As temperatures drop in Seoul, a long-simmering conflict over the care of stray cats is heating up again. (Photo: a screenshot from social media)
SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – As temperatures drop in Seoul, a long-simmering conflict over the care of stray cats is heating up again, pitting animal welfare advocates against local residents concerned about nuisance and ecological impact.
“We must prevent these babies from freezing to death,” said a resident of Seoul’s Gwanak district, who has been a “cat mom” — a term for stray cat caretakers — for eight years. On November 9 at 7:50 a.m., she was installing styrofoam insulation on cat shelters near a subway station entrance.
The caretaker expressed concerns about potential harm to the cats, citing recent incidents where someone poured water into winter shelters, causing them to freeze, and knocked over food bowls at feeding stations.
As animal welfare groups across Seoul, including the Gwanak District Stray Cat Protection Association, prepare for winter, KARA, a prominent animal rights organization, has launched an initiative to provide winter shelters to 50 experienced cat caregivers.
The organization argues these shelters help cats survive extreme cold while reducing their tendency to seek warmth in apartment parking garages. They recommend removing the shelters in spring.
The Mewcat Protection Association in Gangdong District has begun distributing cat cold medicine along with food to prevent illness among strays during the harsh winter.
However, these efforts face significant opposition from residents who cite various concerns. Common complaints include unauthorized feeding stations, garbage disruption, cat excrement, and noise from mating cats.
Online forums frequently feature posts about confrontations between cat caregivers and property managers, and incidents of shelter vandalism.
The tension sometimes escalates to animal abuse. Last month in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, police arrested a man for beating a blind cat with a metal rod and burning its head with cigarettes. The suspect claimed he was frustrated by cats tearing open garbage bags near his home.
Social media has become a battleground, with some calling for penalties against feeding strays and claiming that “cat moms” and “cat dads” are “destroying society.”
Critics also raise ecological concerns. Dr. Choi Tae-young, a mammal researcher at the National Institute of Ecology, warns that treating feral cats like pets by feeding them has led to population management challenges.
“Good intentions don’t always lead to good outcomes,” he noted, pointing to the impact on local wildlife such as squirrels and sparrows.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
