Five cats have died near Stonehaven in the last six months after they ingested antifreeze.
The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after being alerted to the most recent incident. A cat called Smudgie died due to ingesting a large amount of antifreeze in the village of Drumlithie near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire.
Scottish SPCA inspector, Karen Cooper, said: “We have received reports to our helpline that Smudge was the fifth cat in the last six months to die from antifreeze poisoning in the Drumlithie area.
“The vet confirmed that antifreeze was the substance that had poisoned these poor cats.
“We would urge everyone to be vigilant with their disposal of antifreeze as this is a substance that is highly poisonous to cats and dogs and causes a very slow and painful death.”
‘Anyone who uses this substance to cause deliberate harm is committing an offence.’
She added: “It could be that these cats accessed a garage or area where antifreeze is not stored safely, so we are appealing for local residents to please check anywhere that they think might be a risk.”
Antifreeze is a liquid that is added to the water in an engine’s cooling system in order to lower the freezing point. This means that the water will not freeze under normal cold weather conditions. The substance has been used in similar incidents over the years across the north.
Ms Cooper added: “It is essential that everyone stores antifreeze out of reach of cats and other animals. There are strict guidelines for use and anyone who uses this substance to cause deliberate harm is committing an offence.”
Anyone with information on this incident is being urged to contact the Scottish SPCA confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
The SSPCA has been at the forefront of tackling animal abuse across Scotland for over 182 years.
Their dedicated teams include inspectors and rescue officers who respond to potential cases of animal neglect or abuse.
It is also the only animal charity in the UK able to report animal cruelty cases to the Crown, with reports sent to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service.