Someone poisoned my kitty!

[poohandwendy]

Oh I agree but I'm just trying to say she was well within her rights to have the cat out....therefore she did nothing wrong.

Yep, ITA (I was just saying that even if the cat shouldn't have been out, that doesn't give someone the right to harm it in any way)

...what gets me about this story is that it seems to be a person who doesn't just have an issue with roaming animals in their neighborhood, it seems more like someone who takes pleasure in torture...that is truly scary.

 

[MosMom]

Definitely! I wouldn't be letting my kids roam either or going out alone. I would be terribly freaked out. The laying the animals out in certain positions and stuff just screams killer to me. It is really disturbing.

Edited to add: Of course he (most likely) already is a killer but I mean of people as well. Gives me the heebie jeebies.

 

[poohandwendy]

The laying the animals out in certain positions and stuff just screams killer to me.

I know, that freaks me out. It is well documented that many serial killers first victims are animals...

I really hope they get to the bottom of this soon.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Yes -- I believe that animal owners bears responsibility for what happens to their animal if they allow it to wander freely. I am an animal lover, but I also realize that I bear responsibility for my pet. Would I kill or hurt an animal that fouled my yard? No -- but I can understand that some people would get so fed up with roving cats using their yard, children's sand box, flower garden as a litterbox that they might set out some sort of deterrent and somebody might decide that deterrent is rat poison. I can also envision a situation in which the OPs cat was poisoned by accident by a neighbour who set rat poison out to legitimately poison rats or other rodents and upon discovering the dead cat placed it on the OP's doorstep without admitting responsibility. The possibilities are endless -- while most posts on this thread have immediately accepted that this must be the work of an animal mutilator.

While it is true that one cannot fence a cat as one might be able to fence a dog, cats can be trained to walk on leashes and be clipped to ropes in yards. One cat my family had while I was growing up was also the mascot of the elementary school where my mother taught. Tigger assisted the students in learning about caring for others and spent every recess and lunch hour outside in the playground with the students tied to a long rope with a harness. Tigger became so accustomed to being on the rope while outside that she would refuse to go anywhere unless she were tied up, even while home from school on weekends. Even after she "retired" as mascot (largely due to the retirement of the school custodian who cared for her at night in the school and the installation of motion detector burglar alarms) Tigger moved to our home permanently. She never went outside without her rope.

 

[Serena]

Originally posted by RoyalCanadian
The possibilities are endless -- while most posts on this thread have immediately accepted that this must be the work of an animal mutilator.

9 cats and one dog all killed in the same or similar way in the last week, and you don't think someone is killing their pets?

 

[MosMom]

while most posts on this thread have immediately accepted that this must be the work of an animal mutilator.

We're talking someone who not only uses poison but MUTILATES them with a knife. Then carefully positions the animals in poses on the front steps. Yes, I can say this person is an animal mutilator. That behavior is not normal.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

The cats killed with the serrated knife -- animal killer, yes.
The dog poisoned in the dog run -- animal killer, yes.

The four cats poisoned while at large -- there is probably no way that anyone can prove these unfortunate animals were deliberately killed.

It is not illegal to purchase rat poison. In Canada rat poison comes in a very edible form -- grain laced with warfarin or other blood thinners. The OP has already admitted that one of the reasons they got their cat was to control the mice and rat problem due to the nearby canal. It is entirely possible that someone has placed rat poison in their yard as their own way of controlling the problem.

It never would have happened if the cat had been kept indoors. No -- not illegal to allow the cat to roam free; but it certainly isn't in the best interest of any pet's health to allow it to roam free.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by MosMom
We're talking someone who not only uses poison but MUTILATES them with a knife. Then carefully positions the animals in poses on the front steps. Yes, I can say this person is an animal mutilator. That behavior is not normal.

You're correct - animal mutilation, torture and the killing of pets is abnormal and anti-social behaviour that has been found to be a fairly common denominator in the history of those who have committed similar acts upon humans.

From what I have read -- 4 of the animals died from poison. There is no indication that the animals that were mutilated with a serrated knife were poisoned. It seems that 2 animals were "positioned" -- the OP's cat on their front doorstep and the dog in the dog run.

There is still nothing to prove that the OP's cat was deliberately poisoned.

Again -- it would not have happened if the cat had been kept indoors. I simply can't understand the mentality that excuses the inherent responsibility of a pet owner if something happens to their pet. There was a "Letter to the Editor" in a recent edition of our community newspaper from a young girl criticizing the city bylaw that prohibits cats in our town from roaming wild and imposing a fine upon the owners of cats caught doing so. The young girl was also criticizing the animal shelter for making her pay for the care they provided this animal while it was in the shelter. She couldn't afford to pay the fine or the care cost -- and the care cost kept going up each day. She thought this was incredibly wrong. She couldn't understand that she was responsible for the actions of the cat -- yet she attempted to justify it all by claiming that she decided after the cat went missing the first time that her cat was an outdoors cat.

 

[MosMom]

You are missing a big point here. The cat gets into poison that someone put out...fine. How did the animal get put into position on a doorstep? Please. This isn't a cat getting into poison on its own. There is a pattern to the way these animals end up back home. I also never said that the mutilated animals were also poisoned. I said that poison wasn't the only way they are being killed.

 

[poohandwendy]

but I can understand that some people would get so fed up with roving cats using their yard, children's sand box, flower garden as a litterbox that they might set out some sort of deterrent and somebody might decide that deterrent is rat poison.

Oh for petes sake, killing 10 animals in a week is not someone just mad about animals pooping in their yard. Some of the animals were mutilated and left at the doorstep of the owners. The dog was on a run for goodness sakes. This is the work of a sick individual. It is also illegal. Rat poison is NOT meant to be put out for domestic animals. It is meant to be used with caution so that pets and CHILDREN do not come in contact with it.

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

I'm very sorry about your cat. The whole situation is VERY disturbing. I just don't understand how people do things like that.

 

[poohandwendy]

The cats killed with the serrated knife -- animal killer, yes.
The dog poisoned in the dog run -- animal killer, yes.

The four cats poisoned while at large -- there is probably no way that anyone can prove these unfortunate animals were deliberately killed.

Um, yeah...right. I am sure it is just one big strange coincidence...



the fact is that there IS an animal killer in Heidis neighborhood and her cat just happened to be found dead, on her front porch, with it's head positioned IN A BOX OF RAT poisoning (just like another pet that WAS on a lead in it's own yard). I dunno....doesn't take a rocket scientist to add up this equation...

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by poohandwendy
Oh for petes sake, killing 10 animals in a week is not someone just mad about animals pooping in their yard. Some of the animals were mutilated and left at the doorstep of the owners. The dog was on a run for goodness sakes. This is the work of a sick individual. It is also illegal. Rat poison is NOT meant to be put out for domestic animals. It is meant to be used with caution so that pets and CHILDREN do not come in contact with it.

I believe I have read and re-read each one of the OP's posts in this thread. There is nothing in any of their posts that suggests that any of the animals that were killed with a knife were positioned on the doorstep of the owners. From what I have read, the only animal left on the owner's doorstep was the OP's cat. It sounded like the black Labrador was found dead in its dog run and not on a doorstep. I can only imagine what an awful find those discoveries must have been.

I can only make my conclusions based on the information from the OP -- I don't know where the information about all the "positioning" is coming from.

 

[poohandwendy]

Am I am basing my conclusions on this:

Animal Control has now distributed a flyer door to door in our subdivision about the situation and that we are to report anything suspicious! Officers are stepping up patrol of our neighborhood as well!!!

I don't think animal control would be going to such lengths if they did not believe these animals were deliberately killed.

There is nothing in any of their posts that suggests that any of the animals that were killed with a knife were positioned on the doorstep of the owners.

what difference does that make? 10 animals poisoned or mutilated in one subdivision in 5 days is definitely cause to be alarmed that a sicko is at large.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by poohandwendy
what difference does that make? 10 animals poisoned or mutilated in one subdivision in 5 days is definitely cause to be alarmed that a sicko is at large.

Yes -- 10 animals poisoned or mutilated in one community is cause for concern, and I would be concerned and keep my animal inside where it is safe because that is the responsibility I bear for my pet.

And just because you asked so nicely -- the difference is this -- many posters have made suggestions on this thread that animals were poisoned mutilated and placed on the doorsteps of the owners. My claim is -- one animal was poisoned and placed on its owner's doorstep. One animal was poisoned in its dog run and found with its head in a similar position -- eating poison. Unless you have some secret source of info -- the OP said nothing about the ritualistic placement or positioning of other animals. Posters on this thread have been jumping to conclusions without considering the facts.

 

[poohandwendy]

And just because you asked so nicely -- the difference is this -- many posters have made suggestions on this thread that animals were poisoned mutilated and placed on the doorsteps of the owners. My claim is -- one animal was poisoned and placed on its owner's doorstep. One animal was poisoned in its dog run and found with its head in a similar position -- eating poison. Unless you have some secret source of info -- the OP said nothing about the ritualistic placement or positioning of other animals. Posters on this thread have been jumping to conclusions without considering the facts.

Oh, ok, I wasn't getting your point. No, we don't know that all animals were killed in the same manner. In my opinion, it doesn't even matter. They are all dead and not by natural causes. And I actually wasn't even thinking along the 'ritualistic' lines, to be honest.

I was thinking more along the lines that someone is killing animals, alot of animals in a short period of time in one neighborhood. This suggests one or more killers working together for some common purpose.

The fact that ANY of the animals were positioned in any way or left at the doorstep of the owners is disturbing and does not suggest a person who is just getting rid of a nuisance problem. It suggests a person who is enjoying taunting people in a horrible way. Also, I cannot believe it is coincidental that a dog ( in it's own yard on a leash) was killed and positioned in a similar manner as the Op's loose cat. That sort of also blows a hole in the 'deterring nuisance animals' theory.

Also, my cats are indoor cats, but it is NOT at all unsual for cats to be unleashed outdoors. I've known many, many people with oudoor cats. As a matter of fact, it is quite unusual to see a cat with a leash on, in my experience. I totally agree it is safer for all pets to be kept indoors, that is why mine are. But, I can't blame the OP for thinking that her cat would be safe from being MURDERED when the cat went outside.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Yes -- the killing of the dog in its own yard is certainly a whole lot more than the deterrent of a nuisance. It is nothing less than the unwarranted killing of an animal. Here was a dog that didn't annoy the neighbours -- didn't foul their yards -- it was killed in its own run -- something designed to keep it safe. That's the truly sad part.

 

[Laura]

Originally posted by RoyalCanadian
Yes -- the killing of the dog in its own yard is certainly a whole lot more than the deterrent of a nuisance. It is nothing less than the unwarranted killing of an animal. Here was a dog that didn't annoy the neighbours -- didn't foul their yards -- it was killed in its own run -- something designed to keep it safe. That's the truly sad part.

Yes, that and the fact that the dog was positioned in the same way as hydster's cat makes me think that there's a sicko at work here and not a nasty neighbor annoyed by roaming cats.

 

[momof2inPA]

Has your newspaper done a story on these pet killings? This would definitely make our local newspaper and probably the news. It's shocking.

Don't you have some inkling who it could be? Someone a little off? Maybe a hunter (because of the knife thing)?

 

[Pop Daddy]

Im so sorry