Sixteen cat carcasses were recovered from a 6ft-deep pond behind an empty house in Howcotte Green, Canley, Coventry, after children discovered a floating cat on 17 May. Two of the deceased were identified by local carer Paula Singleton. The RSPCA and West Midlands Police are investigating; early veterinary checks found no clear signs of attack, but the presence of disposable gloves and frozen bodies has left questions unresolved. Neighbours and charities stress that steep-sided ponds can pose a drowning risk, and the community awaits post-mortem results.
16 Cats Found Dead In Abandoned Coventry Pond — RSPCA And Police Investigate
The remains of about 16 cats were discovered in the pond which is about 6ft deep [Paula Singleton]
What began as a single grim sighting — a cat floating in a large garden pond — has left residents of Howcotte Green in Canley, Coventry, shocked and searching for answers. Volunteers and neighbours recovered the remains of 16 cats from a 6ft-deep water tank behind an empty semi‑detached house after children playing hide-and-seek raised the alarm on 17 May.
The cats were found in the garden of an abandoned property on Howcotte Green [BBC]
Local resident Paula Singleton, known in the area for caring for strays, said two of the animals were her missing pets, Gingernut (one year old) and Clyde (four). After hours scooping the water with a net, she found multiple bodies; some images she took were described as too graphic to publish. Singleton disputes the idea that the cats simply fell in and drowned, saying many of the animals in the neighbourhood avoid large bodies of water.
Paula Singleton found two of her cats, Gingernut and Clyde, dead in the pond [Paula Singleton]
Investigations Under Way — The RSPCA and West Midlands Police are leading enquiries. Initial veterinary examinations reported no clear signs of physical assault or skeletal trauma, and the RSPCA said it was keeping an "open mind" while noting accidental drowning is a possible explanation if animals were unable to exit a pond with steep concrete edges.
The road lies just yards away from a railway line and is close to Warwick University [BBC]
Photographs taken at the scene reportedly show disposable blue surgical gloves in the water and a box of gloves on a table in the garden, details that have deepened local concern. Three of the recovered cats are reported to be undergoing post-mortem examinations; however, frozen storage of some bodies may limit what conclusions pathologists can draw about whether the animals entered the pond alive or dead.
Cats Protection said cats were "typically cautious" around water [Getty Images]
The property is currently being marketed for sale. Neighbours have since reported boards placed over the open water. A GoFundMe appeal raised roughly £2,300 to cover post-mortem costs after initial confusion about who would fund examinations.
Expert Context — Animal charities stress that while most cats avoid water, accidents can occur where ponds have steep or slippery sides and no easy escape. Kittens, elderly or unwell cats are more vulnerable to exhaustion and drowning if they cannot climb out.
The RSPCA said it would act if post-mortem results or new evidence indicate deliberate harm. For now, the community remains shaken by the discovery and awaits further findings as police continue their inquiries.
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