The recent spate of mutilated feline remains at the Universiti Malaya (UM) campus in Kuala Lumpur sparked outrage among animal lovers and the general public.
Two cats were found, on separate occassions, with their legs broken, limbs cut off, and abdomens split on the campus’ grounds on 12 and 16 December.
Members of UM’s student union shared a statement addressing the disturbing find and filed a police report as well, after which the police went to the campus with Kuala Lumpur City Council’s (DBKL) veterinary unit to investigate the matter.
After the investigation, police believed that wild dogs in the area were responsible for the deaths of the cats.
Third cat found dismembered on UM grounds
On 18 December, a third cat with all its limbs missing was found on the UM campus grounds.
A photo shared by animal rescuer Shima Aris of the cat named Lily showed the feline with its front and hind legs nowhere to be found. From the photo, many were of the opinion that the cut at the limbs were very clean, raising doubts it was the work of wild dogs.
This made many believe that a human being was behind these violent acts.
Police confirm the killings were caused by wild dogs
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) issued a statement on Sunday (22 December) to confirm that wild dogs in the area were responsible for killing the cats found on the UM campus.
The police said there were no witnesses but CCTV camera footage in the surrounding area showed that wild dogs had attacked the cats.
However, the footage was not made public.
Malaysia Cat Club Wants Thorough Investigation
The Malaysia Cat Club has expressed hope that authorities will conduct a more thorough investigation into the incident.
President of the Malaysia Cat Club, Khalid Rashid said while the cause of death was reportedly due to attack by stray dogs, he believes that the manner of death is somewhat illogical.
As reported by Harian Metro, Khalid clarified that he is not questioning the results of the authorities’ investigation but hopes that relevant parties will reexamine the case given the various reactions from the public.
“We’re also unsure of the cause, and it’s said to be due to a dog attack. But in my view, as someone who has rescued many cats, (the injuries on the cat) don’t quite match being eaten or attacked by stray dogs. The way it died is different, so I hope the authorities can help conduct a more detailed and transparent investigation into this case. If a dog were responsible (for the attack), usually the dog would lunge for the neck or tear open the stomach, and it’s rare for it to consume everything. But the cat’s leg (in this case) seems to have been severed,” he said.
Khalid also hopes that the tragic incident will be reinvestigated with the involvement of parties or individuals with expertise in such matters.
Volunteers Rescue Stray Cats At UM
With uncertainty over what caused the deaths of the three cats, a group of volunteers launched a mission to rescue stray cats at the UM campus.
In a video shared on the TikTok account (@shopbyhz), members of the public can be seen working together to locate and place the cats into cages.
The captured cats were then taken to a safe location before being brought to a veterinary clinic for health check-ups, neutering, vaccinations, and treatments for worms and fleas.
According to a My Stray Rescue volunteer, their team aimed to rescue approximately 30 cats that night.
“Thank God, we successfully rescued 22 cats with the assistance of compassionate UM students and rescue team members who accompanied us throughout this mission,” said the My Stray Rescue account in a post.
According to another volunteer, Haniz, they were unable to rescue all the cats because a faculty at the university was allegedly opposed to the initiative.
Serial killer in the making?
Frequent killing of animals have been linked to serial killing of humans, according to a paper published by the Warren County Municipal Center in New York titled ‘The Connection Between Animal Cruelty and Human Violence’.
”Animal cruelty can be one of the earliest and most dramatic indicators that an individual is developing a pattern of seeking power and control by inflicting suffering on others,” the paper wrote.
The paper also highlighted that many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology over the last couple of decades have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty.
Animal abuse and cruelty has been on the rise in Malaysia, and it includes dogs as well.
the most notable cruelty to a dog in Malaysia this year was the killing of Kopi, a beloved stray dog who was shot by the Terengganu local council in an effort to cull strays in the Besut district.
