Cats used as 'living fuses' to spread wildfires in southern Italy, authorities say

Discovery in Calabria

Wildfire investigators in southern Italy have uncovered a particularly cruel method of arson: live cats with rags soaked in flammable liquid tied to their tails, then released into dry vegetation to spread flames. Domenico Costarella, head of the Civil Protection Agency in Calabria, disclosed the findings in a social media video on Tuesday, 21 July.

These animals were released in the fields, running everywhere and spreading the fire.

Alongside the cats, emergency crews found other signs of deliberate ignition: lit candles placed among flammable materials, delayed ignition devices, and glass bottles with wicks and fuel abandoned in dry pastures. The discovery has deepened suspicions that multiple wildfires across the region were started intentionally and in a coordinated manner.

Animal rights groups demand justice

At least three animal welfare organisations have reacted with outrage. The Italian Association for the Defence of Animals and the Environment filed a formal criminal complaint and offered a 1,000-euro reward for information leading to the perpetrators. LNDC Animal Protection and Oipa also lodged complaints, urging prosecutors to pursue those responsible with the full force of the law.

Terrified animals, forced to run until they die burned alive. If these facts are confirmed, we are facing a barbarity that exceeds all limits of cruelty and humanity.

LNDC further described the ecological toll, noting that entire ecosystems are being destroyed and surviving animals are left without food, water, or shelter. Oipa emphasised that anyone capable of inflicting such suffering on an animal poses a grave danger to the entire community.

A coordinated arson campaign

The fires in Calabria escalated to a rate that overwhelmed local firefighting capacity. More than 160 blazes were reported in just 24 hours, forcing evacuations and requiring intervention with aircraft and helicopters overnight, especially near the Pollino National Park. Authorities have already documented a similar use of animals as incendiary devices in 2016 in areas near Mount Vesuvius, underscoring that the current incidents are not without precedent.

Fires rage across southern Italy

While Calabria was hit hardest, the broader south has been burning from Palermo to Rome. In Sicily, forest areas near Palermo were razed as ground teams and aerial units worked through the night. In Rome, firefighters and local police responded to multiple simultaneous outbreaks. The combination of extreme summer heat, drought, and winds has turned large parts of Italy into tinder, but the physical evidence of arson is pushing investigators to treat many of these fires as criminal acts rather than natural disasters.