Second decapitated cat found in northeastern Adelaide in two weeks

A second decapitated cat has been found in Adelaide’s northeastern suburbs in two weeks — prompting a public warning for pet owners to be vigilant.

Public help has been sought over Bear, a decapitated cat whose head was found at a property at Wynn Vale. Picture: RSPCA

A second decapitated cat has been found in Adelaide’s northeastern suburbs in two weeks — this time near a small playground in a small park

A woman and her husband were walking their dog at Chatswood Gve, Golden Grove, last Friday when they came across the headless body of a black cat.

The woman, who asked not be named, said her husband picked up the body by the tail and put it into a wheelie bin.

“Our dog went over to something and it was the body of a black cat without a head,” she said.

“It was just lying there on top of some bark chips near some swings which children play on.”

The woman said she and her husband reported the find to the Golden Grove police station.

“To leave it where kids would be on the swings and slides is pretty bad,” she said.

“You wouldn’t want children to find it.”

The woman said cat owners in the area might want to be vigilant.

The Golden Grove reserve where the body of a decapitated cat was found. Picture: COLIN JAMES

“It is pretty scary if you own a cat that someone is chopping their heads off,” she said.

“I’m pretty concerned for my friends who have cats.

“It’s a bit of a worry that people are doing these sorts of things.”

The body of the cat was retrieved by a RSPCA inspector, who determined it was a male of about 20 weeks of age.

The grisly discovery came a week after another woman found the head of a ginger and white cat in her Wynn Vale backyard.

Investigations by the RSPCA determined the head belonged to “Bear”, a male cat which had gone missing from his home at Para Hills several days earlier.

RSPCA SA chief inspector Andrea Lewis said there no strong leads on who was responsible for killing the cats.

“It could be the same person or persons responsible, or it could be two entirely separate cases, we just don’t know at this stage,” Ms Lewis said.

Ms Lewis urged all cat owners to contain their cats to their properties, both for their safety and the safety of wildlife.

Cat owners in the north-eastern suburbs needed to be particularly alert.

The wheelie bin at the Golden Grove reserve where the body of a decapitated cat was retrieved from. Picture: COLIN JAMES

“These awful incidents are a reminder of how vulnerable our pets are if they’re allowed to wander and how important it is to ensure cats are microchipped by three months of age, which is now a legal requirement.

“We remind cat owners that, with the exception of registered cat breeders, another legal requirement is to have your cat desexed from six months of age.

“This law only applies to cats born after July 1 last year, but we encourage all cat owners to have their cats desexed.

“The aim is to reduce the numbers of unwanted litters being born, but the other positive consequence of a desexed cat is that he or she is less likely to wander.”

Aggravated animal cruelty offences carry apotential penalty of $50,000 or four years in prison.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RSPCA on 1300 477 722

Originally published as Second decapitated cat found in northeastern Adelaide in two weeks