By Liu Xing, Guo Xiao Xi, and Dr. Mohd Salim Mohamed
They curl up beneath benches, nap outside cafeterias, and occasionally accompany students on their late-night walks back to their dormitories. On university campuses across Malaysia, stray cats have become familiar members of the campus community.
For many students, these animals offer companionship, comfort, and a welcome distraction from academic pressures. Yet as stray animal populations continue to grow, universities are increasingly facing a difficult challenge: how can they protect animal welfare while maintaining a safe, clean, and healthy learning environment?,
A recent case study conducted at Universiti Malaya (UM) highlights the complexities surrounding this issue. While many students enjoy the presence of stray cats on campus, concerns have also emerged regarding hygiene, safety, population control, and the long-term sustainability of informal feeding practices.
More than just cute faces
At many universities, stray animals are often viewed as part of campus life. Students frequently share photographs of cats on social media, leave food near lecture halls, and form emotional bonds with animals that have become familiar faces around campus.,
For international students and those living away from home, these interactions can provide a sense of comfort and belonging.
However, the growing number of stray animals has also created practical concerns. Complaints involving unpleasant odours, animal waste, allergies, and occasional aggressive behaviour have become increasingly common on some campuses.
The challenge is not whether people care about the animals. The challenge is how that care should be managed.
When compassion meets reality
Many students are deeply committed to helping stray animals. Some regularly purchase cat food, while others organise fundraising efforts to support veterinary treatment and sterilisation programmes.
One student involved in animal welfare activities described how fellow students raised funds to rescue an injured stray cat, arrange medical treatment, and eventually find the animal a permanent home.,
These stories reflect the compassion that exists within university communities. Yet students also acknowledge that goodwill alone cannot solve the issue.
Without designated feeding areas, food is often left in unsuitable locations, creating sanitation concerns and attracting pests. Meanwhile, differing attitudes towards animals can sometimes lead to tensions between students who enjoy their presence and those who do not.
As one student observed, “Many students are willing to help. With just a little support and guidance, our scattered kindness can become sustained help that benefits both the animals and the campus community.”,
The challenge of limited resources
Managing stray animal populations requires more than good intentions.
University staff interviewed in the case study pointed to limited manpower, funding constraints, and competing operational priorities as major obstacles. In many institutions, responses to stray animal issues remain largely complaint-driven rather than preventive.
Animal welfare organisations have advocated for humane approaches such as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programmes, which help control populations through sterilisation while allowing animals to remain in familiar environments.,
Such initiatives have gained support among students and animal welfare advocates, who argue that long-term solutions must focus on responsible population management rather than simply relocating animals.
A shared responsibility
The debate over stray animals is often framed as a conflict between people and animals. In reality, it is a question of coexistence.
Students want safe and hygienic campuses. They also want animals to be treated humanely. These goals are not mutually exclusive.,
Experts suggest that universities can achieve both by introducing designated feeding stations, strengthening partnerships with animal welfare organisations, educating students about responsible feeding practices, and developing clearer protocols for handling animal-related incidents.
Such measures can help transform informal acts of kindness into coordinated programmes that support both campus well-being and animal welfare.
Looking beyond the campus
The issue is not unique to any single institution. Universities across Malaysia and around the world face similar challenges as urban development increasingly overlaps with animal habitats.,
As higher education institutions strive to become more sustainable and inclusive, the management of stray animals presents an opportunity to demonstrate values such as compassion, responsibility, and community engagement.
The question is no longer whether stray animals belong on campus. Rather, it is whether universities can create systems that allow both people and animals to coexist safely and responsibly.
The answer may ultimately depend on the willingness of institutions, students, and the wider community to work together in transforming compassion into sustainable action.
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The authors are from the Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya.
