REGIONAL NEWS | Bell Buckle — There a big problem in a neighboring small town. Over the last several weeks, locals have reported nearly 25 cats missing to local officials. The majority of the missing cats were reported in a one square mile area near historic, downtown Bell Buckle, according to local officials. It’s a problem that gotten the Mayor and Police Chief’s attention. Earlier this week they sent out an email warning citizens to keep a close eye on their cats.

“We would like everyone to be attentive to this situation and please let Chief Tommy Wiley or Mayor Ronnie Lokey know, should you see anything that relates to this situation,” the email read.

As with any mystery, theories abound on social media. One citizen thought that coyotes were the likely culprit. Another pointed to the possibility of cats nabbers using the cats as bait animals to train dog for illegal dog-fighting rings. One swore that they’d spotted a woman with a “Cat Lovers” hat on at 82 Market buying loads of cat food and claiming she was, “rescuing local cats.” This is an ongoing story, and we’ll keep you updated with new facts as they become available. •

The Lynchburg Times is an independently owned and operated newspaper that publishes new stories every morning. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}