The so-called Croydon cat killer appears to have struck again in the Bromley borough, after a cat was mutilated in Petts Wood.

Georgie Grange’s beloved pet Merlin was found beheaded in Crest View Drive just before 8am yesterday morning.

The killer had chopped off a limb, and removed the cat's internal organs, Miss Grange told News Shopper today.

Miss Grange’s mum was warned not to look at the gruesome sight of Merlin’s decapitated body, initially found by a binman.

The 24-year-old was already at work at a veterinary practice when she got the call from her mum.

She said: “He has been handed over to the RSPCA to do an autopsy to see if they can find anything.

“They did say to me that he was already dead before any mutilation happened, which is kind of nicer I suppose.”

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Merlin was found beheaded in Crest View Drive, Petts Wood.

Because of the brutal nature of the attack, Miss Grange suspects it may be linked to the spate of cat killings in Croydon and across London.

There have been previous deaths in the Crystal Palace area and last month there was a report of a killing in Chislehurst involving a cat named Louie.

Miss Grange said Merlin’s death came as a “massive shock” and she hopes to spread awareness before another cat in Bromley falls victim.

“I was aware of it but as far as I’d known it was in Croydon and south Norwood,” she said.

“I hadn’t heard of any in Orpington or around that area.

“Petts Wood is quite a quiet area.”

Having owned Merlin since he was a kitten, Miss Grange said the seven-year-old was a “lovely cat”.

She said: “He was very much an outdoorsy cat, he wanted attention when he wanted.

“He was very, very loving. He was very small with big paws and a big face.”

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Merlin and Miss Grange’s other cat Oreo usually spend the night indoors, but he had managed to slip out on the night of the killing.

She is urging anyone with information of Merlin's death, or anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area, to contact the police or the RSPCA.

To date, the RSPCA has linked 19 cat deaths across London.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said it is too early to know whether the incident in Petts Wood is linked to the previous spate of killings.

She said: “A dedicated team is continuing to work closely with the police and looking into all evidence given to us to see if there is deliberate cruelty involved.

“We are particularly keen to be called if and when a cat is found dead in suspicious circumstances so we can do all relevant tests and investigate what killed him or her.

“We continue to ask anyone with any information at all to call us on 0300 123 8018 or DS Andy Collin from the Metropolitan Police on 0208 6490216.”