Jordan probes suspected poisoning of dozens of cats in Amman

Dubai: Jordanian security authorities have launched an investigation into the suspected poisoning of dozens of cats in an Amman neighbourhood, an incident that has triggered widespread anger and calls for those responsible to be prosecuted.

Environmental police and other relevant authorities are investigating the deaths in the Al Rashid suburb of the Jordanian capital after residents filed official complaints, according to local media reports.

Residents said dozens of cats they had routinely fed and cared for were found dead or suddenly disappeared, raising suspicions that the animals had been deliberately poisoned.

Local news reports, citing residents, said suspicion had fallen on a woman and another person following earlier disputes over feeding cats in the residential complex. Authorities have not announced any charges, and the allegations have not been independently established.

The tensions had escalated in the days before the deaths, with residents saying a woman had confronted and threatened another resident over feeding the animals, arguing that the area was private property where feeding cats was prohibited, according to local reports.

The subsequent deaths shocked residents, who reported the incident to authorities and called for an investigation to determine the cause and identify those responsible.

Jordan’s environmental police and other security authorities have since begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths and gathering evidence.

The incident prompted an outpouring of anger on social media, with users condemning cruelty to animals and demanding that anyone found responsible face legal action.