Man accused of poisoning neighboring family’s cat with antifreeze

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB/Gray News) - A Florida man is facing charges after police say he admitted to poisoning his neighbors’ cat with antifreeze.

Tyanna Ceglia and her family were returning from vacation last week when they immediately noticed their 4-year-old cat, Oreo, appeared sluggish, WCJB reports.

“He could barely pick his head up,” Ceglia said. “Oreo just kind of came very slowly walking up the driveway, which was very unlike him. He usually ran up the driveway to see us. When we brought him inside, he wasn’t interested in drinking or eating.”

Oreo died just over a week ago. The diagnosis by UF Vet Techs shows the cat had antifreeze in his system.

“They did do a necropsy, and the preliminary results said that there was antifreeze in his urine, in his kidneys, in his eyes,” Ceglia said. “She said it was a lot of poison that he consumed.”

Ceglia’s thoughts quickly turned toward her neighbor, 46-year-old Terry Guider. She said her friend was pet sitting last Sunday when Guider knocked on the door and threatened to poison Oreo with antifreeze in a conversation captured by Ceglia’s Ring camera.

Guider claimed the cat was scratching his car.

Ceglia says Oreo was her 4-year-old daughter’s best friend, and this never should have happened.

“There are so many routes he could’ve taken, and instead, he decided to take a 4-year-old’s best friend away,” she said.

Guider was arrested Monday night after allegedly lacing cat food with antifreeze. Police say he admitted to the crime. He is facing one count of animal cruelty.

Neighbors took it upon themselves to post signs warning pet owners to keep their dogs and cats inside, according to Ceglia.

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