Is a spate of cat attacks linked to an underground animal torture ring?
Activist suggests a link to an online network and flags other attacks across Malta
Attacks on cats that have taken place in Sliema and other towns in recent weeks could be related to an underground marketplace of torture videos, an animal rights activist believes.
The attacks first came to light on June 17, when Debbie Calamatta, a member of the Facebook group Malta Pet Adoption Group, raised the alarm about five stray cats that had been killed or injured across several streets in Sliema.
Investigations were subsequently launched by the Animal Welfare Department and the police.
The Real Animal Rights Foundation has also been keeping track of the attacks and one of its members, Romina Frendo, noted that similar attacks on cats have been recorded in Valletta, Floriana and Cospicua in the past days.
When contacted by Times of Malta, Frendo suggested the attacks might be part of an underground animal abuse ring that records cats being tortured to sell those videos for profit.
An investigation by CNN uncovered advertisements to torture and kill cats on camera, shared by communities that celebrate extreme acts of violence against animals. Videos of such animal abuse have been posted on X, YouTube and Facebook.
An activist group interviewed in the report said the source of much of the content came from mainland China.
While the first victim in Malta was initially believed to have been a black and white cat found dead in a box on June 7, Frendo said she had received information which showed the first case was in May at Bieb Il-Bombi in Floriana, where a black cat with a smashed face was found alive.
Two other killings occurred in Valletta, while another was reported in Bormla.
In all cases, the cats were found to have sustained similar injuries: missing tongues, severely injured faces and partially chopped off tails.
Frendo posted a screengrab from CCTV footage showing the alleged attacker walking down Our Saviour Street in Sliema in the early hours of June 11, before grabbing a cat called Pupa, running into nearby St Charles Street and slamming her into the ground.
“I believe the perpetrator is targeting friendly cats at known feeding spots,” Frendo told Times of Malta, while urging people to be vigilant and bring their outdoor cats inside.
The activist also advised people who came across dead cats not to dispose of their bodies so they could be used as evidence.
Real Animal Rights Foundation is offering a €1000 reward for information that could lead to the identification of the perpetrator.