Is an anti-freeze cat killer stalking Gloucester?
COULD a cat killer be on the loose in Gloucester?
Owners are terrified that more cats may die after seven were killed by anti-freeze in the Linden area.
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DEVASTATED: Donna Robertson, 41, with a picture of her cat Chivers, who died of poisoning, possibly by anti-freeze.
While mystery surrounds how they came to drink the lethal substance, all seven cats showed similar symptoms of fitting and kidney failure.
Police are refusing to rule out foul play and vets said while the deaths might be accidental, there could be something more sinister happening.
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Three of the poisoned cats belonged to Cecil Road resident Donna Robertson, 41, who first noticed the symptoms on Saturday. She took them to Stephen Crickmore Veterinary Practice where Chivers, five, was put down the same day. Two days later, Toulouse, two, followed.
"It is devastating," said Donna, whose third cat Butler, also two, is now on the mend.
"It all happened so quickly and it doesn't seem real that they are not around anymore.
"I thought it was just my cats affected at first but I knocked on my neighbour's door and she was in floods of tears because the same thing had happened to her cats Archie and Flintoff."
Chris and Bethany James, of Granville Road, lost four-year-old Charlie the cat on October 31.
Bethany said: "It was a total shock to us to see him so ill as he was the happiest, liveliest cat. We are frightened to let our other two cats outside because we don't know where the poison came from."
Vet Stephen Crickmore admitted his first thought was that someone may have killed the cats on purpose. "It does happen," he said.
"Equally it may have been that somebody drained anti-freeze from their car and forgot to clear it away. It only takes a dose as small as a teaspoon to kill a cat."
Another victim was Lucky, who was taken in as a stray by Lauren Redding when she moved into Granville Road last year. She found him dead in an alleyway outside her home.
"Lucky had just started to trust us and settle down. All the neighbours knew him."
Gloucestershire Constabulary said the matter was being investigated by the RSPCA.
A spokesman said: "A PCSO has made reassurance patrols as residents are understandably upset and worried."
Comments
by ghiabelinda
Monday, November 19 2012, 1:24PM
“mazfletcher51. i feel for you losing 3 cats, i lost one due to this and i dont live in linden, so makes me wonder if it is deliberate. i have 3 cats at the moment and wont let the oldest or the youngest out, the other one does not go out of the garden so i think he is safe. karma will kick his butt i am sure, hope it does”
by Dr_Hfrrrrr
Monday, November 19 2012, 1:11PM
“Hmmmm. Maybe it was left out by someone who didn't like living near someone who had loads of cats that were constantly ****ting in their garden...?”
by Lord_Gaga_
Monday, November 19 2012, 8:58AM
“fair play, what some loonies!”
by zakkevan
Sunday, November 18 2012, 6:10PM
“we lost a cat to this in January of this year and it is the most horrific thing to watch a beloved pet go through,if someone is doing this on purpose they need to have it done to them as they are worthless,I know not everyone likes cats but they are peoples pets who are loved by their owners and its devastating.We are also in the Linden area.”
by mazfletcher51
Saturday, November 17 2012, 1:05AM
“First i noticed my nala was walking like she was drunk on july 6th she was only 14 months old so took her to vets said they keep her in ect i came home and as i walked thru door i saw her brother Tchoyi acting the same he was also only 14 months so straight back up vets he said he would do tests to see what it was he phoned me late that night saying it was ANTI FREEZE and that Nala wasnt going to make it but tchoyi was fighting for life i went up and held Nala in my arms whilst the vet put her to sleep, came home for the night hoping that Tchoyi would make it but when my hubby got up for work at 5.30 on the saturday morning my little Zorah who was only 10 months old had the symptons to so up the vets again to be told that Tchoyi ND zORAH would have to be P T S my worst day ever losing 3 of my beautiful babies to one mean old neighbour and im still waiting for karma to come kick his butt”
by mazfletcher51
Saturday, November 17 2012, 12:55AM
“Marianne Fletcher this brings tears to my eye s i only have to see the word anti freeze and i cry i had 3 of my babies poisoned by this in july and it was on purpose and i know who done it but didnt have enough proof or eveidence so he got away with it. i had to see them go thru a horrible time it made me build a special house for them so i know they are safe at night its called clipse's palace after my 4th cat was killed by a dog also in july so i lost 4 babies this yr it breaks my heart, i now have 15 beautiful waifes and strays cats and kittens that i have rescued taken in as they been abandoned.They are safe at night but mine were poisoned in day time so im scared for my kitties now and im always walking the streets to make sure they are safe x”
by zalapompadoo
Friday, November 16 2012, 6:44PM
“maybe, however there has been attacks like this in other towns and there are some very nasty people around i am very sorry for anyone who lost a cat it is horraible.”
by GlosYap2
Friday, November 16 2012, 9:01AM
“I don't believe theres a deliberate poisoning going on here. Given the spread of the deaths and the roaming range of the animals concerned wouldn't be surprised if a (probably non-pet owning) neighbour of the grieving owners has got a leaking container of anti-freeze in an improperly secured storage unit (garage/shed). Now the information is public it is possible that that person may check and clean up a spill but given the tone of the article it is unlikely they will come forward for fear of being labelled as "The Linden Cat-killer"!”