EVERETT – Cats found killed in Everett that were thought to have been mutilated by a human were actually killed by other animals, police said Friday.

After receiving complaints about a series of cat mutilations, Everett Police worked with Everett Animal Services (EAS) and consulted a veterinarian.

Initial findings suggested limbs had been removed intentionally, so the department assigned a detective to examine the cases and follow-up on tips provided by the public.

The result of their investigation is that the department does not believe a human is intentionally killing and mutilating cats, although they don’t know what type of animal attacked the cats.