TW+CW: Photos of dead animals that readers might find distressing.

Five stray cats have been found dead in Sliema in what residents suspect are attacks of animal cruelty.Images sent to Lovin Malta and posted online show deceased in the area of St Alphons street, Our Saviour street and St Charles street.

Sliema Mayor John Pillow even issued a community alert via social media. “Heartbreaking: Multiple Cats Attacked and Killed in Sliema,” he wrote.

The first cat was black and white and found in a box on Saturday 7th June, Debbie Calamatta wrote on social media, raising the alarm of what has been found over the past few weeks.Following the first incident, a male neutered ginger cat called Chico was attacked between the night of 8th June and morning of the 9th, Calamatta explained.

“Chico was found full of blood and limping.”Chico was taken to the vet and an X-ray found that part of his tongue was missing. Pupa, a black and white female cat who was neutered, was also found limping due to a wound on her leg, however, rescuers did not manage to capture her to take her to the vet. Not long after, she was found dead, with part of her tail cut off and her body coated in blood.“The attackers didn’t finish the job so they came back.”