25 Dead Cats Found Hanging From Tree Branches

A total of 25 dead cats were found hanging from tree branches in Yonkers, New York. Authorities said the cats were placed inside trash bags, which were found hanging in the trees. The grisly discovery was made by sanitation workers during the annual Spring cleanup of Overlook Terrace.

Ernest Lungaro, director of the Winchester Humane Law Enforcement Division, said each bag contained one cat. Lungaro believes the cats were killed prior to being placed inside the bags. If the cats were alive, they could have clawed their way out. Lungaro said there were no signs of struggle.

Lungaro said the 25 dead cats were found in various stages of decomposition. As some of the remains are skeletal, officials estimate the cats have been hanging in the trees for up to one year.

Although the scene was grim, officials are unsure whether the cats were intentionally killed or the suspect simply disposed of animals that were already dead. USA Today reports that necropsies will be performed on all 25 cats to determine their cause of death.

As sanitation crews clean the area annually, the cats could not have been there for more than one year. Lungaro said “it’s something very odd… a lot of cats to be disposed of in a year.”

Although the region is plagued with feral cats, officials are unsure if the cats were wild or domesticated.

Police Lieutenant Patrick McCormack said officials occasionally find dead animals in plastic bags. However, they have never found them hanging from trees. McCormack said the case is certainly unusual but there is no evidence indicating the cats were used in rituals.

As reported by The Journal News, the thin plastic bags were neatly tied onto the branches of the trees. Local residents said they did not notice anything unusual about the bags. As the woods are “regularly used as a dumping ground,” neighbors just assumed they contained trash.

Last year, Yonkers residents reported that numerous pets and wild animals were found dead throughout northeast region. Although it is unclear what killed the animals, residents believe they were intentionally poisoned.

Authorities are attempting to determine how the 25 cats died and who hung them from the branches. Anyone with information about the bizarre situation is encouraged to contact the SPCA’s Animal Cruelty Hotline at 914-941-7797.

Officials are interested in any information that will lead them to the person who hung 25 dead cats in the woods. Although it is unclear whether the suspect intentionally killed the cats, the entire situation is gruesome.

[Image via NY Daily News]