A tortoiseshell cat stationed outside a petrol station in Malaysia has amused social media users after being jokingly described as an enforcer keeping an eye on Singapore-registered vehicles. Photos of the feline, shared widely online, show it sitting upright near the entrance of a Shell Select convenience store, wearing a bright red vest and looking remarkably serious.
The images were first circulated on Threads, accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek caption suggesting the cat was “monitoring” whether any Singaporean cars were attempting to fill up with RON95 petrol. The post quickly gained traction, resonating with both Malaysians and Singaporeans familiar with cross-border driving quirks.
For context, Singapore-registered vehicles are not permitted to purchase Malaysia’s subsidised RON95 fuel. The rule is well known among regular cross-border drivers, and enforcement is typically handled by station staff rather than any form of official patrol. This made the presence of a stern-looking cat all the more entertaining.
A CAT WITH A VERY SERIOUS “JOB”
In the photos, the cat is seen sitting squarely on a yellow parking line, facing the station entrance as if guarding it. Its posture is upright, and its half-closed eyes give the impression of a weary worker nearing the end of a long shift. The red vest only added to the illusion that it was somehow “on duty”.
Netizens were quick to play along with the joke. Many commented that the cat looked like it had been working overtime, while others quipped that it was only there because it was “forced to work”. Some even asked, half-jokingly, whether there were vacancies, as they would gladly send their own cats to take up similar “employment”.
The humour struck a chord because it touched on a familiar situation for Singapore drivers in Malaysia. Fuel prices, petrol subsidies and cross-border regulations are frequent talking points, especially during holiday periods when traffic across the Causeway surges.
SOCIAL MEDIA HUMOUR MEETS EVERYDAY REALITY
Beyond the laughs, the viral post also highlighted how social media often turns everyday scenes into shared entertainment. A stray or neighbourhood cat resting near a petrol station is not unusual, but framing it as a vigilant “officer” instantly transformed it into a relatable and shareable moment.
Such light-hearted content tends to travel fast online, especially when it involves animals and cross-border culture. For many Singaporeans, it served as a humorous reminder to follow fuel regulations while driving overseas, without the need for lecturing or finger-pointing.
From an online content perspective, posts like these continue to perform well because they blend humour, local context and visual appeal. It is the kind of viral moment that brands, advertisers and content creators often seek, particularly in lifestyle and community-focused news spaces.
At the end of the day, the cat was almost certainly just resting in a comfortable spot. But in the eyes of the internet, it became a symbol of “law and order” — paid not in cash, but perhaps, as netizens joked, in tuna.