A WOMAN is mystified after cat returned home with a perfectly shaved line down his back.

Sarah Goodge recently bought Peanut, a ginger cat, for her eight-year-old daughter, Isla.

The ten-month old pet returned home a couple of days ago with a wide strip of fur missing.

Sarah, 38, said: “It’s like he’s been waxed. I honestly have no idea why he has come back like that. It is a little bit worrying.”

Sarah has another young cat called Rocky and has decided to lock their cat flaps at night to avoid any further incidents.

She said: “I am a little bit paranoid because I know there have been cases of a Brighton cat killer going around.

“I wouldn’t want anything like that to happen and this is just really strange and I want to keep them in at night.”

Sarah, from Horsham, said: “My friend, a trained vet, looked at Peanut and thinks it might have been a malicious act because there’s not really another explanation. Some people have said it looks like he’s crawled under a car and something has pulled the fur off but there’s no cuts or blood.

“It just doesn’t make sense. I am a bit worried someone has done this as a joke. That would be so awful, I can’t imagine someone would actually do that.”

A spokeswoman from South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (Snarl), which specialises in the rescue of abused in cats, said: “We have had a look at this and just based on the photo, we would say it’s most likely a wire fence related injury or possible road accident related injury however probably best examined by a vet to see if there is, for instance stubble or any marks that would give a clue to what’s gone on. It’s really quite alarming looking.”