St. Albert RCMP said Tuesday that their investigation into a series of apparent cat mutilations in the area had found the pets were not harmed at the hands of humans.
RCMP said on Thursday, September 3, officers received a report that a cat had been found in the Oakmont area of St. Albert, and appeared to have been mutilated.
Initial examination found the cat appeared to have died in a similar way to two other cats that had been reported to police near the end of August.
In Thursday’s case, the animal was left lying in a field – police said it had appeared to have been cut open.
A necropsy was carried out on the cat by the Chief Veterinarian Office at the University of Alberta – it was confirmed the cat was killed in a coyote attack.
Investigators compared photos of the third cat to the two previous cases, and said it’s believed all three pets died in coyote attacks.
Police said investigators have learned coyotes will often hunt cats, especially while training their pups to hunt.
RCMP said pet owners should be cautious with their pets, to keep pets indoors especially at night time.
