This article is a follow-up to the Croydon cat killings which have occurred for more than three years in Southeast London. Michael (PoC) has covered the killings extensively and those articles can be found here.

Samson stabbed in the stomach(screenshot BBC)

Since September 2018 two cats have died after being stabbed and another five were attacked in Brighton. Not only is the person responsible a danger to cats who have to fend for themselves outside, but people are at risk as well.

All of the new incidents were reported close to Ditchling Rise in central Brighton and are believed unrelated to the Croydon cats. Seven more cats injured or killed by stabbings and not caused by foxes, as was the case with the Croydon cats.

The Guardian is an independent news source not motivated by big business or politics. They’re considered somewhat controversial since their company believes in progressive journalism. Writer Matta Busby recently spoke with Sussex police about the new string of cats being injured or killed and received this reply from a police spokesman

“Sussex police have received further reports of injured or deceased cats following the suspected stabbing of a pet in Ditchling Rise, Brighton, on Monday [19 November]. Two officers have now been allocated to investigate the reports and establish whether there may be links between those that have not been shown to be attacks by other animals or accidental injury.”

Samson after 2 operations (BBC screenshot)

PC Andy Chapman says the incidents are being taken seriously and the local action team at North Laine has been informed of the distress caused to both owners of pets as well as to the pets themselves.

Tony Jenkins with South Norwood Animal Rescue Liberty has been investigating suspicious cat deaths across the southeast. Jenkins believes the Brighton attacks are unrelated since the cats had been stabbed, which would mean a human is behind it.

The Croydon cats were missing heads and tails and foxes had been viewed on video depositing cat remains in public places. Foxes are notorious for eating the organ meat (as many scavenging animals do) and leaving the head and tail behind.

Jenkins stated to The Guardian that

“Without a shadow of doubt, there is a pattern of behaviour around the killings. Police have resource issues with funding cuts and couldn’t afford to investigate further and they took the easy route to blame foxes. There is clear evidence to suggest human interaction and we are continuing to investigate.

We think it’s a separate perpetrator because there are stab wounds and the injuries are different; there are not decapitations as seen in the other cases. Although it’s horrible, it is not linked to the wider Croydon cat killer.”

The BBC spoke with cat owner Seanin Mouland today as she was reunited with her cat Samson, who was stabbed in the stomach and had to undergo two operations to save his life.

“He crawled to our bedroom door and screamed and he’s a very silent and sensitive cat. So for him to roar and scream was very shocking.”

Samson’s owners turned him over and found a very clean wound to his stomach.

From what I gather from reading all of the information available, we have a new and different killer. The most troubling thought I have is that the cat killings will continue, as the killer knows the police are pressed for funds to investigate suspicious cat deaths.

Let’s hope the authorities in Brighton act quickly on this. A person who doesn’t hesitate to use a knife on a cat most likely won’t hesitate to use it on a person.

Cat owners, please keep your cats inside. My nerves would be shot to have a beloved cat wandering the streets and not knowing if he’d make it home alive each night. You’ll be saving yourself a lot of heartache while protecting your cat from pain or death.

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