Cats have died after a spate of antifreeze poisoning.
It is believed that around five cats died or were euthanized after veterinarians diagnosed poisoning in so far as it was too late to save them.
All cats, as well as a dog believed to have been poisoned in the same way, are from the Llangyfelach area of Swansea.
Mother of two Tara Jane, who lives on Heol Waun Wen, had to lay down her family’s popular 12-year-old cat Tiggy on the morning of April 17th.
She said, “Tiggy was fit and healthy and had no health problems.
“He has a habit of coming and going and was out last Thursday night and when he came back he was walking under my daughter’s bed.
“We thought he might just want to avoid the kids and our dog, but the next day he still hadn’t changed.
“On Saturday morning he couldn’t walk and he was meowing in pain, so we took him to the vets.
“They immediately told us that he had been poisoned with antifreeze.
“It damaged his internal organs. I asked if they could try to save him, but I didn’t want to make him ache unnecessarily, so we had to make the decision to put him to sleep.”
“It was heartbreaking”.
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Another Heol Waun Wen resident, Gemma Webb, said her cat also died late last month. After blood tests, they were told by vets that their pet had been poisoned by antifreeze.
She said, “I am completely broken for my daughter because she bonded with our boy Zion.
“My cat became seriously ill within hours of returning to the house and found it difficult to walk.
“Someone who was so cruel and evil poisoned him with antifreeze. He never went too far and was not always on the move for long.
“He was our gentle giant and my daughter’s baby, and I had to sit down and comfort my 11-year-old and explain how cruel people were.”
Evie Smith, who lives in neighboring Heol Pentre Felen, also lost her cat Olly last weekend.
She said, “He came into the house meowing early in the morning and we went downstairs to check on him.
“He curled up under the stairs so we let him sit down and went back to sleep.
“My father called the ambulance in the morning and we took him there and had to wait in the parking lot for answers.
“The vet told us he didn’t react to light, so his eyes weren’t working.
“They did some head scans and at first he might have been hit by a car, but after doing a lot of testing, they found antifreeze in his blood.
“We are very broken and extremely angry”.
The Savannah cat Zion also died in late March of antifreeze poisoning – and also in the Llangyfelach region
(Image: Gemma Webb)
The Sketty-based St. James Vet Group, which has treated some of the cats found to have antifreeze, said antifreeze, while harmful to dogs, is particularly toxic and often fatal to cats if not treated promptly .
A spokesman said antifreeze has a sweet taste that is palatable to cats, so poisoning is not uncommon, although it can often happen accidentally, such as when a cat cleans its paws after a walk through a spilled liquid.
“Because of the potentially serious consequences of taking antifreeze, we urge all cat owners who experience any unusual symptoms, such as if the cat is weak, wobbly, vomiting or convulsions, to contact their veterinarian,” she added.
The RSPCA said it was very concerned to hear reports of poisoning and advises pet owners in the area to keep an eye on their cats’ welfare and seek veterinary treatment promptly if they show symptoms of poisoning.
They said signs of intoxication are visible between 30 minutes after ingestion and two or three days.
They may include, vomiting, depressed or drowsy, drunk or uncoordinated, seizures, and difficulty breathing.
A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “We have been informed of two incidents in which cats were allegedly poisoned in the Llangyfelach area.
“Neighborhood police teams will be patrolling the area and we ask residents to remain vigilant.
To report a concern about an animal, call the RSPCA emergency number on 0300 1234 999.