Nine cats have had to be put down at a Black Country vets within weeks after being poisoned with anti-freeze.

The cats were rushed by their owners to a veterinary practice a suffering with kidney failure in the past six weeks.

Wolverhampton’s Bilston Vet Clinic said today it had dealt with more cases of anti-freeze poisoning since October than it has in the past five years. Cats from The Lunt, Coseley and Sedgley have been taken into the surgery, leading to fears they are being deliberately targeted.

Vets say it has been upsetting dealing with so many cat deaths in a short space of time.

Steve Mullender, who is a surgeon at the clinic situated in Hall Street, said: “It has been very distressing to have to put to sleep these young cats. The high number of cats affected within the last six weeks is certainly out of the ordinary.

“We have seen one or two cats affected within the last five years but never such a large number of cats.

“Antifreeze is very toxic to cats and sadly once ingested they suffer from kidney failure within a few days.

“Effective treatment is only available if caught within the first 24 hours but this is not normally possible as the cat shows no sign of being unwell within this time,” he explained.

“By the time the cats show signs of illness there is nothing we can do,” he said.

Cats who have been poisoned are expected to show signs of depression, vomiting, lethargy, seizures, weakness or refusal to eat.

RSPCA inspector Martin Dolan said: “It could be that the cats are being targeted maliciously or it is accidental, we just don’t know.

“Losing a cat in this way is heartbreaking and we need to warn people of the dangers of antifreeze.”

The cat deaths come as police officers continue to investigate the mystery disappearance of some 47 cats from the same Black Country community.

Since 2001 dozens of pet cats have gone missing in and around Meriden Avenue and Vicarage Road in Wollaston. Residents have handed over a name to police of a man they believe may be connected to the snatchings.

Anyone with information about the latest string of cat deaths should contact the RSPCA National Cruelty And Advice Line by telephoning 0300 1234 999.