Hunt for cat killer as 20 are feared poisoned in village
‘It could have been fly-tippers’
A CAT poisoner has been blamed for the deaths of up to 20 cats in one village.
Police are investigating eight suspected poisonings in the last week alone in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire.
Resident Heather James lost her nine- year- old cat Socs after he was poisoned with anti-freeze last week.
The dental receptionist, 37, said: ‘I’m very, very angry. I can’t believe that there is someone in our community who could go out and poison an animal.
‘It’s such a nice community, so for someone to do this is just devastating.’
The RSPCA called it a ‘scary and troubling’ campaign and confirmed that three cats have died of poisoning in the last ten days – while another 16 are missing.
Katina Andreou believes her cat Mr Mistoffelees was also poisoned. He disappeared on June 16 but his body wasn’t discovered until almost two weeks later.
By then the two-year- old pet was so badly decomposed that vets were unable to say how he died.
Miss Andreou, a music teacher, said: ‘The vet said there was evidence that he had been sick before he died and there was no evidence of trauma, so he hadn’t been hit by a car. He was a healthy two-year-old cat, people can conclude what they will.’
The 38-year- old realised it could be a wider problem after writing about her missing cat on a community Facebook page.
She added: ‘ These poisoning incidents, and the missing cats, are all from properties within a ten- minute walking radius.’
‘There could be an innocent explanation. I like to have a little faith in humanity, so I’m hoping it is something that has been fly-tipped that the cats are licking, but we just don’t know.’
Helen Jenkins’ cat Moo Moo had a lucky escape after being poisoned over the weekend.
She rushed him to the vets in time to be treated after seeing posts about other local cats on social media.
‘ If I hadn’t read them I wouldn’t have reacted so fast,’ the 47-year-old graphic designer said.
She added: ‘ I hope the source of the anti-freeze poisoning is found soon.’
Sergeant Delme Jones, of Dyfed-Powys police, said: ‘We know that these cats are being taken to the vets with symptoms consistent with ethylene glycol poisoning, which is commonly found in anti- freeze, screen wash, brake fluid, ink and in some solar panels.
‘We are working to find out the cause of these deaths as quickly as possible to prevent further suffering.’
RSPCA inspector Holly Brown said: ‘ It isn’t clear whether these poisonings were deliberate, or a tragic accident, but we are deeply saddened to learn of the three cats who have recently died in Cilgerran.
‘If a poisoning is suspected, it’s important the owner remains calm, moves the animal away from any suspected source of poison and contacts a vet straight away.’