Regional Animal Control Services of King County is investigating social media and news reports about deceased cats in the Kent and Auburn areas to try to determine whether a person or an animal killed the cats.
“Our animal control officers have responded and are actively working on the matter,” said spokesperson Cameron Satterfield in a July 22 email. “As this is still an active investigation, we can’t share many details. However, at this time, wildlife has not been ruled out as a factor.”
Several residents believe a person might be responsible for the deaths.
Angela Pagnossin, the founder of Hugs Cat Sanctuary in Auburn (hugscatsanctuary.org), a haven for injured, disabled, and feral cats who have nowhere else to go, has compiled several cases about dead cats residents have told her about that reportedly might have been done by a person.
Pagnossin said one woman told her she found her cat’s head and legs decapitated and left on her front lawn.
“I want this information out and people to keep their cats in,” Pagnossin said during a July 22 phone interview. “Without public awareness, we are going to lose a lot of pets.”
Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla said they have had two recent reports of cat deaths, one on June 28 in the Panther Lake/East Hill area and another one July 5 in the Scenic Hill area.
“Our officer took a report, but the reporting person had already buried the cat,” Padilla said about the Panther Lake call about a dead cat. “The RP (reporting person) described the condition of the dead cat, but the officer was not able to examine the cat and verify the information. The RP did not see how the cat was killed.”
The second report in the Scenic Hill area a person reported via phone finding a dead cat.
“He did not see how the cat was killed and could not be certain that a human had killed the cat,” Padilla said. “He did have some thoughts about how the cat died, but nothing that was supported by evidence.”
Padilla said these reports did not provide evidence to confirm whether the two incidents were related.
Both reports were documented, one police report and the other via Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) notes, according to Padilla.
“As with any incident, we need to verify that a crime has occurred before a criminal investigation is conducted,” he said.
Padilla said if there is not enough evidence to generate leads that could identify a suspect, the case is closed pending new information.
“In both of the reports we received the incidents are closed pending new information,” he said.
The closing of the cases upset Pagnossin. She said she called Kent Police to reopen a closed case, but was unsuccessful. She said as many as 10 people have sent her photos about dead cats in the Kent and Auburn area.
“A lot of people don’t want to think there’s a cat serial killer,” she said.
Padilla said he appreciated that residents reported the dead cats.
“We understand the community concern regarding these incidents,” he said. “Pets are cherished and for many they are considered members of their family. The Kent Police Department is committed to thoroughly investigating these incidents and where a crime has been committed, working to identify and apprehend the offender(s).”
Padilla said it can be difficult to figure out how animals are killed.
“It’s important to understand that a criminal investigation hinges on determining how the death of the cat (any animal) occurred,” he said. “While in some incidents it is clear that the death is caused by a human, in others it is not clear.”
Auburn Police have not had any reports of cat deaths other than a few hit by cars, according to a police spokesperson who contacted the city’s animal control officer. The city of Auburn has its own animal control services and is not part of Regional Animal Control Services of King County.
Report suspicious cat deaths
For Kent Police, call the non-emergency line at 253-852-2121.
For King County animal control, call 206-296-7387 (PETS) or file a report at kingcounty.gov/AnimalControl.
In an emergency that threatens the health or safety of a human or animal, call 911.
