A Singaporean retiree, 70, divorces wife of 45 years over her hoarding of cats, one of which urinated on his face. District judge Sheik Mustafa ordered the marriage to be dissolved after hearing both parties, ruled that the man cannot reasonably be expected to live with his wife after she developed an obsession with cats.
On May 21, Judge Mustafa further stated: : “This feline collection created quite a nuisance. The cats roamed the home freely. They were not toilet-trained and would urinate and defecate indiscriminately.”
It was believed that the stench of the cat faeces and urine from their home led to several complains from neighbours which led to numerous warning from authorities and police.
“Nevertheless, she did not cease her feline collection,” the judge added.
THE LAST STRAW WAS WHEN THE CAT URINATED ON HIS FACE
The last straw for the husband was when one of the cats urinated on his face while he was asleep. That was in 2006 and he then left home to live with his brother-in-law.
The husband tried to return home twice but was chased away by the wife. He has stayed in the house since then.
The obsession of cats started in 1997 when she was “told in her dreams by her late mother to be kind to cats and that was the only way to paradise and to protect her family”.
The husband’s $500,000 retirement pension, received in 2004, also became a source of friction. The judge noted that the wife admitted withdrawing a large sum from the fund. He used to be a teacher.
The judge found that on a balance of probabilities, the wife did behave as alleged by the husband, including withdrawing a substantial amount of money from his retirement savings without his consent.
“There is no possibility of reconciliation. There are no minor children. For these reasons, it is just and reasonable to grant a judgment to dissolve the marriage,” said the judge. The wife is appealing against the judgment.