The Lower Saucon Township Police Department said in a post on its Facebook page Thursday that several cats found dead in Steel City recently may have been poisoned.
“These deceased stray cats have no trauma and appear to be healthy otherwise,” police said. “There is a suspicion that they may have been poisoned. Please be advised that intentionally poisoning any domesticated animal is Cruelty to Animals and a Misdemeanor of the first degree.”
The LSTPD also shared a link to a Humane Society of the United States article about “Outdoor Cats: Frequently Asked Questions.”
The article explains the difference between stray cats and feral cats, and advises people not to assume that outdoor cats are feral cats.
“The cats you see outside may be cats whose owners let them outdoors, or they may be community cats, feral or stray cats who live outdoors,” according to the Humane Society. “Although these community cats aren’t owned, they may be fed by one or more caring person.”
It adds that: “A stray cat is a pet who has been lost or abandoned, is used to contact with people, and is tame enough to be adopted. A feral cat is the offspring of stray or feral cats and is not accustomed to human contact. Feral cats are usually too fearful to be handled or adopted.”
In May, in an unrelated incident, a Steel City man admitted to killing a neighbor’s dog with a BB gun in 2012 because it was running back and forth between his chicken and rabbit coops.
Arthur S. Melo, 41, of the 2100 block of Saucon Avenue, pleaded guilty to summary animal cruelty charges, according to an article published by The Morning Call.
He is scheduled to be sentenced June 19 on the charges which rarely result in jail time, the article stated.
