A pack of wild dogs went on a killing spree on Monday night, mauling at least four domestic cats.

A pack of wild dogs went on a killing spree in a Tauranga suburb mauling at least four domestic cats right in front of their owners.

Papamoa resident Holly Johns saw a social media post from a friend around 6.30pm on Monday saying that her cat had been taken by a pack of dogs.

Shortly afterwards her own cat was killed by the same pack. She spent Tuesday morning searching parks for its lifeless body.

Supplied Poppy the cat was a dog lover but was one of at least four domestic cats killed by a pack of wild dogs.

"[My friend] lives a couple of kilometres away," she said. "I didn't think anything of it [when I first saw the post]."

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"I heard this barking and thought it was our dog so I opened up the door and saw there were three other dogs there," Johns said.

"I could only see one but it had something in its mouth which I thought was the neighbour's cat. I tried to chase them but they ran."

As the night went on more reports of killings were posted on a community Facebook page where one victim referred to the pack of dogs as the "Hounds of Baskerville", a well known Sherlock Holmes tale.

Another victim, who didn't want her name used, said she had just sitting down with her family to have dinner when her cat Poppy was attacked.

"I heard a chain dragging outside and thought 'what was that noise?'," she said.

"I opened the kitchen window and yelled get out of here and the dog just jumped up almost as high as the window and snatched my cat. I heard all the screaming and then I noticed there were three dogs."

She dialled animal control, while her husband made chase.

"It's scary to think what else could have happened," she said. "[The dogs] ran right past where children often play and once dogs pack together like this they tend to attack anything smaller than them.

"They didn't even eat my cat they just attacked and killed it for fun. The cats reported dead are only the ones we know of at the moment who knows how many more were found."

Poppy's body was found on Tuesday morning by a neighbour and has since been buried.

Tauranga City Council team leader animal services, Brent Lincoln, said the council was investigating the reported cat killings.

"Our sincere condolences to the owners who have lost their beloved pets," he said.

"If anyone has any information, photos or video footage that can identify the dogs responsible, please contact Council on 07 577 7000."