My cat was my best friend – now she's been killed

Gavin Porter, 47, suspects his cat Abby was intentionally killed

A grieving cat owner believes his "best friend" was killed by animal abusers after he found her wedged in a window frame, prompting a police investigation.

Gavin Porter, from Ipswich, was drinking his first coffee of the day in the back garden when he discovered his black cat Abby’s body hanging out of the lounge window.

The 47-year-old, who thinks his pregnant cat was deliberately killed, reported the incident to Suffolk Police, which sent forensics officers to the scene.

The force confirmed it had looked into "reports of unnecessary suffering to a protected animal" and is now waiting for "new information" to come to light.

Abby, who was pregnant at the time of her death, is said to have been adored by all knew her

Mr Porter, whose girlfriend died from a heart attack last September, said he had suffered a stroke in the days following Abby’s death due to stress.

"There is no way she could have got herself in there, in the position she was in, because of the force it took me to get her out," he said.

"The rubbers would have been absolutely ripped to shreds if she had struggled, and her jawbone was locked in there, so I nearly had to break her jaw to get her out.

"She was a beautiful cat, a lovely cat. I got her after being homeless for just under two years. She was my best friend."

The window frame where Abby was reportedly found wedged was checked by police for fingerprints

Mr Porter is staying with Victoria Jenkins, a friend he has known since school, who took him and Abby into her home after hearing of his plight.

She said: "The hardest thing to do is not cry in front of your little girl – a two-year-old who is asking where Abby is. You just have to tell her she has gone to a new home.

"I can’t even be in my own lounge now. That’s how much it has affected me."

One of Victoria’s neighbours, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear she could be targeted, is now concerned for the safety of her own cats.

"I have a little black and white cat and we hadn’t seen him for about a week, and then he came in with cuts and marks which I couldn’t quite explain," she said.

"When I heard what happened it was so disturbing and upsetting – it’s distressing because animals can’t talk and can’t tell you what’s happening to them.

"When you hear such devastating news, you just feel sick. How can someone do that to a harmless animal? It’s such an anxiety and really worrying."

The incident comes as the RSPCA prepares for an "animal welfare crisis" this summer after 44,800 reports of cruelty were recorded in the first half of 2024.

More than 520 of those reports involved animals in Suffolk.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: "We are sorry to hear about this incident and our thoughts are with Abby’s owners.

"We would urge anyone who may have any information to contact the police who have been investigating this incident."