On April 19, 2025, at least ten cats were found confined in a ground-floor store room at Wu Boon House, Wu King Estate, Tuen Mun, used by a Housing Department outsourced cleaning contractor. Media reports said the room had no windows, poor ventilation, no regular feeding for days, no cat food left, cat feces throughout and a strong odor. Police arrested a 47-year-old male cleaning company supervisor surnamed Lam on suspicion of cruelty to animals; the cats were later taken away by the SPCA and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for examination.

Behind a locked store-room door, cats were crying

HK01 reported that the ground-floor store room at Wu Boon House was used by a Housing Department outsourced cleaning company, but at least ten cats were being kept inside. The room had no windows, no one had returned to feed the cats for days, and neighbors heard hungry cats crying from behind the locked door. Residents and cat volunteers called police on the morning of April 19.

On.cc and Sing Tao also reported that the room lacked windows, lighting and ventilation, and emitted an obvious smell. Volunteers had tried to push food through the gap under the door; the cats fought for it, showing prolonged hunger and stress.

When the door opened, about ten cats rushed out

After police arrived, a male supervisor from the cleaning company opened the door with a key. HK01 reported that about ten cats rushed out immediately. Some circled the man, some jumped into his arms, and they did not run far. None of the cats was reported to have died on the spot, but that does not make the situation minor.

People at the scene described a strong ammonia smell, pallets covered with feces, dirty water basins, and little or no cat food left. Some cats appeared to have narrowed eyes as if inflamed, and their skin condition was reportedly poor. For animals, being trapped in a sealed, filthy space without reliable food and water is itself sustained harm.

Arrest, examination and contractor responsibility

Police arrested a 47-year-old male supervisor surnamed Lam on suspicion of cruelty to animals and referred the case to the Tuen Mun District crime investigation team. Ming Pao reported that there were five adult and five young local cats, with no surface injuries, and they were handed to relevant departments and organizations for further examination. HK01 later reported that five kittens were taken to the SPCA Tsing Yi center, while the other five cats were taken by AFCD.

The Housing Department told HK01 that the store room was loaned to the cleaning contractor for cleaning tools and supplies, and that no related complaint had been received before the incident. The department said it had sternly warned the contractor's management; the company promised stronger supervision and immediately dismissed the supervisor involved.

No deaths does not mean no harm

The cruelty in this case is not a bloody image, but prolonged neglect. Animals cannot open the door themselves or explain how long they have gone without clean water and food. They can only cry behind a door, fight for food pushed through a gap, and wait in a sealed, foul-smelling room until someone notices.

Keeping animals means basic responsibilities: food, water, ventilation, hygiene, health observation and daily care. If a public housing contractor's store room can be turned into a place where a group of cats are confined and oversight fails for days, the issue is not only one keeper's conduct. It also shows that public management and outsourcing systems must be able to detect animal welfare risks sooner.

Timeline

• Around 9:40 a.m., April 19, 2025：Neighbors and cat volunteers called police after hearing cats crying inside the store room and suspecting they had been left unattended for days.
• Morning of April 19, 2025：Police arrived; after the cleaning company supervisor opened the door, about ten cats rushed out.
• Same day：Police arrested a 47-year-old male supervisor surnamed Lam on suspicion of cruelty to animals.
• Same day and afterward：The SPCA and AFCD took the cats for examination; the Housing Department warned the contractor, and the company dismissed the supervisor.

Public Sources

• HK01: ten cats confined in a Wu King Estate store room
• HK01: Housing Department response and contractor dismissal
• on.cc: ten cats confined in cleaning contractor store room
• Ming Pao: ten cats found in Tuen Mun store room