A resident of a southeast neighbourhood appears to be either threatening to harm or threatening to adopt other people’s pets according to signage that has appeared in the community in recent months.

Posters bearing photographs of neighbourhood cats have been attached to the side of community mailboxes in Deer Run with the following message:

“ARE THESE YOUR CATS? PLEASE KEEP THEM ON YOUR PROPERTY OR THESE BIRD KILLERS WILL NOT BE COMING HOME!”

Susan Berry, a Deer Run resident for nearly two decades, was disappointed to see the notices in her ‘family-oriented, quiet community’.

“I was hurt in the fact that this is a community that does care about people, that does care about the natural surroundings that we have,” Berry told CTV Calgary. “The cats, yes they’re a part of this thing we call life and, they have a freedom and a way of expression that is unique to them. To see the piece of paper, the photographs that are basically saying ‘keep your cats away otherwise I will make them disappear’, is not what I want Deer Run to be known for.”

Berry says her displeasure prompted her to remove a notice on Thursday morning.

Karen Megert’s cat Tucker is one of the animals on the posters and the other cat belongs to her neighbour.

“We’re really concerned for our animals,” said Megert. “They are our family. They’re not stray animals. We’re working towards hopefully finding out that our animals are not going to get hurt.”

Megert says Tucker wears a collar and is an indoor cat but the animal does escape from time to time. “Sometimes, when we’re doing recycling or things like that, Tucker does get out. We do have a couple of cats that do sneak out but the majority of the time the cats are in the house.”

Megert says the posters have her concerned for Tucker’s safety. “It worries me completely because I don’t know if someone’s out to really harm my animals.”

Tucker's owner doesn't know who is making the posters but she would like to speak with them.

“We’re all neighbours,” added Megert. “I would really like if someone has a problem with our cats, or our animals, just come knock on our door. We’re all friends here.”

Officials with the Calgary Police Service say the posters do not violate the criminal code. Anyone who has animal concerns in Calgary is encouraged to call 311 or the Calgary Humane Society.