A DEVASTATED Ottery pet-owner fears her cats may have been accidentally poisoned.

A DEVASTATED Ottery pet-owner fears her cats may have been accidentally poisoned.

The Higher Spring Gardens resident says one of four cats died, one is missing, "presumed dead", and another was this week left seriously ill.

She said she can't afford further medical care for stricken pet Sooty after spending more than �100 on treatment.

The woman, who does not want to be named, fears pets could be at risk from garden pesticides and rat poison.

Three-year-old Sooty collapsed on Saturday, sparking a late night emergency dash to the vets.

"She's not eating or drinking, I just can't afford to take her (to the vets) any more," said the resident.

"I want to make people aware this is happening.

"We're not saying it was malicious, but think somebody could be putting pesticides on their garden without realising it could harm animals.

"We feel we can't let our remaining cats out now."

The trauma brought back bad memories for the woman after another of her cats, Badger, died suddenly last year.

"She really did suffer," said the resident, who believes rat poison could have been the cause.

"I couldn't go with Sooty to the vet because it was too much of a reminder of Badger, I was devastated. I couldn't bear to see another one go through it."

Vets from Ottery's Ikin and Oxenham practise said there have been no confirmed or diagnosed cases of poisoning in cats.

Police urged residents to think about what they put down at home and said they did not believe this incident was intentional.