Family wake to find kitten brutally killed

Opie Yates (L) says her family's pet kitten was smashed against a wall. Photo / Alan Gibson

Tauranga police have warned pet owners to keep their animals secure following a spree of animal abuse in the city.

A 3-month-old kitten was yesterday smashed against a door frame and left bloodied on a porch while its owners slept inside. The offender then placed a purple hydrangea flower on the body before fleeing the scene.

The killing took place on Cameron Rd, in Tauranga, just a couple of blocks from where a dog had its ears brutally cut off two weeks ago.

And earlier this week, a 3-year-old dogue de Bordeaux in the city was burned to death by an arsonist.

The latest victim is Joney, a black kitten who belonged to a family of five.

Police believe the latest attack was a stand-alone incident, rather than a serial abuser, but advised pet owners to make sure their animals were safe.

"He's my favourite," said 7-year-old Winter Graham yesterday, just hours after her family buried Joney in their yard.

"He follows me and knows what time I come home from school."

Winter, her sister Afina and her mother, Opie Yates, woke up yesterday morning about 7.30am and noticed there was no meow like they were used to hearing every morning for three months.

They walked outside and saw blood on the wall and Joney lying on his side.

"We were saying, 'Where's the cat?' Then the kids saw it and we were all upset. We cried and went inside and ... comforted each other," Ms Yates said.

"You could see someone had squeezed his head and grabbed his legs ... and banged him against the wall."

Acting Senior Sergeant Wayne Lambert, of Tauranga, said owners of animals in the Gate Pa, Cameron Rd area should take extra care of their animals.

"[The incidents] may be related because they're in a similar area or they might be copycat-type incidents - or they could be completely separate - it's hard to know," Mr Lambert said.

"The incident is particularly concerning due to the callous and inhumane treatment of the animal."