Cat found dead in Portchester with tail ripped off as owner says grim discovery was 'horrific'

Heather Verrinder, a PA at a plumbing company in Fareham, became concerned about her missing pet two weeks ago, posting pictures of 12-year-old cat Patches on social media in a bid to find her.

A member of the public walking through woodland opposite Fort Nelson, in Portchester Hill Road, discovered Patches’ body, with a deep wound to her chest and her tail missing on Thursday, April 23.

Heather, who intends to report the incident to police, said: ‘When I got to her, I was distraught.

‘I put her in a blanket and just cried.

‘It's a horrific thing to have happened.’

A cat’s tail was found in the area a day later, but it is yet to be confirmed as belonging to Patches.

It comes as Croydon-based charity South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (Snarl) has reported two further suspicious cat deaths in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area.

Decapitated cats found on the Isle of Wight on Sunday April 26 and in Havant on Monday April 27.

The organisation believes there is a UK-wide cat killer. Police in London investigated this and found no conclusive evidence a human was behind several deaths.

Volunteer Tony Jenkins said: ‘We have seen a few incidents in the past where just the cat’s heart and tail have been removed.

‘In about 10 per cent of cases, the body is found without the head or tail and then a few weeks later the head or tail is returned to the area.

According to the organisation, X-rays from the deceased cat in Portchester and Havant show that it’s ‘unlikely’ their injuries were caused by an animal.

Tony added: ‘You cannot rule anything out.’

The vets who examined Patches body said their examination was ‘inconclusive.’

A spokeswoman for Portchester Vets, in White Hart Lane, said: ‘On Friday of last week, a deceased cat was brought in to us with a severed tail and some additional wounds by their naturally distraught owner.

‘We have been asked by the South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty charity to X-ray the cat to try and identify the injuries and therefore the likely cause of death.

‘We consider the types of injuries sustained could have a number of causes although we must stress our examination was inconclusive.’

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