Warning: This story contains an image some readers may find distressing.

Police are investigating a cruel case of animal abuse in which one friendly stray cat, Misha, was captured, killed, and left in a cardboard box for her feeder to find. 

The police received a report on Monday that a dead cat was found in Triq L-Ispnar, Mqabba. Investigations kicked off to trace the perpetrator. 

Claire Briffa, who has been taking care of Misha for the past 10 years, was the one to find the ginger and white cat dead that afternoon. 

At first, Briffa thought the box had garbage inside, left by one of the neighbours. 

But when she looked inside the box she was met with the most horrific sight.

Misha, with what appears to be a black pole on top of her lifeless body. Her mouth covered in black liquid. Photo: Claire Briffa

Inside was Misha, with what looked like a black pole placed on top of her lifeless body. Her mouth was wide open and covered in black liquid.

She said the cat had been dead for quite some time as there were bugs crawling around her mouth.

"My family has already faced some difficulties during this festive season, and this was the cherry on the top,” Briffa told Times of Malta. 

“Christmas is ruined and there will be no celebrations for my family. We are all heartbroken.”

Will the person who did this do it again?

Misha was covered with a piece of cardboard with three columns marked ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’. Underneath ‘yes’ was the number ‘1’, followed by ‘No’, with the number ‘2’, and the last ‘maybe’ with the number ‘3’.

Briffa believes it is a message addressed to her.

“I feed and take care of six cats. One cat is dead now, so could it be that there is the possibility the person who did this will do it again?”

She said the whole family is worried they will find another "horrible Christmas present" outside their door. 

Briffa recalled how Misha was the only cat out of the six she takes care of that would follow her for cuddles. She said she had not seen Misha for four days before discovering her body. She said she thought the cat was sick and would return in the following days.

When asked if she suspected who could have carried out the horrific deed, she said she could not point fingers. 

“All the cats’ bedding and bowls are on my property, and I never had any problems or complaints from my neighbours,” she said.

Claire Briffa found Misha, the stray cat she has been taking care of for the past 10 years, dead inside a box on Monday afternoon. Photo: Claire Briffa

€300 reward

Briffa also contacted the Real Animal Rights Foundation (RAR), whose co-founder, Romina Frendo had organised transport to pick up Misha’s body to be taken to the vet for an autopsy. 

Frendo said the autopsy results should be finalised by Thursday.

The NGO covered all the vet and autopsy costs.

Briffa appealed to the public for information about who placed the box on her road with the cat's body.

“We want justice for Misha to prevail, no one deserves this cruelty,” she said.

“I want the person who did this to Misha to see this and realise the pain they have caused. Animals are voiceless, and we need to unite to do what is best to protect them.” 

She also called on the government to push for stronger recognition of animal welfare rights. 

“We are receiving all these Christmas cards from politicians. Stop wasting that money, and spend it towards protecting our animals and funding all the volunteers who rescue and take care of them." 

Information can be passed on, in confidence, on rarmalta@gmail.com

RAR has pledged a €300 reward for anyone who provides information that can lead to the identification of the culprit.