Toyama Prefectural Police have arrested a 52-year-old living in Toyama City who has confessed to killing up to 100 pet cats, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 13).

On Thursday, the Imizu Police Station arrested Kenji Niimura, of no known occupation, for violating the Animal Welfare Act for allegedly abducting a cat from a road in Imizu City at around 1:30 p.m. on May 19.

During questioning, the suspect admitted to the allegations, police said.

Previously, volunteers from an animal protection organization visited the residence of Niimura after it received a number of reports about the abduction of pet cats across the prefecture.

During the visit, Niimura said that he had abducted and killed between 50 and 100 cats over the past year.

According to police, a witness said that Niimura lured a cat to his vehicle with food.

Suspecting that Niimura abused the cats at his residence, police are searching the premises for the bodies of cats.