A seven-month old cat was found ‘skinned’ in Carshalton on Wednesday evening, the RSPCA revealed today.
Warning: some of the details and photos in this piece are very graphic and may be distressing.
The animal charity has launched an investigation into what it described as an ‘extremely distressing discovery’.
Reggie, a black and white cat, was found on a green area in Thornton Road, Carshalton, with parts of its skin peeled off, and the RSPCA were contacted.
Inspector Emily Buckett said: “It’s absolutely horrifying. Reggie’s owners are obviously really upset and devastated by what’s happened.
“The finder sent us some very upsetting photos that showed what had happened. It’s not clear whether the cat was already dead when this occurred.
“Sadly, we are sometimes called to cats who have died, often as a result of being hit by a car, and then predated on by a wild animal. But we tend to find that in these cases that the head and internal organs are removed so it seems strange in this instance that just the fur had been peeled off.”
WARNING: Very graphic pictures follow if you scroll further down.
The news comes two years after Met Police concluded that the ‘Croydon cat killer’ was just a myth.
But whilst foxes and other scavenging wildfire were found to be to blame, Ms Buckett felt that in this case the circumstances were different, and more suspicious.
She said: “When I arrived and found the body, the tail – that had been intact in the photos – had gone. I suspect this may have been a wild animal though.
“While this could be a very sad case of an RTC and wildlife predation, the circumstances of the skinning seem unusual to me and I’d like to appeal for information.
“Anyone who might be able to help our enquiries into this skinned cat should contact our appeal line on 0300 123 8018.”
The RPSCA is also appealing for general support and monetary donations to help it deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, and you can find out more here.
