Civet cat greets Stomper on his way home outside Redhill MRT station

It's always nice to put your phones away and take in your surroundings from time to time.

Just ask Stomper Loh, who was walking home when he crossed paths with a civet cat outside Redhill MRT station on Sunday (Sept 10), at about 10.54pm.

Loh shared photos of the lone animal and said: "I thought it was a cat but it turned out to be a civet cat. It ran up the tree after it saw me.

"I have seen a family of three in the same area before, but they were fast enough to run before I could get a photo of them.

"What a rare sighting."

Despite their name, civet cats are more closely related to mongooses than they are to cats. They are easily identified by their long tail and the black 'mask' across their face.

Civet cats are nocturnal by nature and like to stay in trees and high places. They can be found residing in forests, parks, mangroves and even the roofs of buildings in urban areas.

Members of the public are advised to stay calm when encountering civet cats, which are shy by nature, and to leave them alone.

More information about civet cats can be found on the National Park Boards (NParks) website.

View more photos in the gallery.