School shocked after brutal killings of kittens

Local activists say a mama cat and her three kittens that were being looked after at a Nicosia district high school were found viciously murdered last week, with reports suggesting the perpetrators could be young delinquents who have been terrorizing the school community.

Animal police in Nicosia are investigating a case of animal abuse at Dali high school, following a complaint filed last week when a mama cat and her newborn kittens were found dead.

Police say an adult cat was said to have been tortured, spray-painted, and hanged on May 5 according to a complaint, while additional reports the following day said a litter of kittens was also found slaughtered while their blood was used to paint a wall.

According to former Green MP George Perdikis, who appeared on local television, a litter of kittens was in the care of the students at the high school with the mama cat and babies being looked after by the cleaning lady and other administrative staff.

“It wasn’t a hostile environment there, the situation was very friendly towards the kittens,” the former MP said.

Perdikis went on to say that last Thursday “unknown persons murdered the three young kittens and used their blood to paint the walls."

Police confirmed the incident was under investigation and told Knews on Tuesday that the original complaint was regarding an adult cat while there were no known suspects.

But in a different post on Facebook, the MP said there was new information pointing to a student gang within the school.

“It turns out the latest information points to a small group of young delinquent students who are terrorizing the school community,” Perdikis wrote on Monday.

The Green Party said it believed the perpetrators had prior knowledge of a pregnant cat on school premises.

“The fact that they spray painted the mama cat earlier shows premeditated crime,” the party said.

Perdikis also pointed the finger at the school system, saying “schools are failing not only in imparting skills on our children but also teaching them manners, culture and humanity.”