Five cat deaths being investigated as Mansfield businesses fear field poisonings
The deaths of five cats near a Nottinghamshire industrial estate are being investigated amid fears by residents and businesses that they were poisoned in a field. The animals were found in and around a field off Sherwood Avenue in Mansfield over the past few weeks, while other cats have been reported missing.
Mansfield District Council said it had received reports of five dead cats and an ill dog and has launched a "thorough investigation". Nick Brooks, director of Commercial Vending Services at Aria Park, said he believes the animals were poisoned by a type of chemical in a field next to a new 40-housing estate.
He said the site was fenced off and being cleared for potential further development. Mr Brooks' three-year-old dog became sick three months ago.
"I thought nothing off it then I heard about the cats. I thought hang on this is in a similar time frame and the dog had only been in that field."
After the disappearance of several cats from nearby homes, Sarah Blackshaw began helping track them down. "We've been trapesing around fields and we've found two dead ones," she said.
"One was on top of the bushes upside down believe it or not. It's so weird, there's that many cats turning up dead.
"It seems really strange, something sinister is happening in that area. People's cats are disappearing and it's horrible. They're not just cats, they're family members."
A Mansfield council spokesperson said: “The council is aware of issues and allegations concerning the death of cats in this area. We are taking these reported matters extremely seriously and our Environmental Health team is currently conducting a thorough investigation to gather more information.”
The complainant alleged five cats had died but we cannot verify this information. These have allegedly occurred in the Old Newark Road area. A precise location cannot be confirmed or established at the moment."
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said it was "concerning" to hear about the deaths. "At this stage we do not know if these were accidental incidents or deliberate but in the meantime we would ask everyone in the area to check where they keep their pesticides and chemicals and make sure they are secure and out of the way.
"Pet-owners are asked to be vigilant and keep an eye on their cats’ wellbeing - if they are showing symptoms of poisoning, take them for veterinary treatment immediately. Signs of poisoning can be seen anywhere from 30 minutes after ingestion to two or three days. This can include some, or all of the following symptoms: vomiting, seeming depressed or sleepy, appearing drunk or uncoordinated, seizures and difficulty breathing."
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesperson said: "We did have two reports about a dead cat on October 2. Nothing from us to suggest more than that but these things are more likely to be reported to the council than police. We would investigate further if criminal matters were reported to us."