‘Cat killer’ believed to have struck in Hackney as mutilated kitten found without head or tail
A file image of a grey and white kitten. Picture: Clemens V Vogelsang/Flickr/Creative Commons licence CC BY 2.0 - Credit: Archant
The so-called “M25 cat killer” is feared to have struck in Hackney after a kitten’s body was discovered missing her head and tail this morning.
The victim – a grey and white feline aged five or six months old – was discovered in a car park in Upper Clapton at 9am.
Her tail and head have not been found. She was not micro-chipped so her owners have not yet been identified.
Boudicca Rising, co-founder of the South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL) charity that has been tracking the activities of the “cat killer”, believes the animal was killed deliberately by a human, rather than being maimed by a fox or other predator.
SNARL is working with the RSPCA and Metropolitan Police on Operation Takahe as they continue to hunt for the killer.
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He or she is believed to have attacked at least 40 animals since February, but SNARL – which was called out to pick up the body this morning – claims the figure could be closer to 100.
“She was decapitated with her tail removed,” Boudicca Rising told the Gazette.
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“He does a range of mutilations but decap and detail is pretty much standard for him.
“So far all the evidence points to one person. If there were several killers when the bodies have a post-mortem they would show different things, but they are showing the same weapon.”
She continued: “We have had over 40 of these cases. The vets are highly trained and they agree in the main that it looks like one person.
“They have obviously got some issues. It’s disgraceful.
“Most of these attacks are happening at night so we are advising people to keep their pets indoors.”
A spokeswoman for the Met said police cannot be certain the cases are linked until a post-mortem is carried out.
“I don’t know if a post-mortem will be done,” she added.
“They cost money. They stopped doing them at around 22 in the last year, although there have been more than 40 confirmed cases.”
The suspect was initially dubbed the “Croydon cat killer” due to a spate of incidents in that area.
But cases have been found across London and as far afield as Northampstonshire and St Albans.
Anyone who finds a cat’s mutilated body or head is asked to call SNARL on 07961 030 064 or the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
