A new flat needs to work for your cat as well as your household. Before moving in, check whether you can secure the windows and front entrance, keep the cat safely indoors and, if you are renting, agree on the arrangements before signing.
When comparing HDB flats for sale or HDB flats for rent, these are useful checks to make during a viewing, while you can still assess any fittings or costs the home may need.
For cat licensing in Singapore, the transition period ended on 31 August 2026. According to NParks’ licensing update, keeping an unlicensed pet cat became an offence from 1 September 2026.
How Many Cats Can You Keep in an HDB Flat?
AVS’ ownership rules allow up to two cats and one dog of an approved small breed in each HDB residential unit. This is a household limit, not an allowance for each resident.
Existing Cats Licensed During the Transition Period
NParks states that owners may retain qualifying cats owned before 1 September 2024 beyond the ordinary limit if they licensed them during the transition period and continue to care for their health and welfare.
For example, a household with four qualifying existing cats licensed within that period may retain them. The arrangement covers those cats; it does not create an ongoing allowance to take in replacements or additional cats.
If you missed the licensing window and are over the limit, contact AVS about your circumstances rather than assuming the arrangement applies.
Approved Cat Fosterers
AVS’ two-year fosterer pilot began on 3 August 2026. Approved fosterers in eligible three-room or larger HDB sold flats may keep up to six cats in total, including their own pets.
The main requirements are:
- Experience and resources: Applicants need cat-care experience and enough time and money to care for foster cats.
- Suitable household: All existing pet and foster cats must be sterilised and microchipped at application. The linked criteria also cover complaints and offences in the preceding two years.
- Assessment and licensing: Approval includes home visits by the assessing agencies. Foster cats must be licensed; fees are waived for approved fosterers’ foster cats during the pilot, while their own pets remain chargeable.
Unless medically exempted, kittens must be sterilised by six months of age or within two months of fostering, whichever is later. Cats over six months must be sterilised within two months of fostering. If fostering is part of your housing plans, check the flat’s eligibility before committing to a move; a larger flat alone does not confer approval.
How Much Does a Cat Licence Cost?
AVS’ fee schedule sets out these rates from 1 September 2026 for the first three cats and/or dogs:
One year
S$15
S$90
Two years
S$25
S$165
Three years
Not applicable
S$230
One-time lifetime licence
S$35
Not applicable
Fees are per cat, before the 10% rebate for payment via GIRO, online or AXS. Cats below five months have a separate S$15 one-year licence category.
For example, two new lifetime licences for sterilised cats in this category total S$70 before the rebate. Veterinary and home-safety costs are separate. Higher rates apply to fourth and subsequent cats or dogs, subject to concessions.
AVS’ cat licensing guidance confirms that sterilisation is encouraged but is not mandatory for ordinary pet-cat licensing. Approved fosterers must follow the separate scheme requirements described above.
How Do You Apply for a Cat Licence?
AVS’ application guide sets out five steps:
- Microchip your cat. Arrange this with a licensed veterinarian, or have the existing chip number ready.
- Complete the Pet Ownership Course if required. First-time cat or dog licence applicants must take the free online course, which AVS says takes about 20–30 minutes.
- Prepare relevant documents. Depending on your cat’s circumstances, these may include sterilisation evidence, an animal welfare group adoption or fosterer agreement, or an import permit.
- Apply through PALS. Enter your cat’s microchip number and supporting information.
- Pay the applicable fee. Keep the licence record and check its validity and registered details.
How Can You Keep Your Cat Safe at Home?
AVS’ licensing requirements require a safe environment, protection against falls from height and physical control in public.
At a viewing, focus on how you would manage the flat day to day:
- Windows and balcony openings: Check gaps and whether suitable mesh, screens or other barriers can be fitted. Look at how the windows open so the proposed barrier works when you ventilate the flat.
- Front entrance: Consider where your cat could stay while the door is open for visitors or deliveries. A separate room with a door you can close gives you a practical option.
- Rental fittings: Before signing, clarify whether the proposed tenancy allows your cat and whether the landlord agrees to the safety fittings you need. Discuss who pays for installation, repairs and removal, and record what you agree in writing.
AVS states that a pet licence does not itself approve keeping the animal at the registered premises. Clarifying the tenancy terms and fittings early helps you assess whether a rental home will work for you and your cat. For outings, keep your cat under physical control using a secure carrier or harness.
What Should You Update When Moving Home?
Update the address where your cat is kept through PALS within 28 days of the change, as required by AVS. Do this separately from updating your own residential address.
Have the safety fittings ready before your cat arrives. Set aside a room with the door closed while movers work, with the cat’s litter tray, water and familiar bedding inside. Tell anyone helping with the move to keep that door shut, and check windows and doors before letting the cat explore the rest of the flat.
Approved fosterers should also contact AVS about the move. Their recognition is tied to the approved address, so they should clarify arrangements for the new home rather than relying only on a licence-address update.
Is Help Available With Sterilisation and Microchipping?
AVS’ Pet Cat Sterilisation Support (PCSS) programme supports eligible lower-income households. Its published eligibility includes financial-assistance recipients, blue CHAS card holders or residents under the Public Rental Scheme.
Follow the application link on the official page to confirm the arrangements before booking.
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