More Dead Cats Found in Denver Area; serial cat killer is in their midst

Associated Press ^ | 06-30-03

[Brian S]

DENVER - Four more dead cats have been found in the Denver area, heightening fear among pet owners that a serial cat killer is in their midst.

Authorities say at least 40 mutilated cats have been discovered in Denver and its suburbs in the past year, including four killed over the weekend. The toll in Salt Lake City is 10 cats and another unidentified animal.

Christy Hughes had stopped reading stories about the attacks. Then her husband found the eviscerated body of their 15-year-old cat, Bugsy, outside the front door of their Aurora home two weeks ago.

"I blame myself, because had I read it, I never would have let my cat outside," she said Monday. "I've had a hard time forgiving myself for that."

Authorities are worried that despite the attacks, pet owners still are letting their cats roam outside.

"I've had people say, `They don't like to stay inside,'" said Temma Martin, spokeswoman for Salt Lake County Animal Services. "Well, look at the stakes here."

In several cases, it appears the attacker kills the cat, then taunts the owner by bringing back the remains. Some of the animals were are cut with surgical precision. Some may have been killed by another animal.

The Colorado penalty for aggravated cruelty to animals is up to 18 months in jail and a $100,000 fine.

Hughes said Bugsy was attacked sometime between 1 a.m., when he last went out, and 6:15 a.m., when he was found dead.

She said she is "retraining" her two kids and husband not to let their two kittens outside anymore.

"For a week I couldn't sleep because I just kept seeing my cat over and over," she said. "It breaks my heart seeing somebody else go through this."

[Brian S]

Heads up to our cat lovers in the region.

[Cicero]

A lot of serial people-killers start out this way. It's not funny. I hope they catch the S.O.B. before he graduates to murder. Torturing cats is bad enough.

[dennisw]

Satanists and wanabee satanists who read some of the crap out culture churns out, would do this.

[Brian S]

Exactly right on the serial killers. Need to find this person(s) before he/she gets bored with felines.

[Mears]

Jail and fine wouldn't be enough as far as I'm concerned.You are right,this is a real sicko and this is how the psychopaths start.

[mdittmar]

The Colorado penalty for aggravated cruelty to animals is up to 18 months in jail and a $100,000 fine.

Have 2 cats myself,my penalty would be a bit tougher.

[jocon307]

"A lot of serial people-killers start out this way. It's not funny. I hope they catch the S.O.B. before he graduates to murder. Torturing cats is bad enough."

Ditto that thought! I love cats, but I always make mine be house cats, but then again, I have always lived in a very urban environment.

[riverrunner]

This easy to fix do not let your cats run wild.

[AlaskaErik]

This easy to fix do not let your cats run wild.

So the easy fix to avoid being mugged is to never leave your house. When you let animals like this change the way you live your life, you give them power over you. ANd you have let them win. I'm not buyinh it.

[DannyTN]

"The Colorado penalty for aggravated cruelty to animals is up to 18 months in jail and a $100,000 fine."

What does aggravated cruelty to a person get you?

[Howie]

Coyotes. They surround, kill, fight over the "meal", rip it into sections, usually leave the hind quarters.

[graycamel]

The judge should say to those who did it: "6.3 billion people in the world is too many. I'm going to make it 629,999,999,999."

[BritExPatInFla]

Bill Frist hasn't been in Denver lately, has he? (/sarcasm off)

[mdittmar]

Don't know,guess I'd find out, if someone pisses me off enough.

[Kay Ludlow]

Sounds like the Gaia worshippers at work to me! The Humane Society, Audubon Soceity and some native plant organization were going to start a major campaign this year to rid the Continent of "feral" (meaning any loose) cats. Sounds like one of their members took it to heart and went overboard...

[shaggy eel]

,,, this is terrible news.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

My mother's friend studied zoology in the university, back in the 50's. She and her friends routinely kidnapped cats, to use as experiment subjects. Needless to say, she never liked cats even after she finished her studies.

[Guillermo]

The animal rights kooks despise people who let thier cats run free.

I even know one of these kooks, who participates in dog rescue. She refused to allow this family to adopt this dog, because they told her they had a cat who often is allowed outside (she asked them).

[cajungirl]

There is a serial cat killer in Lafayette La from what I have read. No big publicity yet, I guess we have been busy with the serial people killer. BTW I am in favor of cats living their life like the wild animals they love to be,,we fix ours but let them in and out. Maybe their life is shorter but they sure love to catch mice and birds and climb trees and tangle with doggies. They are 15 and 17 and seem mighty happy to me unlike some of their neurotic cousins who never leave the comforts of home. I guess I will get flamed but hey, what the heck, I haven't been flamed in a while. Free the CATS!!!!

[WorkingClassFilth]

Maybe somebody loves songbirds and small mammals. According to research UW Stout (I think), about 70% of the mortality in young song birds and mammals is due to domestic felines that folks let out for a stroll. Kitty goes out and kills for kicks, comes home to the folks who are so glad to see snookems come home.

Maybe that's pissing somebody off.