Are cats allowed in HDB flats? The 2026 rules

Good news for cat lovers: yes, cats are allowed in HDB flats. Under the Housing and Development (Animals) Rules 2024, a flat may keep up to two cats, plus one dog of an approved breed. The long-standing HDB ban on cats ended on 1 September 2024.

The change came with AVS’s Cat Management Framework. Pet cats have needed a microchip and a licence since 1 September 2024, and the two-year transition ended on 31 August 2026. From 1 September 2026, keeping an unlicensed pet cat is an offence. AVS explains the steps on its cat licensing page, and our licensing guide covers them too.

How many cats you can keep

The usual limit is two cats per flat. If you already had more than two cats before 1 September 2024, you could keep them by licensing them before 1 September 2026. Cats you took in after 1 September 2024 do not count as existing cats, so a new cat needs to fit within the two-cat limit.

Community cats are not pet cats. Caregivers who look after cats in the neighbourhood follow a separate AVS process, which is different from licensing a cat that lives in your flat.

Sterilisation, mesh and staying indoors

Sterilisation is not compulsory, but AVS encourages it and prices the licence to favour it. A sterilised cat can have a one-time licence for life, while an unsterilised cat pays more and renews. If money is tight, households on financial assistance, Blue CHAS cardholders and public rental tenants can apply for AVS’s Pet Cat Sterilisation Support programme, run with the Cat Welfare Society. Slots are limited, so apply early.

Two cat-keeping rules apply to every owner. AVS’s licensing requirements ask you to keep your cat safe at home, for example with mesh or grilles on windows so they cannot fall or roam. In public, your cat must be under physical control, such as in a harness or a carrier. Town-council rules on feeding and corridor clutter still apply, and being a considerate neighbour goes a long way.

A checklist before your cat comes home

• Count the cats already licensed to your flat. Two is the limit for new cats.
• Book microchipping with a vet. PALS needs the chip number before it can issue a licence.
• If this is your first cat or dog licence, set aside time for AVS’s free online Pet Ownership Course.
• For the lifetime licence, ask your vet for a sterilisation certificate.
• Fit mesh on the windows and gate before your cat arrives. It is a licensing condition, and it keeps them safe.