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An Italian man who posed as an animal lover to adopt ‘meaty’ cats from pet refuges allegedly cooked and served them to friends for dinner.

The 50-year-old from Brianza in northern Italy requested black cats of around three years old, which he allegedly killed, cooking them in the company of his friends.

The married father-of-two was able to adopt at least 15 cats over several months without calling attention to himself.

Staff at the shelters only became suspicious when he tried to avoid routine check-ups on the adopted animals.

After becoming concerned that he might be part of a sect targeting black cats for animal sacrifices, staff arrived at his home unannounced.

The horrified rescue workers from AIDAA, Italy’s equivalent of the RSPCA, allegedly found him preparing to kill a cat he intended to eat.

Lorenzo Croce of AIDAA said the man always asked to adopt "black cats with certain characteristics. They had to be around three years old, and quite plump", he said.

The man allegedly confessed to having eaten the other cats in his care, and was arrested for maltreatment of animals.

If found guilty he faces up to a year behind bars.