SOUTH LONDON – Pet owners and cat lovers throughout England are being warned to stay on high alert after the so-called Croydon Cat Killer appeared to strike in another city.
A string of slaughters in the south London area have all been linked to a single killer – and police believe the same sick loser may have targeted another beloved kitten as far away as Birmingham.
The decapitated, tailless body of 11-month-old Betsy was discovered on the side of the road in the Erdington area on June 17, which is more than 100 miles from where the killer has previously operated.
Posting to Facebook, London-based South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL) has confirmed that having seen the body, they now believe Betsy’s death was the work of the Croydon Cat Killer.
Her body was released to the Metropolitan Police for examination as part of Operation Takahe, they went on to say.
“Betsy was a very lively and happy cat who was only 11 months old when she was taken from her family so cruelly. Betsy had lots of likes, mainly attacking things – namely feet, the dog and leaves that fell in the garden.
‘She loved food especially crisps, poppadoms and prawn crackers.
‘She was just coming into her first summer and was starting to love the garden and the sun. She only had a short life, but it was one where she was so loved. She will be so terribly missed by the entire family. Even those mornings where she used to wake her humans up at 5 for her breakfast.
‘Betsy’s body will be going for forensic examination…and once we have that report we will know for sure whether she is a victim of the same person who has killed the other cats.
‘However having now seen her body we would be very surprised if this is not the case.”
The Croydon Cat Killer has been blamed for the deaths of more than 100 cats, almost all of whom have been found with their heads and tails missing over the past two years.
Among them was British blue cat Leo, who was killed earlier this month, prompting a plea from Greater London Assembly members for information about the person behind the killings.
Boudicca Rising, of SNARL, said the organisation believes there may be more historical cases across the country.
“We’ve got historical cases that would indicate that there are links to a much wider area than we originally thought.
‘There are historical cases from Liverpool, Sittingbourne in Kent, Bristol and Reading but with historical cases we just don’t have the bodies,” said Boudicca Rising or Snarl.
