Worried cat owners fear their animals are being targeted by a "pet hoarder" after three pedigree cats living close to each other vanished.

Karen Currie, 40, said she would be prepared to remortgage her house if it meant she got beloved pet Humphrey back in one piece.

Humphrey, a brown-spotted Bengal, is one of three cats to disappear from intersecting streets in Shoreham during the last six weeks.

He is the faithful companion of Mrs Currie's three-year-old daughter Jessica.

First to go missing was Booboo, a four-year-old Siamese Burmese who lived with owner Anna Whittaker in Buckingham Road. She disappeared on June 23 and has not been seen since.

Mrs Whittaker said: "Me and my daughter let her out at about 10pm and when we came back at midnight she was nowhere to be seen.

"She never left the garden when she went out and there is no way she would have approached anyone.

"Her blankets and bed are still waiting for her but I have lost all hope now. We miss her desperately."

Next to go was Cleo, also four, a short-haired Persian belonging to the Turnbull family, of Mill Lane.

Cleo went missing on July 7. Jeff Turnbull said: "She would never go far and usually stayed in our garden but didn't come home that evening. We have four daughters and they are all missing him a lot.

Humphrey disappeared just over a week later on July 19 and despite putting up posters promising a reward for his safe return, the Curries have had no news.

Mrs Currie said: "He is a contented little cat and there is no way he would have gone of his own accord.

"If he had been squished, we would have heard something by now.

"Jessica has known him ever since she was born and they are firm friends. She is really upset and keeps asking when we are going to get him.

"He is much-loved and we would give anything for his return."

Shoreham cat lover Jennifer Pulling, who runs a neutering programme for feral cats in Sicily, fears a local person may be stashing the pets.

Animal hoarding is a recognised condition where somebody compulsively collects pets, ultimately failing to take care of them properly when the situation gets out of control.

Miss Pulling, 45, of Queen's Place, said: "We believe there may be a cat hoarder in Shoreham. They may have the cats and not even realise that they are doing any harm."

Miss Pulling said the other possibility was the cats had been taken for financial reasons.

They are all pedigrees worth hundreds of pounds.

Anyone with any information can contact the owners by calling The Argus on 01273 735046.