CAT owners around Ealing Common are concerned that a gang may be targeting their rare pets.

Three Bengal cats have gone missing since last July, and their owners suspect they may have been stolen to be resold.

Lancer, a two-year-old male, was the first reported missing on July 24 from a home in Granville Gardens.

He disappeared while his owner, Tony Dycag, was away on holiday and was being looked after by Mr Dycag’s flatmate.

Mr Dycag said: “He goes out quite often during the day. The longest he’s been gone before is maybe a day, but no more than a night. After one to two days, I feared he had been stolen.”

This was followed by the disappearance of Oscar, who lives in Grange Park Road with owner Jovana Tomovic, on September 24.

Another Bengal cat, which lives nearby, went missing on Saturday night.

Mr Dycag, a maintenance worker, said: “We believe a person or a group may be specifically watching out for that type of cat and taking them.”

He believes Lancer, who is one and a half years old, may have been targeted because of his exotic appearance.

He said: “Bengals are very eye-catching, friendly cats that would come to the attention of a stranger.”

He added: “I bought mine when he was a kitten two years ago for £650. They now sell for up £750-£1,000.”

Another cat, Judy, a Bengal Mix, went missing from her home in The Park Road, on September 23 but has since returned to her owners, Sebastian Maciocia and his fiancee, Daisy Frankenberger.

Mr Maciocia said: “She appears uninjured - just thin.”

Speaking at the time of Judy’s disappearance Mr Maciocia stated: “All three [cats] have gone missing within a relatively short time period of one another.”

The Bengal is a cross-breed cat, descended from the crossing of domestic cats with the Asian Leopard cat. They have a distinctive appearance, which is characterised by a spotted or marbled pattern on their fur.

Mr Tycag has considered the possibility that Lancer may have strayed after he received a call from a woman who thought she spotted the cat roaming the Ascott allotments, 1.5 miles from his home.

Mr Tycag said: “I often go and scan the allotment and call out for the cat. I have been told by the owner that a lot of cats go there and are fed by allotment owners.”

He added: “There have been sightings of a Bengal cat by various people. Someone sent me a photo and the markings [on his fur] are very similar.”

Mr Tycag has distributed fliers in the area and has placed posters around the allotment. He is now considering reporting Lancer’s disappearance to police.

RSPCA London advises anyone who has lost a cat to search areas it may have been attracted to, such as parks or building sites, where there may be mice or rats.

Lancer is a small cat, with light brown fur and black markings. He was not wearing a collar but has been micro-chipped.

Oscar is a large cat with leopard-like spots and ginger-toned fur. He has a round head and was wearing a red collar with a bell.

Anyone who thinks they have seen the cats should contact reporter Nicola Murnaghan on nicolamurnaghan@hotmail.co.uk