A serial cat killer who has murdered 32 pets and dumped the animals’ mutilated corpses on owners’ doorsteps could “make the leap to attacking humans,” an expert has claimed.

More than 30 domestic cats have been killed in Croydon, south London, over the past two years leaving owners distraught as the dubbed “kitty killer” continues to strike.

The latest cat, found by her owners in a hedge near the family home in Coulsdon, had had her head and tail removed and her body was so badly mangled she had to be identified by a microchip.

It follows a pattern where other animals had also had parts of their bodies removed or tampered with, before the remains were dumped nearby the families’ homes.

“The fact that several bodies were found with heads and tails removed suggests that it’s the same person behind the attacks,” Dr Adam Lynes, a criminology lecturer at Birmingham City University, claimed.

He went on to tell The Sun the pattern of repeated animal killings was borne out in the origin of some serial killers – citing the US murderer Jeffrey Dahmer.

He continued: “Unless the person responsible is caught soon, I think it’s very likely they will continue to kill more cats — and they could even make the leap to attacking humans.”