At least six domesticated cats have been found dead - three hanging from trees - at Navy Park in Oxford St, South Dunedin, recently, in the area's latest spate of suspicious pet deaths.
Smokey - a 3-month-old grey - was the latest victim, found hanging by owner Murray Shieffelbien on Saturday as he cleared broken glass and other rubbish from the park, less than a block from his Oxford St home.
Mr Shieffelbien reported the incident to police, having found five other dead cats in the park since late February.
Three were hanging from trees - two by wire - and the others were found dead on the ground.
They had injuries consistent with being hit on the head, Mr Shieffelbien said.
''It makes me angry and sad that this is happening.''
Because the cats lacked identification tags he was unable to contact owners.
''I didn't want children going to the park and seeing that. And they were starting to smell, so I wrapped them in plastic bags and put them in the bin.''
Mr Shieffelbien, a security guard, said he did not report those incidents because he did not think there was any- thing anyone could do. But finding his own cat prompted him to act.
His partner, Pat McKean's, cat Missy was found in Navy Park with its throat slit late last year.
''There is definitely someone in the area killing them. Before Christmas quite a few pet cats were found dead lying in gutters and things like that. Then it died down, but now too many cats have been hanged to let someone get away with it.''
Mr Shieffelbien and Mrs McKean were keeping their remaining cat - Chilla - and two of its 8-week-old kittens safely indoors.
Senior Constable Ruth Parsons, of South Dunedin, urged anyone who witnessed suspicious behaviour in the area to contact police.
SPCA Otago inspector Julie Richardson was ''sickened'' by the cat hangings and also encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
Ms Richardson said the cat deaths would be reported to the SPCA's national office, which had requested any information about cat cruelty since widespread coverage of Gareth Morgan's anti-cat campaign.
Those convicted of wilful ill-treatment of animals could be sentenced to five years in jail and made to pay a $100,000 fine.
