crime

Man suspected of killing at least 100 pet cats

19 Comments

Police in Toyama Prefecture have arrested as 52-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of killing a pet cat and believe he is responsible for killing at least 100 cats over the past 12 months.

According to police, Kenji Niimura was arrested Thursday on suspicion of picking up a cat from a street in Imizu City at around 1:30 p.m. on May 19. Police quoted Niikura as saying he lured the cat into his car with scraps of food, took it to his home in Toyama City where he killed it. He then disposed of the cat’s carcass in an irrigation ditch

Niimura, who has been charged with violating the Animal Welfare Act, has also admitted to stealing and killing at least 100 pet cats belonging to other people over the past 12 months, by scalding, beating or poisoning them, police said.

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19 Comments
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What a scumbag.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Glad he was caught before he graduated to people

8 ( +11 / -3 )

I saw on the news that he liked to torture and give the cats a slow death since them dying quickly was boring to him.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Clearly this person has a lot of issues. But then, people who kill innocent animals for sport or pleasure usually do.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Maybe this is out in a rural area but I hardly ever see indoor/outdoor pet cats here. Usually it is an indoor pet cat or outdoor stray cats fed by people.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

It’s a catastrophe.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Niimura reportedly said that he did it "to release stress."

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Unfortunately he might walk with just a fine since Japanese court see pets as things not living beings. At least that’s what my Japanese friend said.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

So, an unemployed and delusional recluse has been killing cats for over a year. Do we want to start a conversation about mental health and care in Japan?

1 ( +7 / -6 )

I’m more of a dog person but dogs are too much work if you live in an apartment here. With cats they basically take care of their own toilet “business”.

My wife found a homeless baby kitten a few years ago and brought it home without telling me and it’s been living with us ever since. The cat loves my wife but steers clear of me so I can’t say that fond of it. I more or less just tolerate the cat’s existence in my home and life.

But to torture and kill even just 1 cat is enough to make me sick. I’m glad they arrested this guy before he moved on from killing cats to humans to get his high. All serial killers start out with killing and torturing animals first.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Gaijinjland - My wife found a homeless baby kitten a few years ago and brought it home without telling me and it’s been living with us ever since. The cat loves my wife but steers clear of me so I can’t say that fond of it. I more or less just tolerate the cat’s existence in my home and life.

I have a severe allergy to cats. They give me asthma and severe cases of hives and itchy rashes. My Mrs had to give away her cats when we moved in together. Her sofa and bedding all became garbage as well. This is only part of the reason I am not a cat person though. They are extremely detrimental to environments and have wiped out many native species of rodents, birds and small marsupials (in Australia). The stray cats in Japan are not controlled and are a pest. Admittedly, this loon has focussed on pet cats. This loon has some serious mental issues and I hope he receives the appropriate counselling for them.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

With so many stray cats, I wonder why he would have to steal people's cats. His next step would probably harming people.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I thought nearly all the pet cats in Japan are indoors-only. I wonder how he could find so many pets, barring breaking into people's homes.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Psychopath.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The saddest part of this is that the guy will get no punishment at all. He should be locked up for years, but, the system doesn't want to deal with this kind of psycho until a few human bodies, which he's working up to, are added to the mix, and then they'll say "How could we have known?"

What an absolute coward and shameful person. Reading about this guy makes me feel like I wouldn't mind meeting him somewhere in the dark, and seeing if he is the cat.

Seriously... what punishment will he face in Japan for doing this?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Do the Hustle: "So, an unemployed and delusional recluse has been killing cats for over a year. Do we want to start a conversation about mental health and care in Japan?"

Easier to ignore it. TIJ.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Looney bin candidate.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

 His next step would probably harming people.

Exactly. Serial killers often start with animals.

(Let's face it. He's already a serial killer, just not of humans.)

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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