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Pet owners in Norwich living in fear after discovery of cats being tortured with a knife

Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson Archant

Terrified pet owners in Norwich have spoken of living in fear after several cats were mutilated and killed in their neighbourhood.

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The attack comes less than two weeks after a five-year-old cat called Bubba (pictured) suffered similar injuries in the Catton area of the city. Picture: Georgina Barnes The attack comes less than two weeks after a five-year-old cat called Bubba (pictured) suffered similar injuries in the Catton area of the city. Picture: Georgina Barnes

Families in Catton are taking extra precaution and keeping their cats indoors after a series of attacks in the area in just two weeks.

Two cats were found with their ears cut off with a knife and another was found dead in the street, which residents believe had been swung by its tail and thrown against a garage.

Norfolk police were also called to reports of a man attempting to smuggle a cat in a holdall bag and reports of cat body parts found on the allotments in the Woodcock Road area.

On Friday morning in the leafy streets of Catton, dog walkers were making the most of the sunshine and chattering away with their neighbours.

Georgina Barnes was horrified to find someone had mutilated her cat, Bubba, with a knife. He came home with both of his ears cut and a deep gash on his back. Picture: Georgina Barnes Georgina Barnes was horrified to find someone had mutilated her cat, Bubba, with a knife. He came home with both of his ears cut and a deep gash on his back. Picture: Georgina Barnes

But there were no sign of any cats except for the posters of missing pets plastered on numerous lamp posts.

Lynda Lewis, of George Pope Road, said: “A lot of cats are missing, you see pictures of them on the posts, there's at least two a week, it's been going on for a couple of months.

“There are usually cats around here but people are keeping them in because they are scared.”

On April 13, a family cat, named Bubba, returned home with both of his ears cut off and a deep gash on his back.

Just eleven days later, on Wednesday, a stray cat was found with the same horrific injuries on the same night a dead cat was discovered in Philadelphia Lane.

Mother-of-five Laura Daynes, of Palmer Road, who has five cats, said: “So many cats are going misssing around here, it's just awful, we are fuming.”

When news of the mutilated cats spread throughout the neighbourhood, Ms Daynes, like so many other cat owners in the area, decided to take extra precaution with her pets and has kept them indoors.

“Having five cats locked indoors in this weather is not fair, they are depressed and fighting,” she said.

A stray cat in Norwich was found with both of his ears cut off - the second incident to happen in two weeks in the NR3 area. Picture: Sarah Cutting A stray cat in Norwich was found with both of his ears cut off - the second incident to happen in two weeks in the NR3 area. Picture: Sarah Cutting

“But I have to keep them indoors for their own safety.”

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Mandy Edwards, 48, of George Pope Road, has two cats of her own and is worried about walking home at night after finishing work at the Mecca Bingo in Aylsham Road.

“It's not a nice thought with someone potentially walking around with a knife in the area,” she said.

Mandy Edwards is a local resident of the area where Bubba the cat was found mutilated and one other stray in a similar incident. Picture: Ella Wilkinson Mandy Edwards is a local resident of the area where Bubba the cat was found mutilated and one other stray in a similar incident. Picture: Ella Wilkinson

“I am terrified, I am getting people messaging me all the time telling me what's going on, it's a constant worry.

“I'm terrified to let my cats out, I keep them in at night. I'd like to keep them in all the time but how long can you do that?”

Ms Edwards worried that there could be something more sinister at play with the recent attacks, a view she shares with many of her neighbours.

“I like my crime programmes and they often say on there how serial killers start off by killing animals,” she said.

Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson

“It's absolutely disgusting, it's beyond words what they are doing, they are absolute scum.”

For those who have been living in the area for well over a decade, the recent troubles, although rare, comes as no surprise.

Youngsters on bikes roll past and huddle in the nearby park where one young rider is seen making a drug exchange in broad daylight.

Residents have described the problems with drugs and crime in the area and made reference to the taxi driver who was stabbed in a robbery in George Pope Road earlier this month.

Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson

Dog walker Gillian Andrews, of George Pope Close, said: “I'm not being funny, there are a lot of drugs around here, you can see it and smell it. This is the worst it's ever been.

“It is generally safe but you here so much going on you don't know what to do.”

Jane Sewell, 60, is now keeping a close eye on her second cat, Suki, following the death of Thomas.

“It's not fair what they are doing, it's disgusting,” she said. “I'm making sure my cat comes in now.”

Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson Bubba, the five year old cat, was mutilated in a horrifying attack where both of his ears were cut off and his back was slashed, requiring stitches. Picture: Ella Wilkinson

Norfolk police said they are conducting a number of enquiries and liaising with the RSPCA, as well as increasing patrols in the area.

Anyone with information about these incidents should contact police on 101.