following the same story, there seems to be a spate of cat abuse around the area and the fox hypothesis doesn't hold much water, fox will eat what it kills not just cut its throat and leave it (yes i know a fox in a hen house will kill every one, but it eats its fill before leaving the rest)
unfortunately there also seems to be copycat(ouch) killings going on in different places too. there is a spate in my manor at the moment. some good friends recently had their cat vanish, distressing enough, but then the next door neighbors cat was also found on the doorstep with its throat cut, lots more reports of this going on, there are some very sick people