An unknown creep in the U.K. has been shaving people’s pet cats, and at least 80 furry friends have fallen victim so far. Pet owners are on high alert as the bizarre, invasive trend rises, especially given that so many let their cats freely roam. “We would urge any owners whose cats have been victims of the shaving to book an appointment with their vet,” Samantha Watson, a cat expert with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, told TheWashington Post. The attacks have been centered in Kent, England, and some owners have said their cats were unharmed—aside from the shaving—while others have reported their cats injured. Watson suggested cat owners get the police involved as shaving a cat could lead to criminal charges, she says. Natasha McPhee, who runs charity Animals Lost and Found, called the shavings “cruel and senseless,” and said it seems like the work of multiple assailants. One pet owner told local media she “was so angry” that “some nasty human” had shaved her rescue cat George as he’s now “even more skittish” around people.
