Cat killings scare students at Wuhan medical school

The mutilated bodies of three stray cats have been discovered this month on the campus of a medical school in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, news website The Paper has reported.

The first cat was found with its left eye gouged out at Hubei University of Chinese Medicine on Dec 7, according to a student at the school posting on Sina Weibo.

Two more bodies with similar wounds were discovered over the next few days, while two cats were found with serious injuries — one had lost half a leg and the other was missing its left eye. Both were sent to an animal hospital for treatment.

This is not the first time animal abuse has been reported at the university. In June, the bodies of two cats that had both been cut into three pieces were found on campus.

"As whoever is doing this has used such cruel methods to torture the cats, his or her next target could be us. We're afraid to go out," the student, who declined to give her name, told The Paper.

In each case the bodies were left on the street in clear view, she said, adding that the attacks appear to coincide with exam seasons.

The university's student affairs office said on Sina Weibo that it is investigating the cats' deaths and insisted they have nothing to do with medical research.

Security patrols have been stepped up to prevent further incidents, it added.