Royston pet owner plea: ‘Be cautious with antifreeze’ after three cats poisoned

The Royston owner of three cats who died from antifreeze poisoning within just days of one another is appealing to the public to use the potentially lethal substance with caution.

It all started when just two weeks ago, Sandra Duffy’s cat Maisy became lethargic and a bit ‘off colour’.

Concerned that her state was deteriorating, she took the cat to Royston Vets who put her on fluids – but sadly there was nothing they could do.

She had barely enough time to digest the news before another of her cats, Maisy’s mother Bonnie, took ill two days later.

She was also put on fluids, but again the vets called back with the same verdict that nothing could be done to save her.

A few days later, Sandra was sitting watching TV when she heard a wailing noise. She said: “I found my cat Bella in the spare bedroom having a fit. The vets said ‘bring her in straight away’. I’d never experienced anything like it in my life.

“The vets said it was most likely to be antifreeze poisoning. It can cause kidney failure.”

The branch manager of the High Street Post Office was so shaken by the deaths, she didn’t let her other three cats out for three days for fear of further tragedy.

She said: “But they were going mad. I thought: ‘Why should I make them stay in?’

“It’s an awful death for a cat to go through, I feel so bad for them.”

Sandra doesn’t think the deaths were malicious, but she is calling on people to exercise caution when using the product on their cars.

She said: “I think people need to be made aware of the dangers. Use a funnel, don’t pour it into a road, and clean up spills.”