Pet Serial Killer On Loose

Fears of a pet serial killer shake Montrose: Mutilated cat and missing animals leave plenty of questions

A rash of missing cats has Montrose pet owners fearing the worst amidst rumors of hungry coyotes and a possible serial animal killer. (Warning: Gruesome details ahead.)

On Saturday, residents near the Westheimer-Dunlavy intersection received a disturbing flyer describing a neighborhood cat found "horrifically mutilated and killed." In bold letters, the pamphlet details the work of a human predator who "dismembered, gutted, disemboweled, beheaded and completely skinned" the animal.

News of the killing, which allegedly occurred Jan. 13, has sparked new fears about a recent string of cat disappearances initially linked to a coyote or a stray dog.

"I had nightmares after reading that flyer," Emily Williams, who has lived in the area for five years, tells CultureMap. "I've been keeping the blinds closed, so no one can see my cat."

"I had nightmares after reading that flyer. I've been keeping the blinds closed, so no one can see my cat."

Long known for it frisky outdoor cats, the neighborhood has witnessed an unusual decline in feline activity. Williams notes as many as half a dozen "missing cat" posters have gone up since late December.

Though concerned by the flyer, area resident Erika Lawson attributes the recent death of her cat Caesar to coyotes, not humans. Although Montrose sightings are rare, she notes that the wild animals have been blamed for pet killings in the past, including a cat in 2010.

When Lawson found Caesar's remains, they were picked clean and scattered across a neighbor's yard. The head was never located, suggesting to her (and her veterinarian) that the cat was killed by a large animal capable of crushing and eating a skull. With few big dogs in the area, she feels that a coyote is the most likely suspect

"I suspect that work along Buffalo Bayou has been disturbing food sources and coyote dens," she says. "It only makes sense that they would look for food in nearby neighborhoods."

Neither BARC and the Houston Police Department report animal abuse nor coyotes in Montrose at this time, leaving pet owners with grave concerns and few answers. Regardless of the culprit, Christopher Newport with BARC gently reminds cat owners to keep their pets indoors or on a leash, a requirement of city animal codes.

Animal Abuse On Rise

Alongside ongoing coyote issues in southwest Houston, Harris County authorities have seen a disturbing spike in animal abuse during the last two weeks.

Two men face felony charges for throwing a cat into air and shooting it along the banks of the San Jacinto River last weekend. And in early January, northeast Houston residents discovered yet another intentionally mutilated dog by a set of railroad tracks.

Fox 26 News reports a jump in animal abuse incidents across the county, from 166 documented cases in 2012 to 271 in 2013.

Meanwhile, a Timbergrove cat killer CultureMap covered in July 2012 has resurfaced with a new string of killings occurring as recently as Jan. 4.

Anyone with information on animal abuse is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Montrose cat owners fear the worst amidst a spate of recent animal abuse cases.

Photo by Emily Williams

Montrose cat owners fear the worst amidst a spate of recent animal abuse cases.

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survey says

Houstonians are worried about inflation, crime, and more, UH study finds

Photo by rc.xyz NFT gallery on Unsplash

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A new survey conducted by the University of Houston shows that Houstonians are worried about inflation and the overall economy.

The Houston Metro Community Survey was conducted by a team at the Hobby School of Public Affairs led by Gail J. Buttorff, associate director at the Center for Public Policy (CPP) and Research in partnership with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC). Nearly 10,000 residents across the nine-county metro area were polled during May on what they consider the largest challenges affecting their communities.

The economy is first and foremost in people's minds. More than a third (36 percent) say they are either just making ends meet or are falling short of doing so. Though a majority says they have at least "a little left for extras" or are "living comfortably" (63.9 percent), financial anxiety over inflation and debt remains high across all groups. Even the vast majority of those who report living comfortably (70.1 percent) report being at least somewhat concerned about rising living costs.

"While many households express a sense of financial stability or optimism, a significant portion report economic strain, heightened concerns about the cost of living, and limited confidence in their ability to withstand future shocks," the survey's conclusion notes.

Crime was also a significant concern revealed in the survey. A majority of respondents (56 percent) view crime as a major problem in Houston, with women and City of Houston residents particularly feeling unsafe during the day. The survey does note that respondents are more likely to consider crime a bigger problem in Houston while feeling safer in their own neighborhoods outside the city limits, resulting in some potential divergence between how people feel and reality.

"Crime remains a potent political issue despite falling back to historic lows in most of the country after an uptick during the COVID pandemic," the survey says. "Future research could compare the measured rates of reported crimes with people’s opinions of crime to evaluate if perception is matching the reality."

Buttorff added in a press release statement: “People don't necessarily find their own community unsafe, but they think crime is generally an issue."

Opinions on climate change and natural disasters were also counted. Concern about climate change fell mostly on political lines, with 63.9 percent of Democrats feeling it is a major problem compared to 19.9 percent of Republicans. Typically, the more financially stable a respondent was, the less they were worried about preparedness of natural disasters or climate change. Older generations were more likely to be less concerned about disasters, while Gen Xers and communities of color were more likely to be worried.

Further findings will be released on the SPACE City Panel page in the future, hopefully leading to a greater understanding of what issues Houstonians are worried about.

“Quarterly trend lines will let city, county and state officials see whether programs are reaching the communities that need them — and recalibrate within months, not years,” said Pablo Pinto, director of the CPP and professor at the Hobby School.