A third cat (not mine) found poisoned

Something very strange is going on here. I went to talk with my neighbour whose field runs with mine, to discuss the fencing before my ponies arrive, and he wondered why I hadn't removed 'my' dead cat from the field, as he had heard I had lost one. Anyway it turned out there is a third cat, a black and white, dead in the hamlet in the last two weeks, and its body is lying in tall grass on the edge of my field. These neighbours have been here for 10 years and they have never heard of anything like this, even though they say that everyone has always put down rodent poison and there have always been ferals around. They think something else is going on, though no one has seen any strangers around. It is a horrible nightmare, and until it is solved, my four survivors are staying strictly indoors. I haven't seen my barn kittens for at least a week, and I only hope nothing has happened to them.

Have you thought about calling the police in your area? This sounds really fishy to me.

I am so sorry that this is happening to you. All of these kitties are in my thoughts and prayers.

Oh Jenny! This is so sad! I hope they find out what is going on and I hope your barn kitties are safe! Good idea keeping your other babies in.

Is there an SPCA or humane society in your area? I don't know if calling the police will help but this does sound very, very strange. I know it should be reported but I just don't know to whom!

Be strong Jenny - sending you positive energy!

Oh how terrible and worrying for you all - it´s all very strange - especially as your neighbour mentions that they have never known this before, even with poison being put down
Is it possible for you and some of the neighbours to go to the police collectively (and maybe with a rep from the local animal assoc) ? I know it can be hard, some people would say well they are ferals, they are pests, cats etc..etc... But, this could also be danger to other animals, that might make them think - horses & cattle etc ?? Of course, whilst I dont known your area and what sort of poison, surely it should be a worry to the authorities. What about children, surely that would make the authorities think about doing something

Oh I do hope you & your neighbours manage to sort this.
Heres sending positive {{{{{vibes}}}}} for a solution

I am not sure if it would be a police matter here, but I shall go and tell the mayor on Tuesday when he is in his office. He has been very helpful to me so far, and I am sure he will think of what to do next. I am now wondering if there is a poisoned water source somewhere - I am going to ask everyone to empty their water butts and check their land in case there is something dubious. It is very scary, and soon I shall be bringing two ponies onto my land. I must make sure they are safe too.

Do you have a problem with other predators in the area? Like skunks, foxes, something like that? It does sound like someone is leaving out poisoned bait, but it could even be the local government trying to keep other meat-eating "pests" under control. Perhaps that's something you could check into?

Somthing happened in my home town dogs were being poisoned in a local park and the police were involved. They arrested a guy who stuck rat poison into hotdogs and placed them in the park. It's best to call the Police

That's terrible!!! There are so many cruel people in this world and they go after those that are weaker than they are. I can't see the thrill that people get from poisoning poor defenseless animals! I get so mad when I hear stories like this!

We don't have skunks in Europe, or coyotes, thank goodness, and foxes are usually hunted with dogs or guns. The mayor knows I have cats - he has been to see them and admired them, and advised me about the Hunt and which days to keep them in. So I do not think it is a government thing. The only things regularly poisoned are rats and mice, and apparently the village habits have not changed on that. Feral cats will not normally eat the stomachs of their prey, where the poison could collect, neither will they eat carrion. Napoleon, of course, could have done either. But there must be something out there that is attractive to all cats and it cannot be far away.

Oh Jenny I hope you can get to the bottom of this problem, To have to worry about where and what may be out there is very scarey.
Our Basset Hound who never left the yard unless on a leash was posioned about 2 years ago and the vet told us it was rat posion, We have no idea where he would have gotten it, and a neighbor down at the end of the court asked my hubby one day when he was out walking Zoie where dexter was, and he told the neighbor what had happened and this guy told my hubby his had also been posioned by the same thing and it was also a Basset Hound. Unless someone threw something in our back yard and there's also we have no idea. I hope you can reslove it because they told us that the animals are attracted to renticide.. Good luck with finding the source.

Wow Jenny, this situation does seem very peculiar, and just a little bit scary! I hope you and the other townspeople can find out what is going on and you can get some answers soon! lots of stay safe vibes for the rest of your kitties!

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

Wow Jenny, this situation does seem very peculiar, and just a little bit scary! I hope you and the other townspeople can find out what is going on and you can get some answers soon! lots of stay safe vibes for the rest of your kitties!

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Very upsetting, Jenny! You must be beside yourself!

What about avian flu? Is there any kind of ban on allowing poultry outdoors in effect? Ours becomes effective October 20th, and some other areas of Germany, e.g., Dresden, are already enforcing leash laws for house pets. Napoleon obviously wasn't a victim of avian flu, but there's a remote possibility that the other two were.

oh good grief Jenny, no wonder you are so worried. I dont have any suggestions for you I am afraid but please know I am thinking of you ALL and hope that whatever this is can be sorted out quickly

Is there any chace that there is an epidemic of some sorts that effects cats in your area?
You must be so scared right now for your babies.
Years ago we had a teenager poison our Rottie.We took him to the Vet and it was to late for him.He had to be PTS.
I sure hope an answer is found SOON!!

Jenny, I am so very sorry. I agree with poster above me, a collective request by you and some of your neighbors might be the way to go. I can't imagine that anyone with dogs or livestock such as sheep or horses or cows in your area would feel good if there was a possiblity of someone deliberately doing this, as it could very well expand beyond cats.

What a weird thing going on..I wonder what is happening in your neighbourhood?

There are no alerts for avian flu here - and it is too strange - we are a very small hamlet, just 8 houses, more than a mile from the main village through the forest, and any strangers would be noted. 3 cats in a fortnight (actually it is less than that as it seems that all three probably died in a day or two of each other) just here in a radius of less that 100 metres cannot be coincidence. And I can't find the barn kittens or their tabby mother, so I am very concerned about what might have happened to them. I can't actually remember the last day I saw them - I was so distracted with everything, but it was all around the same time. I am going to get the mayor to investigate, and I am composing a letter for all residents carefully pointing out the sequence of events and asking everyone to search their land. It is to everyone's advantage to have cats here, as rodent control. And most people recognise that.