Four cats in the same road die after being struck down by a mystery illness (From Daily Echo)
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Four cats in the same road die after being struck down by a mystery illness
7:10am Thursday 6th November 2008 in
-
- By Corey Stephenson » Senior News and Video Reporter
IT is a mystery that has devastated animal lovers in a Southampton street.
Pet owners fear their cats are being deliberately poisoned after four in the same road died within days of each other.
Now RSPCA inspectors are warning residents in the Shirley Warren and Coxford areas of the city to be on their guard after cats living in homes in Olive Road died suddenly after they ate or drank an unknown toxic substance.
Vets originally suspected the animals might have been poisoned by antifreeze, which is lethal for felines.
But a post-mortem on one of the pets showed no signs of the substance, used in car radiators.
None of the cats had been injured or was suffering from an infection prior to their death.
Neighbours in the road now fear their other pets may be at risk.
Barbara Holloway and her family were shattered when she lost two cats within three days.
Devastated “It was really upsetting and my grandchildren were devastated.”
Barbara’s first cat, Nemo, was found ill and lying awkwardly in the garden.
“She was cold and couldn’t walk. It was awful because she was in so much pain,” she said.
Second cat, Boo, was found a few days later in the neighbour’s garden. The pet was was taken to the vet but died the next morning.
Sue Hiscock, a vet at Christopher Carter Veterinary Surgery in Shirley, was asked to carry out a post-mortem.
She said: “I can’t rule out whether the cat was poisoned deliberately because we just don’t know. There were no injuries or signs of infection, which makes it very suspicious.”
Barbara’s neighbour, Tammy Pagget, also lost two cats in the same week.
“It’s terrible that someone out there might be doing this,” she said.
RSPCA inspector Chris Coleman said the case was very unusual and warned cat owners to be on their guard.
“It could be some sort of poison but we are baffled by it. We are urging cat owners to be vigilant,” she added.
The RSPCA can be contacted on 0300 1234 999.
Comments(18)
10 Minute Man
says...
10:24am Thu 6 Nov 08
1. they hunt and deter small garden birds
2. spray my garden with their foul scented urine
3. dig up flowerbeds when they hide their faeces that is laden with parasites and bacteria
4. yowl and clammer at night
5. scratch my fences as they climb around my property
6. are 'owned' by irresponsible fools who think the above is delightful and just something I should put up with. How about I send my kids around to do the same in your garden ?
...I wouldn't poison them, because (a) its unnecessarily cruel and painful way to die
(b) the owners will just buy new ones and the problems they bring will never go away.
southy
says...
11:17am Thu 6 Nov 08
StEmmosfire
says...
12:45pm Thu 6 Nov 08
Adrian Smith
says...
1:00pm Thu 6 Nov 08
CatWoman
says...
1:03pm Thu 6 Nov 08
Eve
says...
1:16pm Thu 6 Nov 08
10minute man, did u not realise how astute cats are, they tend to do 'damage' etc to those they know are uncaring people, maybe treat them nicely and they wont cause u any problems! its pretty easy to be nice to a cat.
I really feel for these families, i would most def be heartbroken if anything happened to mine, i hope whatever is causing this is found ASAP!
southy
says...
1:53pm Thu 6 Nov 08
if you know about cats they will mark there boundry by spraying or leaving droppings in set places,and using the eye glan for other types of markers, a female cat (queen) will spray when its on heat to let the male cats (tom)know that she is in season,has the boundry is bigger than a normal size garden its other people that has to suffer the smell and the noise.
CatWoman
says...
1:58pm Thu 6 Nov 08
southy
says...
2:16pm Thu 6 Nov 08
hulla baloo
says...
2:16pm Thu 6 Nov 08
CatWoman wrote:So I assume you sit and watch your cats all the time, to make sure they did not wander off into somebody elses garden.
Yes my cats do go outside (2 of them), they are males and have both been neutered. I have never heard/had any complaints about my cats so I think it's about time to get real. Cats are here to stay, as are people, dogs and other animals, so get over it!
timjim
says...
2:43pm Thu 6 Nov 08
Bright Spark
says...
2:58pm Thu 6 Nov 08
southy
says...
3:59pm Thu 6 Nov 08
Adrian Smith
says...
4:49pm Thu 6 Nov 08
southy wrote:I wasn't aware that was the case. Do you know which law allows this?
heres and intresting thing,did you know if your pet leaves your garden and enters some one else garden then the owner can leagley kill that animal while it on there grounds its class has a pest,food for thought pet owners
Earlier this week there were some guidelines published by the Machine about how we should treat our pets.
This rather silly initiative includes:-
"You should ensure that your cat has enough mental stimulation from you and from its environment to avoid boredom and frustration.
It is your responsibility to provide opportunities for your cat to satisfy all of its behavioural needs, such as play and companionship."
The fines and possible criminal action, seem to exceed those for harming a fellow human in many cases.
Source: 2006 Animal Welfare Act
MonkeyMadness
says...
6:18pm Thu 6 Nov 08
southy
says...
12:56am Fri 7 Nov 08
it came about in or about 1986.when a member of the house of lords lost some of his prize breeding sheep to a dog attack.on his land,the then tory government,removed licences on pets and gave the right to the land owner to shot and kill any animal that cause or might be able to cause damage to any stock that the land owner have.its was mainly aim at dogs because people was letting roam about on farm land, but the way its worded it covers any body who dont keep there pets under controll and allows them to wonder on to other people property and you have to make it a clean kill your not allowed to let the animal suffer.it was the same time when the government brought in the dangerous animal licence act
Family Man
says...
9:37am Fri 7 Nov 08
If domestic animals such as livestock stray on to land owned by another person, the owner of the animal is liable for any damage that might have been caused by the livestock and for any expenses that might have been incurred while the trespassing animals were on the land. However, an owner who was not negligent will not be liable where the animals lawfully on a highway strayed from there on to someone’s land. Since the landowner could have prevented this by ensuring that their land was fenced, the courts will not entertain a claim against a keeper for such an involuntary trespass.
If a wild animal such as a wild rabbit passes from someone’s land to the neighbours and causes damage, it is not possible to sue anybody for this damage, because wild animals cannot be owned. The aggrieved landowner has a right to kill them or capture them. An owner will only be liable if they bring on to this land a larger quantity of game or wild animals than their land can naturally support. This liability arises because the law states that one must use one’s property in such a way as to not injure that of another.
If animals belonging to another strays on to your land, you may not only have a right against the owner for damage caused, but you also have an immediate right to detain the livestock provided it is not under anyone’s control at the time. This right to detain is linked with a right to sell. If you do detain the livestock, you must treat it with reasonable care and with an adequate supply of food and water otherwise you will be liable for any injury you have caused them.
This right to detain ceases under the following conditions:
At the end of 48 hours ( unless a notice of detention has been given to the police or to the owner), or when the owner has paid to satisfy a claim for damage cause by the livestock and any expenses incurred in keeping the livestock when a court orders the return of the livestock.
If after 14 days the owner has not paid the requested damages and no court action has been started for the return of the animals, you can sell the livestock and take the sum that is necessary to compensate yourself. Any excess should be sent to the person entitled to the possession of the livestock
southy
says...
11:37am Fri 7 Nov 08
thats an old law,thats still enforceable look for a law that came out in the mid 80',it came out at the same time has the dangerous animal act the 2 will be together it will cover animals like the big cats,spiders,reptile
s,ect
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Barbara Holloway of Coxford with her surviving cat Narla. Two of Barbara’s other cats have died from a mysterious poison.
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