Pet owners and animal detectives believe the Croydon Cat Killer is back after another moggy was slain and mutilated - as an MP calls for the investigation to be reopened.

Katherine Hughes, a 25-year-old student beautician from Catford, was devastated when pet Theo went missing - only for his headless body to be dumped nearby.

The animal group who led the original pet killing investigation - SNARL - is looking into the slaying which they believe is the work of the so-called Croydon Cat Killer.

News Shopper:

It comes after a London MP called for the investigation into the alleged pet hater - also known as the M25 Cat Killer - to be reopened.

Devastated Katherine said: "I’d be able to manage if he had died in a normal way, but this is really disturbing.

“Tony (from SNARL) said the head and tail are usually brought back a week or so later.

"I'm constantly looking for them.

“I can’t put him to rest until I’ve found all his body.

“I don’t think I’ll ever come to terms with this.

“Please keep your cats in at night and be extra vigilant - especially at the moment when there is a killer around.

“I would hate for anybody else to go through the same pain.

“This killer has to be found."

Metropolitan Police spent over £130,000 and 2,250 hours during their investigation inot the cat deaths - which they later ruled was foxes.

Katherine said five-year-old Theo was usually a house cat, but he slipped out of an open window on April 18.

She knocked on neighbours doors and showed locals photos when he didn't return.

Unbeknown to her, the body of a headless and tailless cat had been found on April 21 in a nearby garden.

Locals called the RSPCA, who called in Tony Jenkins, founder of a group called South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL), to collect the pet.

Backed by the Metropolitan police, the National Crime Agency (NCA), and animal rights group Peta, he co-led the investigation into the “Croydon cat killer”.

Tony heard about Katherine's search so gave her a ring and positively identified Theo from photos, due to his distinctive markings.

She called the police, and said while they were kind, they said the investigation had closed and they couldn't look into Theo's death due to a lack of CCTV, she claims.

She said: “When Tony called back my heart just sank.

“Tony said the way Theo was killed and the fact that his head and tale were missing linked Theo to the Croydon Cat Killer."