2 dozen cats killed at Van Buren Township mobile home park, police “slow” to investigate

VAN BUREN TWP. (WXYZ) - Everyone agrees, Van Buren Estates Mobile Home Park has too many cats.  Many people who live there are helping the cats survive.

“Officially, I have two.  But I feed 10 to 12,” says Terry Petroski who has lived there 25 years.

Everywhere you look, a stray cat is wandering around the half dozen streets that are an oasis in the middle of the country.

Charlene Collins has taken in two new cats, one she named Lucky.  “Her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth, her eyes were closed, she was a sack of bones,” Collins tells Action News.

The person who lives in one of the mobile homes has been given the name “The Cat Lady” because she has turned her house into a rescue center with food, water and shelter right under her trailer.  Dozens of cats make it home.  She works during the day and her neighbor says she’s been spending her own money on vet bills for the worst of the cats. “One was shot with a pellet gun and she took it to the vet and it cost her $1500,” said the neighbor who did not want to be identified.

In the last three weeks, more than two dozen cats have been killed, shot, knifed and poisoned.  People are asking is it an adult fed up or kids doing a viscous prank?  One of the cats came to the home of Sandra Robbins who tells Action News, “I held it all night.  I sat on the swing outside with it. It was crying all night.”

"It pisses me off," says Petroski who is among those who want the person caught.

The owners of the park tell Action News they called Van Buren Township and other agencies three weeks ago and are frustrated with a lack of action.  The township Director of Public Safety says he just learned about how big the problem is and police will investigate.