A devastated cat owner from Rochester is calling for the owner of two greyhounds, which reportedly mauled her 16-year-old cat to death, to come forward to apologise.

Carol Bicker, of Orion Road, Rochester, was on holiday in the Forest of Dean when she received a phone call informing her of Pepper’s death.

The 47-year-old said the cat was well known in the Warren Wood area as children used to stroke him as he sat outside the Thomas Aveling School in Arethusa Road.

He was such a regular at the school that pupils nicknamed him Lucky, and thought if they saw him before an exam they would pass.

The mum-of-three said: “One of my neighbours saw a lady walking two greyhounds in Orion Road. They grabbed him between them and basically pulled him apart.

“The lady carried on walking up the street with the dead cat still in the mouth of one of the greyhounds.

“She looked like she didn’t know what to do.

“Even the vet that he was taken to said he nearly threw up it was so awful. I just really hope it was quick.”

"They grabbed him between them and basically pulled him apart" - Mrs Bicker

Mrs Bicker added that she didn’t blame the dogs for the attack but said they should have been wearing muzzles.

“I know they are ex-racing dogs but they should be muzzled so that this doesn’t happen to another cat.”

She said the alleged attack was reported to the police, but they were unable to help as a dog attacking a cat is not a crime.

“I would like the dog’s owner to come forward to say sorry,” Mrs Bicker said. “Or to help contribute to Pepper’s cremation costs. It’s not about the money, I have another cat and my daughter is scared to let him out.

“We originally rescued Pepper from the Dockyard. He was living off all of the dirty water and was a stray.

“The other cat is pining for him and isn’t eating.”

Since Pepper’s death on Thursday, Mrs Bicker has received a number of messages on Facebook from people who live in Warren Wood expressing their sympathy.

Mrs Bicker would also like to thank Grace, from The Thomas Aveling School’s library, who collected Pepper’s body for her.