Cat found hanged on fence next to nursery in Cheltenham - RSPCA investigates

A cat was found hanged by a belt on a fence next to a nursery.

The RSPCA is investigating the death of the white female feline who was discovered by staff at Gardner’s Lane Primary school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The cat's teeth were embedded in the fence, suggesting she had struggled desperately to break free.

The RSPCA said there were also scratch marks on a fence post, which also indicate she was alive when she was placed there. School staff screened the grisly scene from the view of school pupils attending school.

Gloucestershire Police removed the cat’s body and took her to a nearby charity-run animal rescue. RSPCA inspector Richard Carr, who is now investigating, said: “This is truly a horrible incident of animal cruelty. The cat’s body was found hanging by a belt on the fence right outside the school nursery where very young children could have seen.

“Fortunately the staff got there in time and blocked the view off before the police arrived. It does appear the cat was alive when she was placed on the fence and sadly there was evidence of her struggling to bite herself free. It really beggars belief why someone would commit an act as cruel and sick as this. There does not appear to be any CCTV cameras covering this location, so we would urge anyone with any information to get in touch with the RSPCA.”

The cat wasn’t microchipped, but the inspector believes she has been owned and was not feral. He says the cruel act could have been committed any time between the evening of Friday, November 10 and the morning of Monday, November 13.

The height the belt was attached rules out that the perpetrators were intending to abandon the cat tied to the fence, and that the act was one of intentional harm, the RSPCA added. Anyone with any information about the incident or who may know about the cat or her owners can ring the RSPCA appeals line number on 0300 123 8018.