TWO cats belonging to the same family in Undy died after being poisoned by antifreeze.

The killings were part of a spate of incidents across Wales and the RSPCA says it is "very concerned".

The cats belonged to Mrs Mandy Blackwell of Church Rise, Undy and were called Lucky and Luigi.

Mrs Blackwell took Luigi to the vets on Thursday, August 23 after noticing he was very lethargic and unable to stand.

Early the next morning she took him to the out-of-hours services at Marlow's Vets in High Beech, Chepstow when his condition deteriorated and he went into spasm.

He died a few hours later and by that time Mrs Blackwell had been told Lucky had similar symptoms and was being brought in by a neighbour.

Lucky died the same day and post-mortems showed the cats had died of antifreeze poisoning.

Mrs Blackwell said: "This has been a devastating ordeal. My cats were part of the family and I'm still coming to terms with it all.

"My neighbour's cat also died of antifreeze poisoning in the last few weeks."

RSPCA inspector Gary Lucas said: "We urgently need more information on these poisonings.

"There may be an innocent explanation to these sad deaths, but we are concerned that someone is deliberately causing suffering to cats and other animals in the locality.

"We would also ask perpetrators to be aware that deliberate poisoning using antifreeze could mean a £20,000 fine and/or six months in prison under the Animal Welfare Act.

"Owners should be vigilant and contact a vet immediately if they suspect that their pet may have been in contact with the chemical or if they see any warning signs or symptoms.

"The sooner the animal is treated, the better their chances of surviving."

There have been similar cases in Pontypool, Pontyclun near Bridgend and Camrose in Pembrokeshire.

RSPCA superintendent for Wales, Martyn Hubbard, said: "The deaths are highly suspicious and disturbing. We need the public to come forward with more information.

"Antifreeze is very toxic to cats and sadly once ingested they suffer from kidney failure within a few days.

"Cats like its sweet taste and don't have to ingest much for them to become seriously ill.  

 

Effective treatment is only available if caught within the first 24 hours but this is not normally possible, as the cat shows no sign of being unwell within this time.  

"By the time the cats show signs of illness there is nothing that can be done to save them."

"Owners should be vigilant and contact a vet immediately if they suspect that their pet may have been in contact with the chemical or if they see any warning signs or symptoms. The sooner the animal is treated, the better their chances of surviving."

If anyone has any information about this incident or any related incidents in the area, they are urged to contact the RSPCA cruelty and information line on 0300 1234 999. Calls will be treated in confidence.