Animal welfare officers say a cat found drowned in a pillowcase in Fife was still alive when it was put in the sea.
The Scottish SPCA says the remains of a young female cat were found last week in Leven.
A post mortem revealed the animal had died by drowning in what inspectors call a “horrific, terrifying” death.
They believe it had been well cared for up until it died.
The cat was found on Leven Promenade last Wednesday (April 20), leaving the member of the public who made the discovery distressed.
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Scottish SPCA inspector Robyn Gray said: “This is a very concerning incident that was understandably distressing for the member of public involved.
“The cat is a young adult, black and white cat who is not microchipped and was not wearing a collar.
“She was found in a pillowcase, which was tied up with a black hair bobble. There were also the remains of a green, plastic refuse sack inside the pillowcase.
“When the incident was reported we collected the cat and sent the body for a post mortem. The post mortem has concluded that the cat drowned.
‘Deliberate drowning’
“There is no bruising to suggest she was held down so it’s likely she was still alive when she was placed in the bag and put in the sea.”
The animal’s death is not believed to have been accidental, with the drowning described as a “deliberate act”.
Inspector Gray added: “The post mortem also showed she has been cared for up to this point as she was in good body condition, with no medical issues and had been fed shortly before she was killed.
“It is an offence to deliberately harm or kill an animal and we’re sure that someone out there must recognise this cat, or the pillowcase she was found in.
“We would urge anyone with information on this incident to contact the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
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