People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is offering a HK$10,000 reward for information that may lead to the conviction of who may be responsible for the apparent mutilation and killing of a pet cat.

The cat was suspected to have died from poisoning in Hung Hom after having its tail severed, according to TVB on Sunday.

The two-year-old feline was kept at a funeral parlour on Lo Lung Hang Street in Hung Hom. The manager – who cared for the cat – called the police on Sunday after the pet returned injured. It had only been let out for a matter of minutes.

Several officers responded and are investigating whether animal abuse is involved.

“PETA is urging anyone with information about this incident to come forward to help ensure that whoever committed this attack is held accountable before more animals – or people – are harmed,” a spokesperson for the animal welfare NGO said in a Monday press release.

“Violence against animals is never an isolated issue—it is a well-documented warning sign of a broader capacity for violence that can escalate and pose serious risks to public safety,” added PETA Asia President Jason Baker. “Research consistently shows a strong link between cruelty to animals and violence toward humans. Authorities must act swiftly and send a clear message that such brutality will not be tolerated.”

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals dispatched staff to help remove the cat’s body. A preliminary examination by a vet suggested the feline’s tail had been severed with a sharp object.