Humane Society checking whether feral cats killed by poison

6/21/2013

LAKESIDE -- The Humane Society of Ottawa County is investigating reports that feral cats in Lakeside are being killed by poisoning, which violates Ohio’s animal cruelty law.

At least two cats have died under suspicious circumstances in the past several weeks, said Humane Officer Matt Koser.

The Humane Society is waiting for the results of necropsies to verify how they were killed. In order to be able to charge anyone for animal cruelty, necropsies must be performed on each deceased cat that is found to prove that it was poisoned, he said.

“Otherwise they could be dying from feline leukemia or something else,” Officer Koser said. “The average lifespan of a feral cat is about two years, maximum.”