Someone is cutting the heads off cats in Maple Ridge, prompting a warning from both the RCMP and SPCA.
Mounties say four cats have been killed in the same two-kilometre radius in a residential area since July 15.
In each case, the felines had their heads removed and body parts were left on the owner's lawn.
One owner returned home to find her pet's severed head beside its pink collar.
A theory that the animals were attacked by a predator, such as a coyote, has been ruled out.
"It's definitely not. The animal wasn't chewed up. That would be very distinct. There appears to be definite cuts by a knife or another sharp object," an RCMP spokesperson told ctvbc.ca.
Cat owners are advised to keep a close eye on their pet and keep them inside as much as possible.
Marcie Moriarty, general manager of cruelty investigations for the SPCA, says area residents who notice suspicious activity should call police.
"In these types of cases realistically the only way they can be solved is if someone comes forward, but we urge people to take caution," she said.
"This is very disturbing."
