London Cat Ripper Is Either Moving Around Or There Are Copycat Killings

The so called “cat ripper” operates in Croydon, London. This is south-east London. We are now seeing the same sort of killings and mutilations of cats in other parts of London specifically Richmond, Streatham and in the North at Finchley and Tottenham Hale. It is particularly worrying for me because I live about 4 miles from Richmond.

The question is whether this person is travelling around a lot, perhaps as a taxi or delivery driver, or whether somebody is copying him/her. It wouldn’t take much for another cat hater to latch onto what this person is doing and copy him.

The press states that a mutilated cat was found in the heart of Richmond yesterday, Monday 7th 2016, generating fears that the so-called Croydon cat ripper is now travelling further afield.

The discovery in Richmond was made in a public car park. The RSPCA is examining the bodies of the cats. They say that it appears that a person had removed heads and tails after death. This indicates that they aren’t sure and I would have thought that by now the experts would be more sure because this has been going on for several years – lack of motivation?.

Animal shelters tell us that there is evidence that at least 50 cats have been killed over the past three years and the way that they have died and then mutilation indicates a similar method each time.

The South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty spokesperson said that investigators did not appear to be any closer to unmasking the culprit. We don’t know if it is the same person or group of people or, as mentioned above, copycat killings.

I reported a little while ago that the actor Martin Clunes who went to school in Croydon had urged the Metropolitan Police to investigate this increasingly urgent matter. The animal rights campaign group, PeTA, has offered a reward to catch the killer.

The lead investigator with the Metropolitan police, Detective Sgt Andy Colin, told the Croydon Advertiser that the police have not ruled out the possibility that the cats had been accidentally run over by cars because they all died from blunt force trauma. I find this proposal highly unlikely because it would mean that the perpetrator of the mutilations would have found the run-over cats on every occasion and it is extremely rare that one bumps into a cat that has died on the road. It is far more likely that these cats have been killed deliberately then mutilated by the same person in my opinion.

In addition, the police are not investigating some cases where this sort of death and mutilation had taken place because the cat’s body had been removed by council officers before it could be examined. This seems careless and rather stupid to me on as it is a brake on the investigation.

Forensic tests are taking place and the RSPCA are awaiting the results. The Richmond cat had been decapitated and was missing a paw. The decapitation may have removed the microchip because as we know microchips are placed near the head between the shoulder blades. It’s hard to write this but the cat found in Tottenham Hale had been cut in half.

Sometimes the heads and tails are not recovered which may indicate that the perpetrator is keeping them as trophies. One person who believes that the perpetrator is “getting off” on the killings and mutilations is Mr Jenkins of the South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty rescue organisation.

“I think this person gets off on killing and mutilation. They are quite prolific and travelling great distances. It could be a delivery driver, a removals man, a taxi driver or someone else who travels a lot.”

Obviously cat rescue organisations are urging people to keep their cat inside at this time in the areas concerned. I may be compelled to keep my cat inside but that will be very difficult because once a cat is used to going outside it is very hard to keep them inside. That may sound like a weak reason or a weak excuse but in fact it is a practical reason. Fortunately, my cat is nervous of other people and runs away from them and is a very fast runner. I hope this helps to protect him but as mentioned I may be keeping him inside for a while.

The whole matter is causing a lot of distress amongst cat owners and people who like cats. It is time that the person was caught.