Whether you’re visiting Thailand on vacation or have relocated here, it doesn’t take long to notice that the temples are full of cats.

You’ve likely wondered, where do these cats come from?

Prepare to learn the upsetting truth.

Temple cats in Thailand are not enlightened felines or reincarnations of the Buddha.

Their reason for being there is more sinister than sacred.

Moreover, the ones you see at the temples are the lucky ones. They are the ones who managed to find their place and stay out of harm.

Many others were not so fortunate.

In this article, I’m revealing why there are so many temple cats in Thailand and the heartbreaking reality they face there.

Why Are There So Many Temple Cats In Thailand?

It is common practice in Thailand for locals to dump their unwanted pets and troublesome strays at a nearby temple.

Unfortunately, for many people, cats and dogs are easy to discard. They like kittens and puppies when they are young and cute, but they no longer want them when they get older.

Moreover, there are a huge number of stray cats in Thailand. These unowned kitties can sometimes be a nuisance, such as getting into fights with pet cats.

Some people believe removing the cats is the best way to deal with these problems.

But why do people dump cats at temples, specifically?

The reasoning behind this is that the monks will not harm them. As monks are known to practice loving kindness to all, Thai people believe these spiritual men will feed and take care of them.

And the good news is that most monks do care for them.

However, taking cats away from their territory and dumping them in a new, unfamiliar area is highly stressful and scary for the cats.

Dumping cats at a temple can also (and often does) cost them their life.

How?

While monks don’t harm them, temple cats in Thailand face many other dangers, which I’ll explain later in this article.

Is It Illegal To Dump Cats In Thailand?

Dumping cats and dogs in Thailand is not a new problem, but one that has been going on for many years.

However, this doesn’t mean it is legal.

Since 2014, it has been illegal to abandon pets in Thailand under the Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act.

However, the problem is that this law, like many Thailand animal cruelty laws, is rarely enforced. Moreover, as with any other crime, you need solid evidence to report a case of pet abandonment.

This is not to say everyone gets away with it.

In April this year, a woman was charged with animal cruelty after dumping 42 kittens on the roadside.

In this shocking incident, the woman drove 200 km during a rainstorm to Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, where she dumped the unwanted kittens.

She crammed the kittens into small, uncovered cages, and sadly, due to these conditions, 12 of the kittens died during the journey.

While she was arrested and charged for this horrendous act, her punishment was a measly 10,000 baht fine and a criminal record.

So, although it’s illegal to dump cats and dogs in Thailand, the repercussions are so small, and the likelihood of getting caught is low. This is why many people continue to dump animals at temples, animal shelters, and on the streets.

But here’s the thing…

The repercussions may be minor for the heartless offenders, but they are huge for the innocent animals (and the humans left to deal with it). Like the story above, countless abandoned cats lose their lives – I’ll explain how in the next section.

The Fate Of Temple Cats In Thailand

Relocating and dumping cats takes them out of their territory and away from their food source.

They find themselves in another cat’s territory, where they will constantly get into fights and struggle to find food.

Temple cats in Thailand are at risk of contracting infections from fight wounds (including fatal diseases like feline leukemia). Without a secure food source, they are also at risk of malnutrition.

Of course, the stress of the ordeal can also lead to health issues, such as UTIs and bladder infections.

And then there is another HUGE danger… dogs.

You see, it’s not just cats routinely dumped at temples. Many dogs are, too. In fact, some temples are overrun by dogs.

The long-term temple cats may have learned which dogs are dangerous and how to avoid them, but a newly dumped cat will not know this.

So, when a cat is dumped in an unfamiliar location, there’s a high risk it will get attacked by other cats and dogs.

Of course, dogs can severely injure and even kill cats.

In fact, in 2018, someone dumped 36 cats at a temple in Hat Yai. In this heartbreaking story, the dogs attacked the newly dumped cats, killing almost all of them! Only three survived.

These cats were strays living at a local market with a secure food source and a sense of safety. But because someone was not happy about them being there, they lost their lives in the most traumatic and saddening way.

What Happens To Abandoned Kittens?

Now, let’s talk about dumping kittens…

Many people are happy to feed their local adult stray cats. However, as most of these cats are unsterilized, they have litters after litters.

The locals do not want all these kittens around, so they dump them at the temple, on the street, or at an animal shelter.

But here’s the thing…

When you take a kitten away from its mother and dump it elsewhere, you are essentially leaving it to die.

Kittens under eight weeks old are still nursing and rely on their mothers for food and comfort. They are also not street-smart at all.

As a result, unless these dumped kittens are rescued by a kind person, they will likely die as they are simply too young to fend for themselves on the streets.

Moreover, newly dumped kittens are the smallest and weakest of all temple animals.

Along with being the easiest target for dogs, older cats will attack them to keep them away from the food sources.

If young kittens go for longer than a day or two without food, their health rapidly deteriorates. They may pass away from hunger or dehydration, or they might contract a deadly disease or virus.

Sterilization – A Better Alternative To Dumping Cats At Temples

What many locals don’t realize is that there is a better and kinder option to relocating cats.

Sterilizing them!

For example, locals may decide to ‘remove’ cats from their street because they are getting into fights with their pet cats.

However, sterilizing cats significantly reduces fighting and aggression.

Here’s why…

Thai cats are very territorial, and most fights are caused by one cat entering another’s territory. However, studies show that neutering cats reduces roaming by 90%!

Another common reason kittens are dumped is overpopulation. Many people don’t mind having a few cats around, but when there are too many, they want them gone.

However, taking kittens to a temple does not solve the problem, as the adult cats will continue to reproduce.

But sterilizing the stray cats WILL solve the problem.

With all the cats in the community neutered and spayed, no more kittens will appear, and the cats will be much less stressed.

Sterilization also reduces many other troublesome behaviors, such as urine spraying (an act of marking territory).

Many animal welfare organizations, such as Soi Dog Foundation, offer free sterilization. I’ve also found several vets willing to offer discounted rates for stray cats and dogs.

I’ve created a comprehensive guide on how to catch and sterilize stray cats in Thailand for further guidance.

Final Thoughts On Temple Cats In Thailand

When someone dumps cats at a temple or animal shelter, they simply pass the problem on to someone else. The monks or animal rescuers now have the burden of caring for new cats alongside the many others they already care for.

Moreover, dumping cats puts the animals’ lives in immense danger. As the examples above show, many cats die due to this heartless act.

And let’s not forget dumping animals is illegal under Animal welfare laws in Thailand.

Yet by choosing instead to sterilize the cats in your community, you fix the problem without putting the cats’ lives at risk AND without causing a problem for someone else.

So, if cats are causing a nuisance in your area, please don’t remove them or dump them at a temple!

There is a much kinder and more compassionate solution. Contact an animal welfare organization or a local vet for assistance with sterilizing them.

Doing so will prevent overpopulation, reduce fighting and unwanted behaviors, AND allow the cats to live happy and healthy lives!