Is a serial poisoner on the loose after death of four cats?
THE deaths of four cats in one neighbourhood have sparked fears a serial pet poisoner is on the loose.
Danny and Laura Thirlwall's one-year-old cat Chewy had to be put down after eating a poisonous substance.
The couple, who live in Clare Street, Basford, are now worried for the safety of other cats after they learned three other felines living nearby had suffered the same fate.
Mr Thirlwall, aged 33, said: "On Thursday morning Chewy came in and I fed him as usual, and he was sick. The next day he had gone out again at night as normal and when he came in that morning he didn't eat, he seemed unsteady on his feet.
"He seemed very poorly so we took him to the vet. They took one look at him and said they wanted to keep him in, and put him on a drip.
"They kept him in over the weekend and he seemed to perk up so we brought him home on Sunday, but the next day he collapsed. It was like nothing on his body was working.
"We took him back to the vets and he had to be put down. His kidneys had failed."
The Thirwalls, who have a 13-month-old son William, were told it appeared Chewy had been poisoned. They were stunned to hear that three other cats from their neighbourhood had been put down after they were brought in with similar symptoms.
Mr Thirlwall, who works at the Sainsbury's distribution centre in Stoke, said: "The vet said there had been four cats from Clare Street and Victoria Street. I don't know whether someone has poisoned these cats on purpose or if someone has accidentally left a poisonous substance out.
"Even if it is someone being careless, I'm very angry about it.
"If it is deliberate it's extremely evil. The state it leaves the animals in is shocking to see.
"We have another two cats who are just six-months-old and we are not letting them go out. We want other people to be aware of the danger, it could still be happening to other cats."
The vet who treated the cats, who did not want to be identified, said: "We have had four young cats from the same area come in with similar symptoms.
"It was presumed they had consumed some form of toxic substance. They had neurological symptoms and acute kidney damage.
"I think the likelihood is someone has dumped something they had come into contact with, as it's rare to get a malicious poisoner."
Chewy's death brought extra heartache to the family, as it came only two months after another of their cats was run over by a car and killed.
Mrs Thirlwall, aged 23, a housewife, said: "It has been a double whammy for us, it's the second cat we are mourning.
"We only had Chewy in January and he didn't have a chance to live his life. He was one of the best cats we have ever had. He was as soft as anything and brilliant around our son. It was a real shame to lose him."
43 Comments
View all
by Ian, Meir Park
Monday, November 03 2008, 2:50PM
“Warren, can you not read as well as not being able to spell? If you read my posts correctly then you would see that it is not the cats that i hate but their sh.t. Are you too thick or stupid to understand this?”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Sunday, November 02 2008, 3:09PM
“Ian...Meir Park, you seem to have it in for cats. I have not got a cat and have never had one, they dont apeal to me at all, but it posion them, thats not on mate. All you have to do is to pick the mess up, at will not take more then a second out of your day, for christ sake. As for me rewarding the cat, what the hell as it got to do with you. Its called freedom of speech mate, you say 'I' am sick of the local cats pooing on my lawn', and I say ' what the hell, they can't help it, and I somehow like haveing them around.' Anyway, I'v got a a nice bit of kipper hear, its free to the first cat to poo on my flower beds.”
by Ian, Meir Park
Sunday, November 02 2008, 6:58AM
“Glad to see that Warren has eventually found his way here and once again hasn't thought about what he is saying or how to spell what he is saying. Warren, all you doing is rewarding the cat for sh....ng on your lawn. I bet it loves you. How do you have the nerve to say we are a sick set of fools that need to be locked up? I don't hurt cats, i am annoyed that they make a mess, however i can see why people take this course of action but would never condone it. You should think about your comments before you post them as you know nothing about the people posting and i woud guess that most people posting on here have actually been to school and think about what they are trying to say before posting on here. You should be the one locked up.”
by Warren, A lover of all animals, Stoke on Trent
Friday, October 31 2008, 8:36PM
“Some of you lot need locking up, you sick set of fools. I sometimes find cat poo in my garden, know what I do, pick it and if i see the cat, I give him a bit of fish, want to know why, becouse the cat dont know its doing anything bad, its just haveing a poo. Some of you posting hear need to take a long hard look at what you are saying.”
by debbie CAT LOVER NOT A CAT HATER, Chell Heath
Friday, October 31 2008, 6:12PM
“A MAJORITY OF YOU LOT COMMENTING ON THIS STORY NEED TO GROW UP AND GET A LIFE”
by debbie cat lover, Chell Heath
Friday, October 31 2008, 6:05PM
“Well Said Sophie, Stoke i totally agree with you. 3 year old children have got more sense than some of these who are commenting on this story”
by Ian, Meir Park
Friday, October 31 2008, 5:36PM
“The moral of the story is:- keep your cats in at night, litter train them, they won't upset people by messing everywhere and they will be there when you get up in a morning. SIMPLE”
by Sophie, Stoke
Friday, October 31 2008, 5:15PM
“My goodness. You lot have made me ashamed to be a Stokie. What a lot of bickering children you are. People are genuinely grieving and this is how you respond. Have a bit of respect and comment constructively.”
by David, Stoke
Friday, October 31 2008, 4:58PM
“D Meir
Your attitude to other people who have a genuine grievance, that is that cats belonging to people like you do cause a problem is the issue.
You're attitude is that it is their problem not the cats or the cat owners, because the cats are just doing what is natural.
Thats where you're selfish, anti-social and arrogant. How on earth can it be percieved to be th eproblem of the poor recipient of the pile of S**T?
I do know that if allowed my dog to do to your garden what your cat is unquestionably doing to other peoples there would be outrage and rightly so.
You (and by that I mean the plural i.e cat owners) should face up to your responsibilities to both your animals and other people.”
by Ian, Meir Park
Friday, October 31 2008, 4:54PM
“D, I must remember to take my rabbit to the front of the house so the cat can see him while he is crapping on my front lawn!!”