20% of Pet Cats Are Stray Cats... Is 'Nyangjup' a Problem? [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

20.6% of Stray Cats Taken In and Raised
Korean Cat Protection Association Rescues After Observing for at Least 8-12 Hours
Pet Owners Express Concern: "Must Be Able to Take Full Responsibility When Rescuing Stray Kittens"
Experts Advise Checking Multiple Conditions When Rescuing Kittens

At around 8 a.m. on May 2nd, three live kittens were found abandoned in a volume-based waste bag on the roadside in Oksan-myeon, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju City, prompting the police to launch an investigation. The photo shows the rescued kittens. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] A survey revealed that about 20% of people who own pet cats have taken in stray cats. While many cases involve taking in injured or problematic cats, there are concerns about people rescuing stray kittens left alone without their mother cat without proper consideration. Especially, as the number of people who fail to take full responsibility after rescue is increasing, worries are growing among pet owners.

Experts suggest that several conditions should be checked before rescuing a kitten. It is necessary to carefully observe whether the kitten is being cared for by its mother cat and the surrounding environment.

Recently, the number of people who take in and raise so-called 'Nyangjup' (stray cat pickup) kittens has been increasing. Many of them rescue kittens left alone without their mother cat simply because they feel sorry for them.

On the cat boards of 'GangsaMo' (Gangajireul Saranghaneun Moim, a community boasting the largest number of pet-related members) and various online communities, it is not difficult to find posts such as "My mother did Nyangjup," "How I accidentally became a cat owner through Nyangjup," and "Rescued a motherless stray kitten and now living together at home," indicating that people have rescued and are raising stray cats.

The proportion of people who take in and raise stray cats found on the streets is also significant. According to the '2018 National Awareness Survey on Animal Protection' conducted by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency on 2,000 citizens, the number of households owning pets is estimated to be about 5.11 million. Among them, about 5.07 million dogs and 1.28 million cats are raised, with cats having a notably high proportion of 20.6% being taken in from the streets.

Last May, a cat was captured on camera carrying its kitten in its mouth while moving. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Yonhap News

However, bringing in a kitten just because it appears to be alone can be a form of kidnapping rather than rescue, requiring special caution. This is because many kittens that seem to be alone are actually being cared for by their mother cat.

Mother cats often leave their kittens temporarily to find food, so hastily assuming the kitten has been abandoned can actually threaten the kitten’s life.

In particular, touching the kitten in such cases requires caution. Wild cats are sensitive, and if a person touches a kitten and changes its scent, the mother cat may reject or even kill the kitten, mistaking it for not her own.

If the kitten does not appear malnourished and its fur condition is good to the naked eye, there is a high probability that the mother cat is nearby. According to the Korean Cat Protection Association and others, the criteria for rescue include △ severe eye discharge and nasal mucus △ decreased activity △ poor fur condition △ extremely thin body.

Therefore, if you find a kitten, the first step is to check if the mother cat is present. The association recommends observing the kitten for at least 8 to 12 hours nearby.

Moreover, kittens with weak immunity may die naturally in shelters or from stress while waiting for adoption after rescue. For these reasons, it is advisable to observe a lone kitten over time rather than immediately rescuing or reporting it.

Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, there is a growing problem of people abandoning kittens after rescuing them without taking responsibility.

On social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook and internet communities, posts such as "I did Nyangjup but can’t keep it, so giving it up for adoption," "Rescued a kitten today but urgently sending it for adoption," and "Rescued a kitten but my parents strongly oppose, so I can’t raise it" are frequently posted. Many local shelters also post numerous adoption notices for kittens.

One poster wrote, "On a rainy day, I found a kitten trembling in the rain, so I brought it home, washed it, and gave it milk. I cared for it for a week, but my parents strongly said they can’t live with a cat because of severe shedding, so I ended up unable to keep it. If anyone wants to raise a cat, please contact me," along with a photo of the cat.

As a result, voices urging caution when doing 'Nyangjup' are growing among pet owners. Kim (26), a pet owner, said, "All my cats are street origin. I have five cats, including one injured in a traffic accident, and each has its own story. Actually, it’s best for stray kittens to grow up under their mother’s care, so rescuing them indiscriminately just because they look pitiful is risky. There are often notices about stray kittens at animal shelters, so I hope people check carefully before rescuing. Even if they can’t raise them, they need the responsibility to ensure the kittens are adopted properly."

Experts point out that there is a lack of related manuals compared to the increasing number of people raising stray cats.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, said, "It is expected that the number of pet owners adopting stray cats will increase in the future. However, many cases involve people taking in kittens out of sympathy, but in fact, many kittens are under the protection of their mother cat. In such cases, the worst situation of taking kittens away from their mother can occur, so caution is needed when rescuing or reporting."

He added, "I hope guidelines or manuals will be developed for rescuing stray cats so that heartbreaking situations where kittens and their mothers are separated do not happen. Even shelters euthanize animals if they are not adopted within a certain period. Even if you cannot raise the cat yourself, you must be able to take responsibility until the end by ensuring the cat is adopted," he emphasized.