A family believe their two cats have been deliberately poisoned with antifreeze, sparking fears for other moggies in the area.

Is a cat-killer at large in West Malling?

It seems a cat killer has poisoned two family pets, sparking fears for other moggies in the area.

James Sweeney, his wife Amy and their two-year-old daughter had to have Purdey and Dexter put down on Friday on the advice of a vet.

The brother and sister pair, who they adopted from a rescue home 15 years ago, had previously been in good health and well cared for at their home in Willowmead, Leybourne.

The cats were brother and sister and had been with the Sweeneys since they adopted them from a rescue home 15 years ago.

While they were away, a friend came round to their home in Willowmead, West Malling, every day to feed the cats and let them out to exercise in the garden.

From around December 28, the cats both grew ill and after the Sweeneys returned on New Year’s Day, they took the cats to Abbotsley Veterinary Surgery, where unfortunately on January 4 they had to be put down.

West Malling's Abbotsley Vet Ute Dech said: “I am 100% sure both cats ingested antifreeze.

"It leaves distinctive crystals in the kidneys.

“Sadly the window for any effective treatment is only around 12 hours after digestion, so by the time the pets showed any symptoms it would already have been too late.”

Cats find antifreeze attractive, but it causes liver failure.

James Sweeney, 39, said: “The first question the vet asked was whether the cats could have had access to antifreeze.

"The answer was no. They never left our back garden which has a high fence and we don’t store any antifreeze."