Warning to Fife pet owners as cat put to sleep after being poisoned

Cllr Ken Caldwell, who serves Buckhaven, Methil & Wemyss villages wants to raise awareness for all cat lovers locally to take extra precautions and to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

Cllr Caldwell said: “Last night my daughter had to get her cat put to sleep.

“Earlier in the evening she noticed that the cat had been sick and didn't seem right, then it started shaking.

“She phoned the vets out of hours service and they rushed her to Cupar vets where they carried out blood tests as they thought the cat had possibly been poisoned.

“It turned out that she had consumed anti-freeze which was picked up in the blood and urine tests.

“This was horrible and painful for the cat, Lily, and absolutely devastating for the whole family.

“We don't know if this was a deliberate act or accidental.

“I have heard of similar instances in the surrounding area and the vets also confirmed that they have had several cases recently.

“I hope this was not a deliberate act and I would ask cat owners to be careful and car owners to check that there are no anti-freeze leaks from their cars as apparently it only takes a small amount to have a devastating effect.”

Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “We are very sorry to hear about the passing of the pet cat and our thoughts are with the family.

“The use of any poison in an open space is illegal and any domestic or wild animal could ingest it.

"The effects of using poison deliberately against animals is a crime and is enforceable by law.“We would urge everyone to be vigilant with their disposal of anti-freeze as it is highly poisonous to cats and dogs.

“There are strict guidelines for its use and it is essential that everyone stores the substance out of reach of cats and other animals.

“Anyone with any concerns about the welfare of an animal should contact our helpline on 03000 999 999.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “If anyone has information relating to such incidents they should call 101 and report it.”

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