Worried residents fear a “catnapper” is abducting their pets - after eight moggies went missing in the same street.

The RPSCA is investigating claims unsuspecting felines in Seasalter are being caught in a trap.

The high number of disappearances in the Florence Avenue area has sparked an outcry from residents.

None of the cats has been found and mystery still surrounds their disappearances.

Now, locals in Florence Avenue and Shamrock Avenue are warning other cat owners to be vigilant and keep their pets indoors before more go missing.

Resident Jayne Dawkins, 55, told how her beloved 14-year-old cat, called Clearoff, went missing on April 9.

And to her horror, she was then told how rumours were circulating of an alleged catnapper being at large.

“Over a period of time, cats have just gone missing,” she said.

“Obviously it just happens and you don’t think anything more about it.”

She was informed by a neighbour how there had been at least eight incidents of cats going missing over the past year.

She told how “absolutely dreadful” it has been to learn someone could be abducting them.

Mrs Dawkins says if a person is behind the disappearances she suspects they are “feeding a fetish”.

Speaking about her ginger and white moggy, Clearoff, she added: “We loved him very much and we didn’t want him to clear off at all.”

She has asked residents to look out for him - and check outbuildings, sheds and garages.

Barbara Binding, 67, says her young cat Penny went missing on Guy Fawkes Night and assumed she got frightened by a firework.

But she has since learned of the reports of the cat trap and now fears her pet has been poisoned and dumped.

The moggie was 13-months-old when she went missing and has left its twin, Poppy, roaming around searching for her sibling.

Mrs Binding now makes sure the other young cat is in the house before 6pm, fearing she could also go missing.

“It seems so strange that they’ve all disappeared and surely out of that eight, one or two would have turned up somewhere,” she said.

“The charities are very good because the minute someone reports a stray cat around, they go out with chip machines.

“I know there are reports cats can reappear months or sometimes years later.

“But it’s just how they’ve all disappeared overnight in quite a localised area and not one of them has been found.”

She has urged people who might know anything to come forward with information.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “We are aware of reports of a number of cats allegedly being caught in a trap and going missing in the Seasalter area in Kent.

“We are looking into this and would urge anyone with any new information or evidence to please contact our inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018.”

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here.

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