Family fear cats poisoned by anti-freeze

Helen Carter (47), and daughter Rhianna (20) of Keppel Road, Scholes, said they had been left “absolutely devastated” after five-year-old Tristan and Idris (12) died within three days of each other.

Tristan died on Friday July 1, then, on the following Monday, Rhianna was also told her cat Idris could not be saved either and vets said they believed both cats were intoxicated.

Helen said: “We are absolutely devastated. My daughter was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when she was a child and that’s why we got her the cat.

“He was her companion and he never left her side. He was a really big help to her and they were devoted to each other.”

Helen said the family had specifically bought the home in Scholes last year as it had two large gardens for their much-loved pets.

She said: “I don’t want to believe that one of our neighbours has done this purposefully but it’s very difficult to think otherwise.

“I am hoping that it’s something in somebody’s garage or shed that the cats have got into.

“My head is all over the place and I just want to move house again because part of me thinks that somebody round here thinks more of their garden than our cats.”

The family first noticed a problem when Helen’s partner Gary found Tristan collapsed in the hallway on Thursday evening.

Helen said the cat’s eyelids were halfway across his eyes and his tongue was sticking out.

She added: “I immediately knew something was wrong and when I went to collect him from the emergency vets to take him to another surgery he became floppy and unresponsive.

“Within about ten minutes, an assistant said it was probably antifreeze poisoning and it was better to have him put down.”

Helen said the family became worried for the health of Idris when he was not eating on Sunday.

He had been sick overnight on Sunday and Helen found him collapsed in their neighbour’s garden on Monday.

She added: “We put him in the car and rushed him to the vet as well but I quickly established it was the same problem.

“If somebody has purposefully done this then it is just indefensible. If it was an accident, and I pray that it was, then I would ask people to check for antifreeze in their garages and sheds.”

A RSPCA spokeswoman said: “Losing two much-loved family pets like this must be very upsetting and distressing incident for the owner.

“At this stage we do not know if these were accidental incidents or deliberate but in the meantime we would ask for everyone in the area to check where they keep their pesticides and chemicals including antifreeze and make sure it is secure and out of the way of cats.”

Signs of poisoning can be seen anything from 30 minutes after a cat has ingested the chemical, but it can be two or three days before signs of kidney failure are seen. 

The spokeswoman said the signs of poisoning could include one, or several of the following: vomiting, seeming depressed or sleepy, appearing drunk and uncoordinated, seizures, and difficulty breathing.

“If you suspect that your cat has been poisoned you should take it to a vet immediately,” she added.