings of two community cats in May, some members of the public are echoing a question posed by Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam after the first incident: What kind of person would do this?

In a January report, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said there were 961 confirmed reports of animal abuse involving some 2,190 animals in 2024. The figure is a 12-year high and means an average of six animals were subjected to suffering or death each day in Singapore last year.

SPCA’s first full report on the state of animal cruelty and welfare in Singapore also revealed that more than half of these cases involved cats, with 1,330 cases, or 60.7 per cent.

The numbers have some mental health experts concerned.

Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said: “At a moral level, these acts are appalling and reflective of a disregard for the suffering of sentient beings. They suggest that animals are perceived to be less worthy of compassion or protection.

“Beyond morality, there are serious psychological and societal implications.”

Dr Lim Boon Leng, a private psychiatrist from Dr BL Lim Centre for Psychological Wellness said that such cases of animal abuse and cruelty are a “worrying red flag”.

“We should be very concerned, especially when the acts go beyond mere neglect or impulsive aggression and take on a calculated, brutal nature,” said Dr Lim.

“The sheer level of cruelty inflicted - mutilation, repeated injuries, or killing with intent - often correlates with deeper psychological disturbance.

“Such behaviour isn’t just anti-social; it may reflect entrenched callousness, sadism, or a lack of empathy so profound that it borders on psychopathy.”

Animal cruelty at a young age is a warning sign for future interpersonal violence, both Dr Chow and Dr Lim said, citing the Violence Graduation Hypothesis, which assumes a direct causal link between animal cruelty and interpersonal aggression.

Youth who abuse animals are also at an increased risk of harming ...