After a string of “up to 13” cat poisonings in a community in north Wales, desperate pet owners are turning to the public for assistance in their hunt to find a mysterious cat murderer.
When Leanne Shaw, 34, learned that her three-year-old cat Binx had suddenly passed away, she appealed for more information.
But she now claims that there have been up to 13 unexpected fatalities in a “very tiny region of Flint” in north Wales, after being contacted by other cat owners nearby.
Ms. Shaw was surprised to see her cherished cat in agony laying next to a walkway. She immediately hurried him to the veterinarian, but it was to no effect.
After Binx began experiencing convulsions and scratching her, she recounted seeing him “moving like a zombie cat.”
The cat died from antifreeze toxicity, which Ms. Shaw is cautioning people about, according to a post-mortem.
After seeing the cat in “severe agony,” her two children, ages eight and five, were devastated.
She initially had suspicions when two more cats in the neighborhood passed away unexpectedly.
The mother of two said, “We thought it a little weird that two cats died from the same thing.”
Even if one cat’s death may have been accidental, the fact that two cats died from the same cause a month apart made us all stop and consider.
I phoned all three of my cats for their tea since I was worried about them, but only two of them returned that evening. I have three cats.
When Ms. Shaw heard a meow coming from a nearby walkway, she started looking for her cat.
Near the top of the path, I heard him scream and yelled his name. The meow was horrific and agonizing, and I knew right once that it was him and he wasn’t alright, she said.
He was lying on his side, covered in leaves, mud, and sticks, with his fur dripping wet as I worked my way through the thorns and nettles.
He had chemical burns to his lips, was suffering convulsions, and had sporadic episodes of what can only be characterized as hallucinations while I carried him home. He also sounded like he was in excruciating agony.
He would stare at me with his eyes wide open, his claws sticking out, and a horrified expression on his face. Despite his best efforts to kick his legs, they were not moving in unison at all.
It was horrible to watch him so afraid yet moving like a zombie cat before falling back down, the owner said. “I had to put him on the floor at one point as he clawed me.”
According to Ms. Shaw, “at least five individuals” who had cats that had also been poisoned by antifreeze nearby have privately messaged her.
In addition to individuals who left comments on her article, 13 cats in this little section of Flint have perished from antifreeze, she said.
“Please keep your pets safe. Feed them on a schedule so that they are aware of when and where their food is coming from. Keep fresh water out and replenish it so that they are aware of where they may securely drink.
Anyone in the neighborhood who has any concerns about who it could be should contact the RSPCA and report it; they will look into it and it’s completely private. “If you observe any suspicious conduct from anyone surrounding this, report it even if it turns out to be harmless.”
According to a spokeswoman for North Wales Police, “We received a complaint that a cat is suspected of having been poisoned on Coed Onn Road, Flint, at about 11 p.m. on Thursday, September 22.
Officers are investigating the claims, and they are requesting that anybody with information that might help them with their inquiries call them at (911) 101.
A representative for the RSPCA stated, “These are very sad and heartbreaking situations. We send our condolences to the families of the cats who have passed away and advise pet owners in the neighborhood to be watchful.
We would like to advise everyone in the neighborhood to examine where they store their pesticides and chemicals and make sure they are secure and out of the way while we determine if these instances were accidental or intentional.