Phantom cat clipper causes owners distress

A cat owner has said she has been left "really upset" when her pet returned home with parts of the fur shaved off.

Elouise Evans, who lives in Pinchbeck, near Spalding, in Lincolnshire, said her cat Dolly had been targeted three times in three years, with fur on her belly, back and right leg having been clipped.

"It's really upsetting if I'm honest - it's one of those things that can induce such anxiety in them," she said.

Police have urged cat owners in the area to be vigilant after officers said they were made aware of similar incidents in the village and in Kirton, near Boston, which officers described as "very bizarre".

Another Pinchbeck resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said both of his cats had been targeted multiple times and described the behaviour as "weird".

He said it was "concerning" that someone was deliberately clipping their fur.

Insp Matthew Dickinson, from Lincolnshire Police, said the cats did not appear physically harmed but small areas of their fur had been shaven "by some form of hair clippers".

"The motivation behind this is not known," he said.

The officer described the incidents as "completely unacceptable".

"Whatever the motivation behind this, it is not something that should be taking place," he said.

"The cats in question are someone's pet, part of their family and not only will these actions cause anxiety to the animal they also cause worry to their owners.

"Anyone who is evidenced to be responsible for doing this will have robust action taken against them and where necessary be prosecuted for any criminal offences identified.

"This is not a bit of fun and needs to stop now."

He encouraged owners to report any incidents to police.

Aaliyah Thorpe, who also lives in Pinchbeck and has three cats, said although her pets had not yet been targeted it was a worrying situation.

"It just makes me wonder why they are doing it.

"It is very strange.

"There are a lot of cats on this street and it seems to be happening more often," she said.

BBC News
Archive [February 18 2025]

 

[obsdj]

People tend to think that because cats are independent and can fight, they can survive outdoors.

Yes, they can fight each other. But they can’t fight cars, or large predators like gators in the south or bears/mountain lions etc. and they can’t fight off diseases like FELV and FIV and rabies. And then there are the sickos who leave out poisoned food, or traps to collect stray cats for dogfighting, or worse. Yes, I have THOUGHTS on the subject.

 

[Tasty Tatty]

Yes, they can fight each other. But they can’t fight cars, or large predators like gators in the south or bears/mountain lions etc. and they can’t fight off diseases like FELV and FIV and rabies. And then there are the sickos who leave out poisoned food, or traps to collect stray cats for dogfighting, or worse. Yes, I have THOUGHTS on the subject.

I agree with you there. Morons tend to believe that life outside for cats it's like the Aristocats.

 

[PhoBingas]

My first thought was that the cats were getting burrs/mats in their fur by virtue of being an outdoor cat and someone removed them. The areas that have been shaved are some of the easiest places for burrs to catch and mats to develop, and they're small areas shaved, not big ones like you'd think someone making a statement about keeping your cat inside would have done.

Who knows? Might have been dumb kids who stole their dad's electric razor, might have been a concerned, yet snotty citizen passive-aggressively getting burdocks out of cats. It's a little odd to still have burdocks in February though, but who knows? Maybe they've had light snow and there's still dead and dried ones sitting around.

 

[Otterly]

The culture in the uk is that it’s cruel to keep cats inside. My own cat is an ex farm cat who would NOT be kept in. He has broken cat flaps, and will get out any way he can. He’s very old now, and prefers being inside, but for a cat that’s had outdoor time it’s not easy to keep them in. We also don’t have big predators, or rabies, although we do have cars and shitbulls so if you live in a shitbull dense area, keep them in.
my next cat/s will be indoor cats, just explaining that the general culture in the uk is that cats go outside.

 

[Sparkletor 2.0]

Makes me think of Jackass where one of them has cordless clippers and shaves a spot in someone else's hair. Probably some punk kids who are doing this to each other and also random animals they can get a hold of. If the cat is able to let them get close enough to shave it, it probably knows them from the area. Have the police look for neighborhood kids who have fucked up hair.

 

[Overwritten Tapes]

People tend to think that because cats are independent and can fight, they can survive outdoors. When I first got my cat, the guy who gave him to me told me that the cat was already a "house pet", meaning, he couldn't survive outside as a stray. We always kept him inside and only let him out to the garden. Once they become pets, it's not the same.

I miss him, guys : (

I have six house cats. They all yearn to go outside. When I put a harness on one and take them out, they freak out and want to attack everything, even me. One got loose on accident for 2 weeks and was emaciated and was missing fur when I got him back. Never again.

 

[Al from Dadeville]

has 24/7 to plot its escape

You are getting outsmarted by an animal with a brain the size of a walnut

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

Yes, they can fight each other. But they can’t fight cars, or large predators like gators in the south or bears/mountain lions etc. and they can’t fight off diseases like FELV and FIV and rabies. And then there are the sickos who leave out poisoned food, or traps to collect stray cats for dogfighting, or worse. Yes, I have THOUGHTS on the subject.

You can vaccinate against FELV, but that isn't possible for FIV and rabies. If your cat gets FELV it means you are a shit owner that didn't get them their vaccinations and you should be beaten with a stick until you can't stand any longer.

The culture in the uk is that it’s cruel to keep cats inside. My own cat is an ex farm cat who would NOT be kept in. He has broken cat flaps, and will get out any way he can. He’s very old now, and prefers being inside, but for a cat that’s had outdoor time it’s not easy to keep them in. We also don’t have big predators, or rabies, although we do have cars and shitbulls so if you live in a shitbull dense area, keep them in.
my next cat/s will be indoor cats, just explaining that the general culture in the uk is that cats go outside.

When I lived in the UK and adopted a cat in the adoption application they had a clause that mandated that the cat have access to the backyard. That didn't happen, and he was perfectly happy as a lazy housecat. I loved my moggy with all my heart. He was a good cat.

 

[Tasty Tatty]

You are getting outsmarted by an animal with a brain the size of a walnut

Cats are pretty smart though.

 

[BradeRunna]

Maybe no one bothered the cat all and the old bitch is just crazy.

I am sure the cat just sat there and let some stranger cut its fur off.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

I agree with you there. Morons tend to believe that life outside for cats it's like the Aristocats.

My cat was born in an alley. She doesn't seem interested in going back now that she has servents, a guard dog, treats, toys, TV, beds everywhere, and catnip. She even has a TV in her room. Yes, the cat has a room for herself.

 

[Tasty Tatty]

My cat was born in an alley. She doesn't seem interested in going back now that she has servents, a guard dog, treats, toys, TV, beds everywhere, and catnip. She even has a TV in her room. Yes, the cat has a room for herself.

Not only I wouldn't come back, I would make any effort to deny I ever met those other ally cats.

 

[Eventide]

Could it perhaps be a piece of machinery or something mechanical the cats are getting their fur caught in, or singed off? It doesn't look like the work of a normal hair clipper, looks more like the fur got burned off . Also, the idea that a stranger could just go around shaving such a sensitive area of rando neighborhood cats seems a bit preposterous.

Hm, maybe a local salon's dumpster has hair remover cream in it?

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

Cats are pretty smart though.

and devious. They also have a rather low tolerance for crap from other organisms, have no problem letting them know that, and have much less of an issue than a human with a functioning brain in doing what is necessary to get exactly what they want. So, in many ways, it's like dealing with a furry toddler.

My cat was born in an alley. She doesn't seem interested in going back now that she has servents, a guard dog, treats, toys, TV, beds everywhere, and catnip. She even has a TV in her room. Yes, the cat has a room for herself.

My uncle rescued an alley cat. She is the same way, he offers to let her go back out, and she runs in the opposite direction. She enjoys being someone's cat and living in a house.

 

[Arkin O'Brien]

I had no idea so many cats were fixated on escaping. My childhood cats had absolutely no desire to escape to the outdoors. Even my mother's current cat (a mutt savannah cat) doesn't care about the outside.

I guess we just lucked out somehow.

 

[The Dude]

Makes me think of Jackass where one of them has cordless clippers and shaves a spot in someone else's hair. Probably some punk kids who are doing this to each other and also random animals they can get a hold of. If the cat is able to let them get close enough to shave it, it probably knows them from the area. Have the police look for neighborhood kids who have fucked up hair.

"Hi, I'm Mittens Knoxville, that's Whiskers Margera, and this is the Stealth Shaver!"

 

[Space Faring Marsupial]

Cats are pretty smart though.

Yeah I used to have a runner myself. He was the best cat in the world. But he was smart as fuck and escaped me and my brother both trying to catch him outside at night. Eventually I just started sitting outside at night watching after him till he would come back inside. When he realized I gave up catching him he would just sit next to me and chill. That is if he ran out at night. In the day he would just follow me around so it wasn't an issue.

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

savannah cat

You mean a stray from the Savannah in Africa (which is still rather interesting), or a random cat from Savannah, Georgia? If not, you are talking about a very unusual wild/housecat hybrid that is created from a Serval, a medium sized African feline. They are really cool.

You are getting outsmarted by an animal with a brain the size of a walnut

Cats use every micron of that walnut to come up with the best way for them to get exactly what they want.

I'm often impressed at how much intelligence cats manage to pack into such a moderate space.

 

[Arkin O'Brien]

You mean a stray from the Savannah in Africa (which is still rather interesting), or a random cat from Savannah, Georgia? If not, you are talking about a very unusual wild/housecat hybrid that is created from a Serval, a medium sized African feline. They are really cool.



Cats use every micron of that walnut to come up with the best way for them to get exactly what they want.

I'm often impressed at how much intelligence cats manage to pack into such a moderate space.

He's the hybrid type. My mom found him under a house when he was only a few weeks old, screaming in terror of a lawnmower. Took her about a week to catch him, then she took him to the vet. The vet told her that he was a savannah kitten. Her best guess is that an unneutered male F1 escaped and bred with a feral housecat.

So now my mom has a mutt savannah. He's very funny, very affectionate, and very doglike. Also very spastic and he never shuts up. He's a great little cat!

 

[Prokhor Zakharov]

He's the hybrid type. My mom found him under a house when he was only a few weeks old, screaming in terror of a lawnmower. Took her about a week to catch him, then she took him to the vet. The vet told her that he was a savannah kitten. Her best guess is that an unneutered male F1 escaped and bred with a feral housecat.

So now my mom has a mutt savannah. He's very funny, very affectionate, and very doglike. Also very spastic and he never shuts up. He's a great little cat!

Doglike would fit the personality of a Savannah cat. Damn, I wish I was that lucky. She got what is a 5 figure cat for free.

That would make it an F2, so somewhere in the 15-18 pound range, between 13.5 - 15.0 inches high at the shoulders.

Does it have ocelli on the ears?

This is what they look like (in the red circle ellipse):



They are the light band in between two dark bands on the ears.

If the cat has ocelli it must be a hybrid. Ocelli don't ever happen in regular housecats, they lack the gene for it. The only way for a housecat to have ocelli is for it to be a hybrid

If it has ocelli and solid black spots on its coat, it's a Savannah. If it has ocelli and it has rosettes on its coat, it's a Bengal.