When a Python Took a Bite of Ben: A Condo Cat’s Disastrous Escape
It’s a Tuesday story that will get you doing a double‑take, and not the Zoom kind.
How a 6 kg Tabby Became a Snakes‑Victim
- Teacher Angel Low, 28, was thinking she’d lost her beloved cat Ben when she answered a call on the night of 29 Aug. Her sis‑in‑law had a last‑minute video showing a python with a “hollow belly” hanging around the Tanah Merah condo.
- They went straight to the Acres (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) after spotting the suspect. The snake was tugged away, but by the time it got to the Singapore Zoo, the kitty had already been swallowed.
- During transport, the python threw up “Ben’s remains.” Staff simply tossed the carcass. No one thought, “Hey, could this be a pet with a collar?”
Angel’s next‑door is still receding into disbelief: “Every time we think about what happened, we still cry.”
Why This Wasn’t a Weekend‑Throw‑Away Party
They’d lived in a 3‑storey house at D’Manor for over ten years, never seen a snake until this Monday. Even though the condos aren’t tucked beside a forest, jungle reptiles do sneak into urban storm drains.
Reticulated pythons are the “big kids” of Singapore’s reptile scene—some 10 m long, feeling just comfortable with anything that walks. They’re known to gobble up mice, deer, and yes, pets. The species have intelligently kept the rat population in check, but apparently they’re not great guests in a pet‑friendly condo.
What Herpetologists Suggest
- Keep your kitty and dog on a tight leash or inside.
- Never let pets wander unsupervised—especially around storm drains and other “reevery” hotspots.
- If you spot a snake, stay calm and keep a safe distance. Most snakes will not bite unless they’re provoked.
- Call the NParks Animal Response Centre (1800‑476‑1600) if you ever run into a snake outside.
In a video (link: vmfaFZQ8d4o), the Herpetological Society President highlighted the need for everyone to care for their animals and be respectful toward wildlife. “These animals don’t mean us harm,” he stressed.
Learn from Angel’s Tale
Angel’s family, now on high alert with a six‑year‑old dog and two additional cats, knows the truth of the warnings: Stay 1 dating the pent around the beg? (Just kidding!) Keep the pets safe safe.
All in all, whatever our living environment, no one should ever turn the “I’m the best cat mom” nickname into a headline. If there’s a python roaming nearby, think of it more as a *snakes‑in‑your‑self-prey drama—and remember to do everything you can to keep your pets where they can be happiest.
