A POOLE couple have been left devastated after their beloved cat was “attacked and killed” by a group of dogs.

Lisa and Oliver Ward say their ginger tom Tish was found in their neighbour’s garden with injuries consistent with a dog attack on Tuesday night.

Earlier that evening the couple, who are expecting their first child in July, saw approximately half a dozen dogs, believed to be Saluki cross Lurchers, outside their home in Bearwood.

Mrs Ward said the dogs were not on leads and are regularly seen running around the residential area.

She said: “Our cat Tish was out somewhere. We left it a few minutes before calling him, to ensure all the dogs had gone, but he didn't come.

“My husband and I walked round for about an hour calling him, when a neighbour said that Titian was dead on his lawn.

“He had been attacked and killed by the dogs.”

The heartbroken couple rescued Tish, named after the 16th century Italian painter Titian, when he was six months old.

The friendly feline would have been two in July.

Mrs Ward said: “He was lovely. He was the softest cat I have ever known – he had the most immaculate fur. He was very much part of the family.”

She is now urging other cat owners to stay vigilant and pleading with dog owners to keep their pets under control.

“We are appealing for people to keep their dogs on leads,” the 33-year-old said.

“That’s what I’m most worried about. We lost our cat, we don’t want someone else to go through the same thing.”

A spokesman from Dorset Police said the force received a report of a cat being killed by a dog.

The spokesman said police are unable to investigate the incident due to a lack of evidence but urged anyone who sees dogs acting dangerously in a public place to report it to police.

Peter Haikin, regulatory services manager at Borough of Poole, said: “Regrettably we do not know the identity of the dog owners which makes any further investigation difficult."

He added: "If owners are aware that their dog exhibits certain behaviours such as aggression toward small animals, it is down to them to take steps to avoid any incidents occurring, such as keeping dogs on a lead or muzzled."