Sometime in April, Fatimah (not her real name) contacted her friends to find out if they had any cat to spare.

The private-sector clerk, who is in her late 30s and has a young child, even “advertised” for a cat on Facebook.

Fatimah, who has never kept a pet prior to that, was apparently in search of a feline companion to keep her and her family occupied during the movement control order (MCO)...