WASHINGTON: A serial cat killer is on the loose said that authorities after they found at least 13 cats brutally killed.
The 13th cat was found dead on Thursday. Most of the cats have been found in public places and did not appear to have been killed by wild animals.
According to a report in the New York Times, a cat was found earlier this week that had been surgically slit and laid out for people to see.
The police believe that all these cat killings are linked to a single individual.
In some cases, the felines’ spines were removed; some cats have been found dismembered. The methods used suggest an experienced killer.
“I feel for the animal owners because I’m an animal owner myself and just the manner these animals have died is extremely horrific,” said Thurston County Animal Services officer Erika Johnson earlier this month in relation to the seventh reported killing.
The killings can be dated back to February of this year.
A local animal sanctuary has now put a $36,000 reward on the killers head.
Kathy Harrigan’s deaf, 20-year-old cat Harley was one of the victims of the killings.
“He didn’t want to be indoors, so (he) lived in our yard. He was deaf and lacked muscle tone; disliked people but came to love my husband and myself, as we loved him,” she wrote.
“It is heartbreaking that he was killed and hurt in the way he was.”
