How Some Klang Valley Condos Are Working With Its Residents To Manage Strays

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Residents in some Klang Valley condominiums have taken stray animal management into their own hands, spending their time and money to run Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programmes in their communities

While many of these efforts operate informally, some condo management committees and building managers have also begun supporting or endorsing these initiatives.

"This is a huge and positive change from the traditional management mentality of catching and culling strays elsewhere whenever complaints arise about the presence of strays," said TNR practitioners Ai Ling and Streisand, who live in a condominium in Mont Kiara.

Ai Ling and Streisand shared that they and other residents have openly operated a TNR programme in their condominium since 2011

So far, they have sterilised and rehomed more than 32 stray cats.

Better yet, the condo's management committee has endorsed their TNR initiative since 2025. The management has also published a notice informing residents of its guidelines on managing strays and what they can do if they spot one, such as contacting Ai Ling and Streisand.

"All funding and TNR efforts are entirely borne by us, and a couple of residents who assist with the expenses," they told SAYS.

In another condominium in Sentul, residents have been running a TNR programme in collaboration with the building manager, and have sterilised about 30 cats over the past three years

Many of these cats have since found homes.

Tashny Sukumaran, a TNR practitioner and resident of the condominium, said management support can make a significant difference to residents carrying out this work.

"Condominium management plays a hugely important role in grassroots TNR work. Oftentimes, management committees want to dump these animals, which is both cruel and counterproductive. The practical, common-sense solution is for management committees to work with and support rescuers and TNR practitioners in controlling the stray population sustainably," she said.

"In my case, my current building management has been very receptive, recognising and appreciating that residents are taking on this responsibility out of our own pockets," she added.

Now, when an animal is spotted on the condominium grounds, the management office sends a message to residents to first check whether it belongs to someone. This also helps Tashny track where cats have been spotted so she can set up traps more efficiently.

The management has also supported adoption efforts by allowing residents to put up posters featuring recent building rescues on digital screens at the lift lobbies.

"I hope my condo management continues such positive actions," she said.

Meanwhile, at a condominium in Ampang, a resident said its TNR programme has been running since they moved in in 2013, with the knowledge and support of management, although it has not been formally endorsed

The condominium even has designated feeding stations for its community cats.

"The condominium management has always been very supportive of TNR and is generally pet-friendly. Residents are encouraged to register their pets with the management so that they can be identified and assisted if they go missing.

"Whenever an un-neutered cat appears in the area, most commonly an abandoned pet or a stray that has wandered in from a neighbouring condominium, we arrange for the cat to be trapped and sterilised. After recovery, the cat is returned and continues to be cared for by residents.

"Fortunately, many condominiums in the surrounding area also support TNR, which helps create a more stable and managed community cat population," said the resident.

Similar TNR efforts are also taking place in other parts of the Klang Valley, including condominiums in Bangsar South and Petaling Jaya, as well as communities around Damansara Heights and Bangsar

In some of these communities, residents' associations are also involved in TNR programmes for dogs.

"These places are around various parts of the Klang Valley and not necessarily in affluent areas, evidencing that TNR can be done by anyone anywhere, working within their respective budgets," said Ai Ling and Streisand, who are passionate proponents of these initiatives.

They stressed that these efforts are not simply about caring for the animals, but also about finding a more sustainable way to manage stray populations within their communities.

"We think this is an interesting look at how some Malaysians are taking it upon themselves to run small-scale animal population-management programmes in their own communities, and what role there is for building managements and institutions to support humane efforts.

"We think some of these TNR efforts are more sustainable in the long term than catching and removing the animals, as this can create a vacuum effect where new animals move into the area, causing the original issue to start all over again.

"It is our hope that our stories will encourage other communities, building managements, and institutions to adopt TNR. We also hope this will support broader discussions about how Malaysians can coexist with stray animals, especially since we've seen headlines where compassion for strays can sometimes falter," they said.

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