Police are hunting cruel yobs who tied a missing cat inside a bag before drowning it in a Highland river.
A group of teenagers were swimming near Ullapool on Saturday when they spotted a suspicious holdall that had been weighed down with a brick.
The body of a decomposed ginger tom was found inside, which was later identified as being a 10-year-old cat named Ziggy. The moggy had been missing from his home in Morefield Place, Ullapool, since the afternoon of Saturday, April 16.
His frantic owner described the former house cat’s disappearance as “out of character”, due to him rarely venturing far from home. Having had his microchip scanned, vets have now confirmed the cat from the bag is definitely Ziggy, whose death has been reported to police.
A devastating update from his owner, issued via the Tain & District Cats Protection Branch, told how their neighbours passed the teenagers who made the grim discovery.
They said: “I'm heartbroken to update you about Ziggy. Yesterday evening, three teenagers swimming in the river noticed a bag in the water weighed down with a brick and realised it was suspicious and got it out.
“Neighbours of ours were passing at the time and saw the boys were unsure what to do and took over, opened the bag and found a ginger cat inside. They knew about Ziggy and brought the body home and phoned me.
“Even though there was some decomposition I knew immediately it was Ziggy but we have been through to Conanvet this morning and the vet scanned for his microchip and it is definitely him.
"I can't believe someone could be so cruel and/or cowardly to do this plus risk children finding it as much younger children swim in that bit of the river too.
“I am so grateful yet upset for the boys who found him as it can't have been pleasant for them and to my neighbours for carrying his body back home for us.
"We at least have some sort of closure now, knowing not to keep looking out everywhere for him but I am so sad."
Police Scotland have confirmed they are investigating the circumstances of the grim discovery.
A statement from the force said: “Police at Ullapool have been made aware of the discovery of a dead cat found within a tied bag in the River Ullapool on Sunday, June 26, 2022. Enquiries into the circumstances are on-going.”
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