Cat owners in Winnipeg’s Point Douglas neighborhood urged to keep pets indoors

Cat owners here in Winnipeg’s Point Douglas neighbourhood are being urged to keep their pets inside after the dismembered bodies of a pair of felines were discovered in the community in just the past month. 

“It’s not just vehicles and coyotes that are dangerous out there, there are people, especially in this area that are actively hunting cats,” said Krista Blahut, who discovered remains of murdered cats.

Earlier this week, Blahut visited Pritchard Point Park in search of an injured white cat that she had seen posted on Facebook, but never could have imagined what she saw.  

“At first I thought an animal caught the cat’s tail, that’s horrible but then I saw the legs and a garbage bag tied around the cat.”

To her horror, Blahut had stumbled across the remains of a mutilated cat, only to discover the deceased body of the white cat she had originally gone searching for. With both felines having suffered injuries she claims weren’t consistent with an animal attack. 

“These ones are intentionally done by at least one person and I have had vets confirm this,” she explained.

On Wednesday, both Animal Services and the Winnipeg Police Service confirmed that they have received two reports of dismembered cats over the last month, and are currently investigating, but Blahut fears there are many more victims

“In the last couple of weeks, we have been able to confirm at least six or seven of them, and we have gotten more information from animal services and the humane society and other people in the public about cats coming home severely injured or they have found deceased cats as well.”

But until those responsible for these violent acts are caught, Blahut is asking anyone who sees a cat out and about in the Point Douglas neighborhood to bring them inside immediately. 

“Try to take them inside and call the humane society, figure out who they belong too. Because any friendly cat right now is vulnerable because that is what this person is looking for, cats that come right up to them.”

CityNews will have more on this story, as it becomes available.