‘Phantom Cat Shaver’ on the loose as over 80 pets attacked

Cats across the UK have been shaved in a spate of unusual attacks being investigated by authorities.

The thug, dubbed the ‘Phantom Cat Shaver’, is feared to have attacked more than 80 pets across the country with hair clippers.

Since December, 54 incidents have been reported, predominantly in Kent and South East London, but a further 30 cases have now been counted over the last week.

Many of the new cases were in the same region, but attacks have now been reported near Aberdeen, Staffordshire, Southampton, East Anglia and West Sussex.

Pet owners have reported that their felines have come home with the fur on their legs and backs removed.

Some have started locking their cats inside their homes and installing CCTV on their properties.

The cases are being investigated by the Animals Lost and Found in Kent charity who have created a map detailing where the attacks have taken place.

Natasha McPhee, 39, who runs the charity in Gillingham, Kent, warned cat owners to be vigilant and report cases to the police and RSPCA.

The first cases centred around Gillingham, Chatham and Rainham.

She said: “This first started in our area back in November and have happened across the UK now.

“I have no explanation why or who would do such a thing.

“In many cases the cats are left traumatised and it’s very upsetting for owners as well.

“I can only imagine that the people carrying out these attacks are doing it for their own self gratification or some kind of cheap thrill.

“Personally I think they are sick and need to be caught as quickly as possible.”

It is feared copycat shavings may be taking place, which would explain the widening of the geographical area where the incidents have occurred.

Sophie-Louise Parks, from Bowthorpe, near Norwich, noticed a shaved patch of fur on her cat called Gizmo, while a strange collar had been placed on her other pet called Lua.

“Gizmo came home on Tuesday morning and it looked like she’d been shaved on the top of her back leg,” she said.

“People have said she must have been involved in a cat fight but the hair is out by the root so it’s very blatant she was shaved.

“When I touch right above the shaved patch, she gets uncomfortable like it hurts her.”

‘Put a lot of stress on the cat’

Tammy Cullum’s cat Flo was shaved after going outside in New Costessey.

Ms Cullum said: “She came back looking like she’d been shaved in a square shape, you can tell it’s not from being scratched or bit and you can clearly see the square shape where the clippers have clipped her fur.

”I just don’t understand why people would do this to her.”

The RSPCA is urging pet owners to be vigilant, and report any incidents of cat shaving to the charity or the police.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Patrick Hamby said: “We may not be able to do something right away as it’s very difficult if you have no leads to go on, but it lets us know what is going on and the areas it is happening in, so we can concentrate more in those areas.”

”If a cat has been shaved, it would have had to have been held down by someone they don’t know, which would put a lot of stress on the cat,” he added.

”Your cat may show signs of not wanting to go out anymore, or wanting to go out much less.”