“It appears to be the same person,” said Ben Elkins, a major crimes detective with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

The killer has not been seen on video anywhere. The only slip-up was a surgical glove that was found near a cat called Tubby in Olympia, and potentially some DNA from Ollie, a fluffy white cat that was killed at the beginning of August in West Olympia.

Ollie had fought back, and her nails are being tested.

The results have not been disclosed, and Ollie’s owner, Rhiannon Stockert, is struggling to deal with the loss of her pet.

Ollie, a slightly overweight and cross-eyed cat that liked to sleep indoors, was discovered with her spine ripped out and displayed not far from home. Ms. Stockert has struggled to sleep since the killing. She eyes people who walk past warily and has had security cameras installed.

“She’s family,” said Ms. Stockert, breaking into tears during a phone interview. The episode has made her fearful that the killer may return, she said. “It’s definitely a creepy feeling to know that this person has that type of evil in them.”

With each new case, a growing fear and fervor have taken hold in the community. At least 150 tips have flowed in to the local authorities. In these uncertain times, stroking the neighborhood cat has become cause for suspicion, and walking around with a can of open sardines is reason enough to turn neighbor on neighbor. A Facebook group is dedicated to bringing “justice” to the killer.

Washington isn’t the only place that has dealt with a potential grisly cat killer. The deaths of hundreds of cats in south London prompted a yearslong search for the so-called Croydon Cat Killer, who has not been caught. A man was arrested in Saudi Arabia for posting on social media a video of him killing several cats.