SOMERVILLE, MASS. (WHDH) - A cat that was found “substantially mutilated” in Somerville on Thursday was killed by either a coyote or fisher cat, and not a human, officials said.
An animal control officer brought the cat to the Huron Veterinary Hospital, where staffers determined that the feline was killed by a canine species, according to the Somerville Police Department.
“It appears that two predators may have been fighting over the cat, leading to the extreme injuries,” police said in a tweet.
The department added that social media posts reporting that the cat was “killed in a ritualistic manner by a human” are totally false.
Police did not say where the cat was found.
Somerville Police received a call today regarding a deceased cat that was substantially mutilated. The cat was brought to Huron Vet and it was determined that the injuries were caused by a canine species, possibly a coyote, or a fisher cat, and not a human. pic.twitter.com/8wvWR8w3qF
— SomervillePolice (@SomervillePD) September 17, 2020
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)