MALVERN vets have warned owners to be on their guard after a spate of antifreeze poisonings to cats.

Two vets have confirmed this week that five cats from Ramsons Walk and Maybank, off Townsend Way, have died and one is seriously ill after ingesting antifreeze. Another two are also thought to have died and two cats from the road are reported missing.

Cat owner Shani Stocker, of Maybank, has lost two cats in just two days. She found her family’s one-year-old cat Boris on Monday morning not moving but conscious and took him to White House Vets where the animal was diagnosed with antifreeze poisoning.

The next day, six-year-old Bubbles was sick and was taken to the vets.

The poisoning was also diagnosed in her but was too far advanced to be treated, and both cats had to be put down.

Richard Chamings, of White House Vets, said: “Cats are attracted to antifreeze, but it’s very poisonous to them. If they are treated really quickly, the treatment can be effective, but it has to be quickly.”

He said symptoms include vomiting and convulsions.

Jon Slattery, of Best Friends Vets, said that on Friday and Saturday four cats were brought to him from two neighbouring properties in Ramsons Close with antifreeze poisoning, three of which died. The other is still being treated.

He said: “Cats either drink it if there are puddles of it, or they pick it up on their feet and ingest it while grooming.

“It’s difficult to know exactly what advice to give to owners except try to keep cats indoors, and take them to the vet if they show the symptoms.

“We usually see this poisoning in the autumn, when car owners refill their radiators.

“It’s unusual now, but I can’t say if it’s deliberate.”

Miss Stocker has since been visiting door-to-door, alerting neighbours, and her children have been preparing warning leaflets using their computer.

She said: “I want to warn other cat owners to be alert, and if your cat shows the symptoms, take it straight to the vets. It’s horrible when it happens to your cats.

“I don’t know whether it’s just an accidental spill, perhaps into the stream that runs through the estate, but I’d ask anyone who uses antifreeze to be vary careful with it.”

Miss Stocker said at least two other cats from Ramsons Close have died and another two are reported missing.

Two other cats have been found dead in the road, but their owners are not known.

RSPCA animal welfare officer Suzie Smith is looking into the matter. Anyone with information can call her on 0300 1234999.