The Great Outdoors? Not for Cats! 2014

Below is just a sampling of some of the horrible fates that have befallen stray, feral, and free-roaming cats. Countless others have died frightened and alone under porches or behind dumpsters, without anyone ever noticing what became of them.

December 2014/Sulphur, Louisiana: KPLCTV.com reported that a homeless cat who was regularly fed by a resident had been found shot to death. Police were reportedly investigating, but no suspects had been identified.

December 2014/St. Francis County, Arkansas: WMCActionNews5.com reported that two hunters had been arrested after the local sheriff’s department received photographs of the men posed in hunting gear with the bodies of three dead cats. A local woman, whose three cats had gone missing, was reportedly scheduled to identify the animals.

December 2014/Montrose, Colorado: MontrosePress.com reported that a man received a deferred judgment with unsupervised probation on a misdemeanor cruelty-to-animals charge after he had shot a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. The man reportedly believed that it was legal to shoot cats who were killing birds on his property. The cat’s status was not given in the available report.

December 2014/Sherwood, Oregon: KOIN.com reported that an apparently abandoned cat had been shot and badly injured in her leg and sternum. A good Samaritan took the cat to a veterinary hospital, where she received treatment and her leg was amputated. The cat was apparently recovering, and it was not reported whether police were notified.

December 2014/Greeneville, Tennessee: GreenevilleSun.com reported that a man was arrested after a witness told police that he had approached a cat who had been roaming outdoors without supervision, placed the barrel of a pellet gun to the animal’s head, and pulled the trigger. The alleged shooter then reportedly kicked the cat and threw the animal over a fence. A police officer who visited the home where the cat lived reportedly observed an entrance wound in the back of the animal’s head and paralysis of the cat’s front paws. The animal was reportedly taken to a veterinary hospital, but his or her status was not reported. The alleged shooter was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.

December 2014/Salem, Oregon: StatesmanJournal.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision returned home with a leg that was bleeding and had the flesh ripped through to the bone. The cat was taken to a veterinary clinic, where X-rays showed many metal fragments and multiple bone fractures in her leg, consistent with gunshot wounds. The leg was so badly injured that it had to be amputated. The local sheriff’s department was notified, but no suspects were identified. The cat was reportedly slowly recovering. A spokesperson for the animal hospital that treated her said that such shootings happen “more often than people think.” The cat’s owner worries that another cat who had reportedly “disappeared recently” in the same neighborhood was a victim of the same shooter.

December 2014/Phoenix, Oregon: MailTribune.com reported that a man was charged with first-degree animal abuse after he shot a cat with an arrow while the animal was roaming outdoors without supervision. The arrow reportedly “went completely through the cat’s abdomen.” The cat was taken to a veterinary clinic for treatment and was expected to survive. The shooter reportedly told authorities that he shot the cat because the animal was “a nuisance” and “knocked over his garbage cans.”

December 2014/Spokane, Washington: Spokesman.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision “disappeared without a trace.” According to the cat’s owner, the feline was reportedly the third cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors and had “disappeared” from the area. It was not reported whether police were notified, but no suspects were identified.

December 2014/Batavia, New York: TheBatavian.com reported that a reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man who had been seen stomping an apparently stray cat to death after the feline was attacked by his leashed dog. The cat’s body was reportedly taken to a veterinarian, who determined that the animal had “numerous injuries caused by the dog as well as a broken spine and a crushed skull caused by the stomping.” Police were asking anyone with information to contact the department’s confidential tip line.

November 2014/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philly.com reported that a cat who had apparently been part of a so-called “managed colony” was found dead during a cold snap. A woman who regularly feeds cats at the site reportedly said of the animals, “They starve while shivering so much,” and stated that finding dead cats at the colony isn’t unusual. Last winter, cat feeders found two dead cats inside one of the makeshift shelters.

November 2014/Livermore, California: MercuryNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had become stuck inside a 3 1/2 inch diameter section of a light pole that had been lying on the ground. Firefighters and an electrical company worked to free the animal, which required cutting the pole. When released, the cat was described as “emaciated” and “tattered and fatigued.” The cat was taken to an animal shelter and was reportedly recuperating.

November 2014/Omaha, Nebraska: JRN.com reported that construction workers had rescued an apparently homeless kitten with frostbite by bringing the animal to the Nebraska Humane Society. The kitten, who had been found outdoors, was scheduled to undergo surgery to have part of her frostbitten tail removed and was reportedly receiving hydrotherapy twice a day to treat her frostbitten paws. She was expected to recover and be put up for adoption.

November 2014/Price County, Wisconsin: PriceCountyDaily.com reported that a cat was permanently paralyzed after being shot through the spine with a .22 caliber rifle. A resident reportedly called animal control after finding the cat, who was dragging himself around her home. It was believed that the cat had been bleeding and unable to walk for days, as he had lost fur and developed ulcerated wounds on his legs where they had been dragged over the ground. The cat was receiving veterinary treatment and was expected to survive and be put up for adoption—although he’ll reportedly have to “wear diapers” and use a wheeled cart for the rest of his life. No suspects were identified in the shooting.

November 2014/Brainerd, Minnesota: BrainerdDispatch.com reported that residents were hearing cats’ cries echoing under the streets of Brainerd, where the animals reportedly routinely seek shelter from the elements in the city’s storm sewer system. A city animal control officer who had worked to rescue the crying animals stated that kittens often get stuck in the storm sewer system and that he had rescued about two dozen cats from there.

November 2014/Lumberton, Texas: 12NewsNow.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was attacked by two dogs who had also been roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner heard the attack and went outside, which scared off the dogs. The cat reportedly died at the scene, and the dogs’ owner was given a ticket.

November 2014/Elbert County, Colorado: TheDenverChannel.com reported that two cats who had been roaming outdoors without supervision in the community had died after being shot. One of the cats reportedly “suffered for two weeks until [his] owner … could catch him and take him to an animal hospital for surgery.” X-rays revealed that the cat had also previously been shot with a pellet gun. The animal reportedly died three days after surgery. Another local cat, who was described as a “barn cat,” had to be euthanized after being shot in the face. The local sheriff’s office reported that there were no leads in the cases.

November 2014/Parkersburg, West Virginia: TheNewsCenter.tv reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found bleeding after being shot in the shoulder with a pellet gun. A veterinary examination determined that the pellet punctured the animal’s lung. The cat received treatment and was reportedly recovering. Police filed a report, but no suspects had been identified.

November 2014/Salina, Kansas: Salina.com reported that a woman’s cat, who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, returned home in distress. A veterinarian determined that the cat had been shot and removed three pellets from the animal’s abdomen. The cat reportedly died after surgery. A police report was filed, but no suspects had been identified.

November 2014/Fairhope, Alabama: AL.com reported that an apparently homeless cat died from electrocution after entering a power substation and jumping onto a voltage regulator. The animal’s activity reportedly resulted in a “fire ball” that caused $60,000 in damage at the substation. The cat was buried by a worker.

November 2014/Jefferson County, Wisconsin: DailyUnion.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found with an arrow through her shoulder. The animal was taken to a veterinarian, who surgically removed the arrow, and the cat was expected to recover. Two years earlier, another cat in the same county who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was also found by his or her owner after being shot with an arrow. A bolt arrow had reportedly, “entered the animal’s cheek and was protruding from [the cat’s] hind leg.” The animal’s injuries were so severe that he or she had to be euthanized. Sheriff’s deputies had reportedly increased patrols in the area, but no suspects had been identified.

November 2014/Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was attacked by two dogs who had also been roaming unsupervised. The cat’s tail was reportedly so badly injured that it had to be amputated. The animal was reportedly recovering. Seventeen cats in the area, many of whom were part a so-called “managed colony,” had apparently been killed by roaming dogs, and five others were unaccounted for. The two dogs were taken to a local animal shelter by animal control officers.

November 2014/Panama City, Florida: NewsHerald.com reported that four cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision never returned home. A neighbor was arrested after claiming to have abandoned the cats in four different areas of the city because he considered them to be a nuisance. The cats had not been found.

November 2014/Lady’s Island, South Carolina: TheState.com reported that four cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision were killed in attacks by two neighborhood dogs who had also been allowed to roam unsupervised. The local Sheriff’s office was reportedly investigating to find the owners of the dogs.

November 2014/Millen, Georgia: TheMillenNews.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors unsupervised returned home with an arrow through his neck after having been missing for two weeks. A veterinarian removed the arrow, and the cat was reportedly recovering. It was not reported if police were notified, but no suspects had been identified.

November 2014/Bandera, Texas: BanderaBulletin.com reported that less than a month after treating a cat who had been shot in the face with an arrow, a local animal shelter had received another cat who had been shot in the foot with an arrow. The apparently homeless cat received veterinary care and was reportedly recovering at an animal shelter where he was taken by a good Samaritan. The animal reportedly cried and whimpered from pain whenever he was touched. Two weeks earlier, the good Samaritan’s own cat, who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, was reportedly shot “multiple times with a pellet gun” and had to have his leg amputated. The sheriff’s office was seeking information in the cases, but no suspects had been identified.

November 2014/Des Moines, Iowa: DesMoinesRegister.com reported that police were investigating after a cat who had been left outdoors without supervision was shot with a pellet gun. The cat was apparently found injured by his or her owner and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a pellet was surgically removed from one of the animal’s eyes. The cat’s other eye had to be removed because it was severely damaged. No suspects had been identified.

November 2014/Westlake, Ohio: WKYC.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who was pregnant had been found injured and stuck in the engine of a city school bus. The animal was discovered wedged in the engine and “whimpering” by the bus’s driver. The cat was taken to a veterinarian, where one of her legs had to be amputated. Her tail was also broken and was reportedly going to be amputated, and she may never regain full control of her bowels and bladder. The cat apparently lost her kittens as a result of the trauma. She was expected to be put up for adoption.

November 2014/Waimea, Hawaii: TheGardenIsland.com reported that a cat who had been left to roam outdoors without supervision died after being attacked by three dogs who had escaped from their fenced enclosure. An eyewitness stated that the dogs scared the cat out from under some bushes and then all three attacked the cat while the animal was on his or her back. A report was filed with the local humane society, which was reportedly investigating the incident.

October 2014/Columbia, Missouri: ColumbiaHeartBeat.com reported that two cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision were shot with an air rifle. One of the cats was so badly injured that he had to be euthanized. The other was receiving veterinary treatment for injuries sustained after being shot in the back. Police reports had apparently been filed, but no suspects had been identified.

October 2014/South Glens Falls, New York: PostStar.com reported that police were investigating the shooting of a stray cat who was reportedly found with a severely injured leg. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that a BB had become lodged in the animal’s leg, which was amputated. The cat was reportedly recovering. No suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland.com reported that 12 cats who were part of a “managed colony” had been found dead and others from the colony were missing. Some suspected that four dogs who had been roaming in a pack killed the cats. Animal control was attempting to capture the dogs, and local residents were advised to keep their cats indoors.

October 2014/Grove City, Ohio: 10TV.com reported that police were investigating after the remains of four dismembered cats had been found throughout the city. No suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Lillian, Alabama: AL.com reported that at least one cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors died after being attacked by two dogs who had also been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. Another cat was also apparently attacked by the dogs, and it was not reported whether he or she survived. Both dogs were shot and killed by a responding sheriff’s deputy.

October 2014/Northfield, Vermont: TheNorthfieldNews.com reported that several cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and three feral cats whom a citizen had been feeding had “disappeared” in the previous two months. The local police department was seeking information, and suspects included native predators and local youth.

October 2014/Arlington, Virginia: WashingtonPost.com reported that a feral cat who was regularly fed by a resident was found with a critical injury. An animal-control officer reportedly captured the cat, who had to be euthanized because of the severity of his or her injury.

October 2014/Orange City, Florida: News-JournalOnline.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision returned home injured. The cat’s owner believed that his neighbor might have injured the animal because a cat he had previously owned and allowed to roam outdoors was shot by the neighbor and found dead in a nearby sewer drain. No additional information on the cat’s condition was reported.

October 2014/Bayonne, New Jersey: HudsonReporter.com reported that a resident found an apparently homeless cat whose tail had been burned so badly that it was almost severed. The resident planned to seek veterinary care for the cat “soon” and reported the incident to law enforcement. No additional information about the cat was given.

October 2014/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: NBCPhiladelphia.com reported that animal-control officers worked for approximately two hours to free a cat who had become trapped in a car engine. The animal, who was apparently homeless, was reportedly discovered after the car’s driver had trouble steering the vehicle. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was treated for severe burns and “a gaping hole in his back.” The animal was recovering and was expected to be put up for adoption.

October 2014/Palmetto Bay, Florida: NBCMiami.com reported that police were investigating the deaths of two cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. One of the cats was reportedly found dead, but no cause of death was determined. The other was found dead with an arrow in her back. No suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Wichita, Kansas: WIBW.com reported that police were investigating after a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot to death. A neighbor was suspected as the shooter, but no arrests had been made.

October 2014/DeKalb, Illinois: Daily-Chronicle.com reported that two cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision were both badly injured within one week of each other. One was found with a metal blow dart lodged deeply in his nose, penetrating the bone. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the dart was surgically removed, and the cat was reportedly recovering. The other cat, who had been shot with an arrow, was reportedly unsocial and couldn’t be captured when police tried to rescue the animal. The cat had not been seen since the rescue effort. Because of a lack of evidence, the local police department had reportedly closed both cases.

October 2014/Pittston, Pennsylvania: PAHomePage.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found in his owner’s yard badly injured after being shot. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital where the treating veterinarian reported that the animal “couldn’t breathe” and “[h]is esophagus had a hole in it and his lung was punctured and he lost lots of blood.” The cat underwent surgery and was expected to survive. A reward was being offered for information about the shooting, but no suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Bangor, Maine: BangorDailyNews.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found with a blow dart lodged in her hindquarters. The cat was reportedly recovering, and police were seeking information. No suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Virginia Beach, Virginia: WAVY.com reported that a cat with a broken leg who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was discovered hiding in a boat. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray revealed that the leg had been broken when the animal was shot with a BB or pellet gun. The cat was treated and was recovering. The local animal control department was investigating, but no suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Roseville, California: FOX40.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found hanging dead from a picket fence with a belt wrapped around her neck. A reward was being offered for information on the case, but no suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Post-Gazette.com reported that a cat who was allegedly cared for by local residents was severely mauled by two dogs. The cat was rushed to a veterinarian and was apparently stabilized after a 90-minute surgery. Reportedly, the animal was given “heavy-duty pain meds” and was facing a months-long recovery.

October 2014/Chester, West Virginia: WTRF.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found with an arrow protruding from his or her head. A veterinarian was able to remove the arrow, and the cat was reportedly recovering. The local sheriff’s office was investigating the incident, but no suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Pipe Creek, Texas: BanderaBulletin.com reported that an apparently homeless cat was recovering at an animal shelter after being shot by an arrow that reportedly went through his nose, mouth, and neck. Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call animal control, but there were no suspects in the case.

October 2014/Worcester, Massachusetts: NECN.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot in the ear with an arrow. The animal was reportedly found by an animal control officer in the woods tangled in brush. The officer removed the arrow, and the owner took the cat to a veterinary hospital. The animal was expected to recover. Police were investigating, but no suspects had been identified.

October 2014/Asheville, North Carolina: WLOS.com reported that two cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had to be euthanized after experiencing kidney failure from suspected poisoning. One of the cats tested positive for ethylene glycol poisoning. A third cat reportedly “vanished” and was still missing. Animal control had been notified, but no suspects were identified.

October 2014/Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC.com reported that a cat who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision appeared to have been choked and violently thrown by a juvenile. In a video of the incident, the youth claimed that the cat had eaten his dog’s food. Police were investigating, and the cat, who had been found by workers at a local animal shelter, was taken into the shelter’s custody.

October 2014/Cleveland, Tennessee: WRCBTV.com reported that an 8-week-old kitten who was apparently homeless sustained burns over 90 percent of her body and required the amputation of one of her legs after being intentionally set on fire. Police were investigating, and a reward was being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. A “group of young males” was suspected. The kitten was being treated at a veterinary hospital, and the treating veterinarian planned to adopt her.

October 2014/Mansfield, Ohio: MansfieldNewsJournal.com reported that a woman told police that a neighbor had shot her cat, who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. The animal’s right ear was reportedly injured in the shooting. No additional details were reported.

October 2014/Massillon, Ohio: CantonRep.com reported that a kitten who was apparently homeless and roaming a neighborhood was taken to a local veterinary hospital after being found seriously injured, “missing his tail and skin from around the tail area and up to his pelvis.” The treating veterinarian reportedly stated that she couldn’t tell what had caused the injury or whether it was intentional and believed that the 7- to 8-week-old kitten might have been hit by a car. The kitten was reportedly recovering. Police were investigating accusations that the kitten had been intentionally harmed.

September 2014/Fort Myers, Florida: NBC-2.com reported that an unspecified number of cats had been found lying dead on residents’ front lawns in one neighborhood. The causes of the animals’ deaths were undetermined, but dogs and poisoning were being considered by some residents.

September 2014/Bend, Oregon: KTVZ.com reported that several cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision were missing from a neighborhood and that the remains of two dead cats had been found in the community. It wasn’t reported whether police were investigating.

September 2014/Fairfield, Connecticut: CTPost.com reported that police were investigating the shooting of a cat, who was described as “primarily ‘an outdoor cat.’” The animal, who was found by a neighbor, had been wounded by a .22-caliber bullet. The neighbor reportedly took the cat to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he was paralyzed. No suspects had been identified.

September 2014/Dayton, Ohio: WDTN.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was killed by three dogs. The cat’s owner reported that he witnessed the dogs “biting and pulling” the animal. The badly injured cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she died. Police were reportedly investigating the incident.

September 2014/Monroe Township, Ohio: DaytonDailyNews.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot through the neck with an arrow by a neighbor who was reportedly practicing target shooting. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the arrow was removed, and he was reportedly recovering.

September 2014/Marion County, Florida: Ocala.com reported that a woman was sentenced to probation and ordered to make a $500 contribution to an animal shelter and complete 25 hours of community service after pleading guilty to cruelty to animals. The charge was reportedly filed after the woman shot a neighbor’s cat twice with a pellet gun. The police spoke with the woman’s son, and according to the news report, she “told him she had shot something and it could still be alive.” The son claimed that he had found the cat severely injured and had killed and buried the animal. The report states that the woman had been “having problems with cats getting into her garbage.”

September 2014/Cortland County, New York: CNYCntral.com reported that two cats who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision were badly injured after being shot with a .22-caliber rifle or high-powered pellet gun. One cat had apparently been shot in the face, and the other had been shot in the leg, which had to be amputated. A reward was being offered for information in the case.

September 2014/Galva, Illinois: GalvaNews.com reported that a man had been arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly shooting a cat with an archery arrow. The animal apparently had severe wounds and had to be euthanized. The accused was incarcerated at the time of the news report.

September 2014/Reeds Spring, Missouri: News-Leader.com reported that residents of a trailer park had found letters in their mailboxes asking them to leave out bowls of antifreeze to kill homeless and roaming cats in the community. The trailer park’s manager reportedly told the news outlet that there has been an ongoing dispute between residents who feed the cats and those who consider them a nuisance. One resident reported that there were “dead cats everywhere,” on the property, and a News-Leader.com photographer reportedly saw a dead, burned cat there when covering the story. The local sheriff’s department and humane society were reportedly investigating.

September 2014/Salem, Oregon: StatesmanJournal.com reported that a homeless kitten had been shot twice in the head with a BB gun and that the pellets remained lodged near the animal’s eye and nose. The kitten was reportedly too small to survive surgery to remove the pellets and was being kept on pain medication at an area animal organization. There were reportedly  no suspects in the case, and it wasn’t reported if law enforcement was investigating.

September 2014/El Paso, Texas: KVIA.com reported that a cat’s head and two of the animal’s legs had been found placed in a street and a veterinary examination revealed that the cuts “were fairly precise,” suggesting that the animal may have been the victim of human cruelty. The local Animal Services Department was asking people to contact it with information about the incident. No suspects had been identified.

September 2014/Murray, Utah: KSL.com reported that a man was charged with five felony counts of cruelty to animals for allegedly capturing stray kittens using sticky glue boards. Two kittens who were caught on the boards had been reportedly placed in a garbage can where a neighbor found them after hearing their cries. A police officer reportedly found three more kittens trapped on a glue board in a carport area “meowing loudly” and allegedly wrote in a report that one of them appeared to have had a broken leg and another appeared to have had his or her mouth glued shut on the board. According to the news report, the accused told officers that “he thought there was a feral cat problem in the area and he was trying to take care of it.”

September 2014/Quincy, Illinois: WGEM.com reported that a feral cat had been found in an alley with an arrow through his shoulders. An animal control officer used a blanket to capture the cat and reported that the animal “kept trying to run away and getting obstructed because … [he] would run for about five to six feet and then get tangled up.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where euthanasia was being considered for reasons of mercy. No suspects had been identified, and officials were hoping a witness would come forward.

September 2014/Antioch, California: AntiochHerald.com reported that the president of a nonprofit group involved in trapping, neutering, and reabandoning cats in the community attended a city council meeting during which she reportedly “decried the discovery of a cat that had been severely burned and had to be euthanized.” No further information was reported.

September 2014/Jacksonville, Florida: News4Jax.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found doused in lighter fluid and burned to death outside her home. Police were reportedly investigating, and a reward was being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. No suspects had been identified.

September 2014/Dallas, Texas: The Dallas–Fort Worth affiliate of CBS reported that a reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for impaling two cats through their hind legs on the spikes of a metal fence surrounding an apartment complex. One of the cats had to be euthanized because of the severity of his or her injuries, and the other escaped while officials worked to remove the animals from the fence. Police had a description of a possible suspect who had not been identified.

September 2014/West Jefferson, Ohio: Madison-Press.com reported that a police officer responding to a 911 call reportedly found a badly burned cat huddled under a resident’s porch. The cat sustained burns over most of his body, and his face was reportedly the most affected—his whiskers were burned off, he’ll likely lose the tips of both ears, and his nose was badly damaged. The officer reportedly believed that an accelerant was used to burn the cat. An investigation was undertaken, and no suspects had been identified.

September 2014/Guttenberg, New Jersey: NJ.com reported that a dog escaped from the yard in which he was confined and killed a cat who was apparently homeless. The dog was quarantined at home, and the owner was cited for failing to leash and license the animal. The cat’s remains were reportedly taken to a crematorium.

September 2014/Saginaw, Michigan: MLive.com reported that an injured cat had been found in a resident’s yard with an arrow protruding from his back. Animal control officers rescued the cat, and an examining veterinarian reportedly determined that the animal had been shot at least a few days prior to being found. The wound had reportedly become infected, and the cat was mercifully euthanized. No suspects had been identified, and anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Saginaw County Animal Care Center.

September 2014/Indianapolis, Indiana: IndyStar.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals for allegedly killing a cat who had been roaming outdoors unsupervised by shooting him with at least 10 blow darts—striking him in the colon, back, and genitals. The cat was found alive by his owner but died later at a veterinary hospital. An investigation was reportedly undertaken into the conditions of a cat and two dogs who were still in the custody of the alleged shooter.

September 2014/Wilmington, North Carolina: WWAYTV3.com reported that two cats had been found dismembered in a Wilmington neighborhood. Most recently, an “almost surgically” cut half of a cat was found on a resident’s front lawn. Police were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

September 2014/Houston, Texas: HoustonPress.com reported that a cat who had been allowed outdoors to roam unsupervised was found dismembered on the front lawn of his home. Other cats have reportedly been found killed in a similar way in the neighborhood. Police were reportedly investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

September 2014/Greene County, Pennsylvania: WPXI.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors unsupervised was shot at close range, evidently by a handgun, breaking both of the animal’s front legs. The cat was in intensive care at a veterinary hospital. Police were reportedly investigating and had surveillance video footage of the incident.

September 2014/Wilmington Island, Georgia: WTOC.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot with pointed metal BB-type pellets while allegedly sunning himself on someone’s car. After being shot, the cat reportedly dragged himself across a parking lot and hid in the bushes under a neighboring home, where he was found. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, and X-rays showed that the animal had been shot twice and had bullets lodged near his spine. Removing the bullets would reportedly do more harm than good, and the cat’s recovery was uncertain. No suspects had been identified in the case.

September 2014/Columbia, South Carolina: WLTX.com reported that a man was charged for his reported involvement in shooting an opossum and a cat and then throwing the animals’ bodies into a garbage can. The animals were reportedly found dead and had wounds consistent with being shot by a pellet gun.

September 2014/Bainbridge Island, Washington: BainbridgeReview.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot with a pellet gun. The cat’s right front leg was reportedly shattered, requiring major surgery. The cat was supposedly recovering, and a police report was filed.

September 2014/Gorham, Maine: PressHerald.com reported that a homeless cat was shot by authorities after an attack on a local child. The cat, who reportedly had a limp before being shot, eluded capture for four days after being shot in the front leg or legs with a 16-gauge shotgun. The animal was being treated at a veterinary hospital, and the shooting was being investigated.

September 2014/Houston, Texas: Blog.Chron.com reported that a reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) who burned a mother cat and her kittens. The animals were found at an apartment complex with major burns on their bodies. The cats were receiving medical treatment, and authorities were investigating.

August 2014/Pleasant Hill, California: ContraCostaTimes.com reported that police received a report of a cat who was shot multiple times with a BB gun. No additional information was given.

August 2014/Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: PostAndCourier.com reported that a cat who was left outdoors to roam was found dead in a neighbor’s yard and appeared to have been partially eaten by another animal. An area resident said that at least eight cats had “disappeared” from a neighborhood nearby.

August 2014/Hughesville, Pennsylvania: MuncyLuminary.com reported that a man was charged with cruelty to animals for allegedly shooting a cat who roamed the neighborhood and then placing the animal in a plastic bag, which he then stomped on. The man reportedly admitted to shooting the cat and said that he did so because the animal had urinated on his wood pellets. A court date was reportedly set.

August 2014/Austin, Texas: KEYETV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found one morning in a neighbor’s yard with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto his rear leg. The cat reportedly received veterinary care and lost three toes because of an infection in his foot. He was expected to survive, and a suspect was facing a cruelty-to-animals charge.

August 2014/Springdale, Utah: StGeorgeUtah.com reported that a reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the mutilation of a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. The cat was reportedly found on his owner’s property severed in half, and his heart and lungs had been removed.

August 2014/Graves County, Kentucky: KFVS12.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam unsupervised was shot by a neighbor and died. According to the report, the cat’s owner made the shooter bury the cat. The shooter was also accused of attacking an unsupervised dog and breaking the animal’s ribs. He was charged with cruelty to animals for the incidents.

August 2014/Rutland, Vermont: MyChamplainValley.com reported that multiple cats had been found dead and dismembered in the community and that animal control officials were urging residents to keep their cats indoors for their safety. Police reportedly weren’t sure if the dead cats had been killed by a person or persons or other animals.

August 2014/Akron, Ohio: DigitalJournal.com reported that a man who pleaded guilty to kicking a stray cat while another individual videotaped the incident had failed to show up to his sentencing hearing, resulting in a warrant for his arrest. According to the report, the videotaped incident shows the defendant kicking a roaming cat approximately 3 feet into the air, after which the cat landed and ran away. It was not reported whether the cat was retrieved or received veterinary care.

August 2014/Duryea, Pennsylvania: TimesLeader.com reported that a cat who was allowed outdoors without supervision was shot in the back of the leg. After major surgery, the cat was recovering. Police asked for anyone with information about the shooting to contact the department.

August 2014/Fayette County, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who was roaming outdoors unsupervised was shot with an arrow. The animal underwent surgery to have the arrow removed, and police were asking anyone with information to contact them. No further information was available on the cat’s condition. No suspects were identified.

August 2014/Queens, New York: NYDailyNews.com reported that a homeless cat, who was part of a frequently fed group of strays, was found dead and surrounded by men, who were reportedly “laughing and dancing” around the animal’s body. The cat reportedly appeared to have a crushed rib cage, and parts of his body had embedded pieces of cement. Police closed the investigation because of a lack of evidence.

August 2014/Belleville, Illinois: Fox13Now.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot in the face with an arrow. A veterinarian was able to remove the arrow, and the cat was reportedly recovering. Police were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

August 2014/Franklinton, Ohio: MyFox28Columbus.com reported that an apparently homeless cat was shot 16 times with BBs and pellets. A Good Samaritan found the cat limping and thought the cat had been hit by a car because one of her legs was “in bad shape.” The kind person took the animal to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that the cat had been shot with BBs and pellets. The cat was under treatment and expected to recover. It was not reported whether a police investigation had been undertaken.

August 2014/Warwick, Rhode Island: WPRI.com reported that a man was arrested and charged with maliciously killing an animal after shooting a neighbor’s cat who’d wandered onto his property, resulting in the cat’s eventual death. The cat’s owner reported that before the animal died, he was howling, panting, and gasping for air.

August 2014/Portsmouth, Ohio: Portsmouth-DailyTimes.com reported that a homeless cat who’d been fed regularly by a local woman was found on the woman’s porch with an arrow through his ear canal and the back of his neck. The cat was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital, where the arrow was removed and the cat was being treated. The attending veterinarian told the news outlet that “[s]ince we are a 24-hour facility we see this unfortunately quite a bit.” It was unclear whether authorities had been notified.

August 2014/Orlando, Florida: MyNews13.com reported that cats who were allowed to roam unsupervised in the community had been found dead. Native predators were suspected of preying on the unattended animals.

July 2014/Lancaster, Ohio: LancasterEagleGazette.com reported that a man was accused of shooting two cats in a trailer park. One of the cats reportedly died, and the other sustained life-threatening injuries. Another cat had reportedly been found dead from apparent gunshot wounds days earlier. The man was arraigned in municipal court. No updates were included in the report in regards to the injured cat.

July 2014/Troy, Michigan: MacombDaily.com reported that a kitten was found sitting on a sidewalk in the rain. A Good Samaritan found the cat and thought he’d been attacked because he was “covered in mucus.” She brought the kitten to a veterinarian, where the animal was being treated for an upper respiratory infection, dehydration, and low glucose levels. The person who rescued the animal reportedly told the outlet that “[t]here are many more sickly cats, some covered in blood,” near the site where the kitten was found. The local animal control department was reportedly investigating.

July 2014/Laramie, Wyoming: LaramieBoomerang.com posted a letter to the editor reporting that a number of cats being fed by a group of people who reportedly had them spayed and neutered had been disappearing. It was not reported whether any of the remaining cats were being moved for their safety.

July 2014/Newport News, Virginia: WVEC.com reported that a man was arrested after video surveillance footage captured him allowing a pit bull he was walking on a chain to maul a cat to death. The attack on the cat reportedly lasted for several minutes, and when the cat was apparently dead, the man and dog walked away.

July 2014/Bowdoinham, Maine: WCSH6.com reported that a cat was shot to death with a .22-caliber bullet after being allowed outdoors to roam unsupervised. The sheriff’s department was investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

July 2014/Beulah, Michigan: UpNorthLive.com reported that a feral cat and a family’s dog both died after eating cat food that was potentially poisoned and placed in the community. The county sheriff’s office was reportedly investigating and suspects that someone poisoned the food in order to kill off feral cats in the area. The family of the dog who died was caring for kittens who were abandoned when their mother died from the suspected poison. No suspects had been identified.

July 2014/Universal City, Texas: NYDailyNews.com reported that two cats who were outdoors without supervision were found killed and mutilated. Police were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

July 2014/Richford, New York: PressConnects.com reported that a man was arrested and charged with felony cruelty to animals after a neighbor reported witnessing him kill another neighbor’s cat by stomping on the animal’s head five or six times before throwing the cat’s body into a creek. The suspect reportedly didn’t want stray cats in the area.

July 2014/Jefferson, Wisconsin: DailyUnion.com reported that a cat who was undergoing veterinary treatment after having been shot through the shoulder with an arrow was going home to recover but was still in “very bad shape.” The cat had been outdoors without supervision when attacked. The local police department was investigating the incident, and no suspects had been identified.

July 2014/Baltimore, Maryland: Examiner.com reported that Baltimore’s animal control department was investigating the cause of death of a cat who was found near a dumpster where other cats in a so-called “managed colony” had also been found cruelly killed. More cats had reportedly “disappeared” from the area. Two of the dead cats were found with severe head injuries. No suspects had been identified, and no efforts to remove any remaining cats from the area were reported.

July 2014/Lee County, Florida: WINKNews.com reported that a cat found clinging to life on the side of a road had apparently been hit by a car, shot, and stoned before being left for dead. A veterinarian treating the cat, who was taken to the clinic by a Good Samaritan, reportedly told the outlet that “the cat’s rear leg is broken in two places, [she] has a bone infection in her front leg, [she] still has shotgun pellets embedded in her body, [and she] was emaciated and full of parasites when she was found.” It was not reported whether an official investigation had been undertaken.

July 2014/Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania: CentreDaily.com reported that a 15-year-old boy was charged with cruelty to animals based on allegations that in June, he shot and killed a cat who was outdoors without supervision. The cat was reportedly shot with a bow and arrow and then crawled under a nearby house, where he or she became tangled in wires and died sometime during a 12-hour period.

July 2014/Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Fox44.com reported that a cat allowed outdoors to roam unsupervised was found dismembered in a neighbor’s yard. No evidence other than half of the cat’s body was found. An investigation was undertaken, and no suspects had been identified.

June 2014/Washington Township, Pennsylvania: PennLive.com reported that at least two cats who were outdoors without supervision were shot. A witness reported that one of the cats may have been shot from a moving car. The cats’ conditions were not reported. Both incidents were reportedly under investigation.

June 2014/Mansfield, Pennsylvania: The Free Press-Courier reported that a cat allowed outdoors unsupervised was shot with a BB gun and later died from the injuries. The case was reportedly under investigation, and no suspects had been identified.

June 2014/Epping, Maine: SeaCoastOnline.com reported that a cat outdoors without supervision was shot through the hindquarters, which broke her pelvis in several places and caused extensive nerve damage, according to an examining veterinarian. The cat apparently dragged her body along the road and into a neighbor’s yard, where her owner found her crying and unable to move. The cat reportedly died at a veterinary hospital. A reward was being offered for information leading to an arrest in the shooting. No suspects had been identified.

June 2014/Fort Thomas, Kentucky: WLWT.com reported that a family cat outdoors without supervision was found dead in nearby woods, apparently shot in the chest. Police were reportedly investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

June 2014/Martinsville, Indiana: WISHTV.com reported that approximately 30 cats identified as “strays or outside cats” had been found dead in the community, most of them apparently after having been “stomped to death.” Police were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

June 2014/Buckeye Lake, Ohio: 10TV.com reported that approximately nine cats had died of unknown causes at a mobile-home community. Poisoning or disease was suspected. One witness explained that before dying, the animals “were in extreme pain.” “There was nothing you could do,” a resident said. “They were writhing in pain.” It was not reported whether a police investigation had been undertaken.

June 2014/Fayetteville, Arkansas: 5NewsOnline.com reported that a cat outdoors without supervision was found on his or her porch impaled through the abdomen with an arrow. The cat was rushed to a veterinary hospital, where emergency surgery was performed to remove the arrow and treat the wounds. The animal was recovering at home. Police were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

June 2014/Posey County, Indiana: A woman who had been feeding feral cats in her neighborhood told 14News.com that approximately 10 cats had been found dead in the area in one week. She said that dead cats had been found on a neighbor’s porch numerous times. Poison was suspected, but there was reportedly no evidence of it.

June 2014/Albany, Georgia: WALB.com reported that police were investigating the deaths of at least seven cats who were reportedly part of a “managed colony” and were suspected to have been poisoned. A woman who regularly fed the cats told the outlet that she had found some cats dead and others dying when she arrived at the location one day. No suspects had been identified. There was no report that the remaining 40-plus cats fed at the site had been removed for their safety.

May 2014/Toledo, Ohio: ToledoBlade.com reported that a cat who was trapped in an area where strays are fed was found to have a badly broken front leg that had healed incorrectly and become infected. Another homeless cat captured by a Good Samaritan in the community had reportedly been shot and was dragging a front leg. Both cats were brought to Planned Pethood, Inc., where they received veterinary treatment, which included a leg amputation, and were put up for adoption.

May 2014/Sulphur, Louisiana: KPLCTV.com reported that a homeless cat who reportedly “belonged to the neighborhood” was found struggling inside a garbage bag smelling strongly of bleach. According to animal control investigators, the cat was euthanized and it was confirmed that he had bleach in his lungs and had apparently been drowned or suffocated. No suspects had been identified.

May 2014/Stanford, California: StanfordDaily.com reported that a local cat who “perpetually” roamed the Stanford University grounds was hit and killed by a car on the campus.

May 2014/Havana, Illinois: PJStar.com reported that a man was charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly killing a neighborhood cat by shooting the animal with a crossbow.

May 2014/Paterson, New Jersey: NorthJersey.com reported that police were considering bringing cruelty-to-animals charges against a group of up to six boys ages 8 through 10 who were accused of killing a cat with large rocks and bricks in an alley. Two older children intervened and reported the incident. The cat’s injuries were so severe that he required euthanasia approximately one week after the attack.

May 2014/Stockton, California: RecordNet.com reported that a cat was taken to the local animal shelter with an arrow protruding from her head. The arrow had reportedly “just missed an eye, her jugular and her brain” and had apparently been embedded in her head for several days before her rescue. The cat recovered and was put up for adoption. There was no report that a police investigation had been undertaken.

May 2014/Chesterfield County, Virginia: WTVR.com reported that in 10 days, approximately 25 cats had been abandoned at the site of a “managed colony” of homeless cats who were being fed behind some stores in the community. Ten kittens were reportedly left in a rubber bin with holes punched in it and a note written on top that read, “I’m pour [sic]. Can you ladys [sic] please please help these babys [sic]?”

May 2014/Lorain, Ohio:The Chronicle-Telegram reported that a cat left outdoors to roam was found on her owner’s porch apparently beaten or strangled to death. Her body was reportedly left with a pink rose and a note that said, “Don’t (expletive) with me. Sorry for your cat.” Police were investigating, and an 18-year-old man was a suspect.

May 2014/St. Paul, Minnesota: TwinCities.com reported that a man threw a cat “as far as he could,” causing the animal to land on a roof, fall to the ground, and die from his or her injuries. A witness told police that the cat was heard “mewing in agony” before dying. The suspect told police that the cat was a stray who had come into his apartment and scared his children. He was charged with cruelty to animals.

May 2014/Kauai, Hawaii: TheGardenIsland.com reported that a reward was being offered for information leading to an arrest in the killings of more than 50 cats across the island in a period of about two months. Witnesses reported seeing cats shot in “sport type” killings from cars. One person who regularly fed cats reported that all seven of the cats she had been feeding suddenly “disappeared.” The local police department said that it hadn’t received the reports, which apparently went to the local humane society and another group that was involved in feeding the cats on the island.

May 2014/Aloha, Oregon: KPTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was undergoing surgery after being found limping and bleeding. An X-ray revealed that the cat’s leg was broken and “full of BB pellets.” It was not reported whether authorities were investigating. There were no suspects in the case.

May 2014/Nashville, Tennessee: JRN.com reported that a Good Samaritan found an injured cat meowing loudly and took him to an animal-protection group. The cat was then transported to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot in two of his legs. One leg was amputated, and the other was mended using a metal plate and screws. The cat was recovering and expected to be put up for adoption. It was not reported whether the incident was under investigation. No suspects were identified.

May 2014/Manchester, New Hampshire: Firehouse.com reported that a firefighter was bitten by a cat while rescuing the animal, who had become stuck in a tree. Reportedly, the fire department had rescued two or three cats stuck in trees within the past three weeks and the department averages at least six rescues a year.

May 2014/Seattle, Washington: KOMONews.com reported that a cat who had “escaped” from his home was found hanged to death on a neighbor’s fence. A chain link and some string material were reportedly attached to the animal’s neck. A necropsy revealed that the cat had struggled before dying from wounds related to the hanging. A reward was being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. No suspects had been identified.

May 2014/Brooklyn, New York: Philly.com reported that a man was arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after allegedly posting a video on social media that showed him luring in a stray cat and then kicking the animal into the air. The cat was reportedly found by local animal-protection advocates and was recovering at a veterinary hospital.

May 2014/Peters Township, Pennsylvania: Observer-Reporter.com reported that a cat who was roaming outdoors without supervision was found limping and taken to a veterinary clinic, where it was determined that the animal had been shot. The cat’s prognosis wasn’t reported. Police were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

May 2014/Fairfield, Ohio: WCPO.com reported that a cat allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found dead in a neighbor’s yard with three puncture wounds on her side. Police reported that the animal was apparently shot. There were no suspects in the case.

May 2014/Omaha, Nebraska: KETV.com reported that humane society officers responded to a call about a cat found impaled by an arrow. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital for surgery to have the arrow removed. The cat’s post-surgical condition wasn’t reported. Humane officials were investigating, and no suspects had been identified in the case.

April 2014/Menlo Park, California: MercuryNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision returned home limping. The cat’s owner took the animal to a veterinarian, where X-rays were taken. According to the sheriff’s office, the cat’s shoulder was crushed from a gunshot wound and the animal’s left leg needed to be amputated. The cat’s post-surgical condition wasn’t reported. Authorities were investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

April 2014/Cedar Springs, Michigan: MLive.com reported that a plea deal was being considered by a man who was accused of killing a cat who had allegedly entered his home and fought with his two dogs. According to Police Chief Roger Parent, the defendant claimed that he threw the cat into the street and then killed the animal by stomping on the cat’s head to end the animal’s misery because the cat was lying in the street “twitching from seizures.” The cat reportedly belonged to a neighbor.

April 2014/Yonkers, New York: Independent.com.mt reported that 25 cats were found dead and hanging from trees in plastic bags in Yonkers. A metal pipe, two shovels, and a baseball bat were found at the scene, and at least some of the cats had been bludgeoned to death. According to CBS New York, there reportedly were disputes in the neighborhood recently between those who enjoy feeding cats on the streets and others who consider roaming cats a nuisance. The case was under investigation, and no suspects had been identified.

April 2014/Kern County, California: 23ABC News reported that maintenance employees at the Tehachapi Unified School District claimed to have been ordered to trap feral cats on school grounds and drown them in a homemade box called the “box of horrors.” A school custodian asked, “If you’re going to take the time to trap these cats, why can’t you call Animal Control to come and pick them up?” The county’s animal control shelter stopped accepting feral cats in June 2013.  

April 2014/Toronto, Canada: The Toronto Sun reported that more than 20 cats were dead and seven more were missing at two sites where cats were being fed by so-called “caretakers.” At least some of the cats had died after ingesting antifreeze, and it’s believed that the animals were intentionally poisoned. The deaths are under investigation, and no suspects had been identified. The report didn’t indicate that any remaining cats were being trapped for their safety.

April 2014/Chandler, Arizona: AZFamily.com reported that five or six feral cats who were routinely fed by a woman had died from possible poisoning. A number of the cats had reportedly developed symptoms associated with poisoning, “including disorientation and loss of balance,” in recent months. “Their back legs would stop working,” the feeder’s niece said, “and we’d soon find them dead.” There remained “just a handful” of homeless cats in that neighborhood. The report didn’t indicate that any action had been taken to take the remaining cats to safety. An investigation turned up no leads or evidence in the case.

April 2014/Sandpoint, Idaho: The Bonner County Daily Bee reported that a woman who adopted a cat from a local animal shelter and apparently allowed him to roam outdoors without supervision found him crying, wounded, and bleeding outside her back door. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he had been shot with a .22-caliber weapon. The cat was expected to recover after long-term, expensive treatments. A year earlier, another cat in the neighborhood was shot with a .22. That cat’s injuries were so severe that he had to be euthanized. Police were reportedly investigating, and no suspects had been identified.

March 2014/Elko, Nevada: ElkoDaily.com reported that a man was charged with cruelty to animals for allegedly taking a stray cat to a deserted location, stomping on the animal’s tail, and decapitating the animal with a sword. The accused reportedly told police that after decapitating the cat, he cut out one of the animal’s eyes. He reportedly stated that he abused and killed the cat “out of boredom.”

March 2014/Montpelier, Vermont: WCAX.com reported that an injured cat found by Good Samaritans outdoors without supervision was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was diagnosed with a gunshot delivered at point-blank range. The bullet and shrapnel were found in his head—some lodged near his spine. The cat underwent surgery to enable him to chew food and was expected to survive. There was no report of a police investigation or a suspect in the case.

February 2014/New Castle, Colorado: PostIndependent.com reported that the New Castle Police Department had released a statement explaining that a dog and cat from the same neighborhood had died from possible poisoning. Two days after being allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, the cat was taken to a veterinary hospital exhibiting symptoms of poisoning. Despite receiving treatment, the cat had to be euthanized. Several other animals in the neighborhood had also recently become ill.

February 2014/Palm City, Florida: TCPalm.com reported that a shopper found a cat huddled underneath a car in a parking lot and took the animal to a veterinarian. X-rays revealed that the cat had been shot and had buckshot embedded in her body. The shopper took the cat home after the animal received treatment. It was not reported if police were notified.

February 2014/Salamanca, New York: WIVB.com reported that a cat roaming outdoors unsupervised sustained puncture wounds and broken bones after being caught in a steel-jaw trap in a neighborhood where several other animals had also been injured in illegally set traps. The cat was taken to a veterinarian and received treatment that may have required leg amputation. Individuals with information about who may have set the traps were asked to contact the police department. No suspects had been identified.

February 2014/Arlington, Virginia: WJLA.com reported that a Good Samaritan found a roaming, blind cat who was in obvious pain. He was taken to an animal shelter, where a veterinarian removed one of the cat’s eyes and determined that approximately 80 pellets of buckshot couldn’t be removed without causing additional harm. The cat was reportedly receiving care and recovering. An investigation was undertaken, but no suspects had been identified.

February 2014/Long Beach, California: The Long Beach Press-Telegram reported that two cats just one block apart had been shot and killed with arrows in a matter of weeks. Both cats were found alive but too injured to survive. One was euthanized, and the other died during surgery to remove the arrow, which had skewered her liver. An investigation was undertaken, and no suspects had been identified.

February 2014/Brooklyn, New York: NY City Lens reported that approximately 60 cats, including many who were being fed in colonies, had “disappeared” from a neighborhood in the past two months. A police inspector explained, “Its [sic] unique because they’re feral cats, they are stray cats by nature so because they don’t belong to a location there is no complainant, no one owns the cats.” An investigation was opened, but a lack of evidence as well as failure on the part of those feeding the cats to take responsibility for them had stymied it.

February 2014/Washington City, Utah: SUIndependent.com reported that a reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who shot a homeless cat through the face and into her body with an arrow. She was reportedly found by a person who had been feeding her and other cats. The cat was near death, hiding under a bush with an arrow sticking out of her nose. She survived and has a hole in the roof of her mouth and tongue and one in her esophagus that could later form scar tissue and “constrict the esophagus.” A possible suspect had been identified during a police investigation.

February 2014/Woodstock Township, Michigan: The Daily Telegram reported that a man was charged with felony cruelty to animals for allegedly shooting a neighbor’s cat. The cat survived but sustained severe injuries that required the amputation of a rear leg. The man faced a sentence of up to four years of incarceration.

February 2014/Bloomfield, Nebraska: Norfolk Daily News reported that a cat allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was shot to death in a box trap set by the city police department.  The officer who shot the cat was disciplined.

February 2014/Chesterfield County, Virginia: NBC12.com reported that a cat allowed to roam outside alone was found dead and stuffed into the mailbox of the home where he lived. The cause of his death was not immediately clear. Police undertook an investigation, and no suspects had been identified.

February 2014/Centralia, Washington: The Chronicle reported that Centralia police cited a man for allowing his dog to roam at large, after the dog killed a neighbor’s cat, who was also outdoors at the time.

January 2014/Grove City, Ohio: 10TV.com reported that two apparently homeless cats were rescued by a Good Samaritan after being found outdoors in the severe cold. One of the cats died from exposure, and the other lost one of her ears and required surgery on her other ear because of frostbite. The surviving cat was undergoing treatment and was to be available for adoption after a couple of months of recovery.

January 2014/Minot, North Dakota: The Minot Daily News reportedthat a cat believed to be a local feral was found frozen to a rock next to a pond. Police rescuers said that it appeared that the cat had fallen into the pond and when he or she tried to climb out, all four feet quickly froze onto a flat rock next to the water. The temperature at the time was 21 degrees below zero. The responding animal control officer had difficulty finding the cat because the animal was so “frosted” over. “All of its limbs were frozen to a rock and it was kind of dangling into the pond,” she said. “Clearly you could see injuries on its legs where it was struggling trying to rip itself off the rock.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, but his or her injuries and exposure to subzero temperatures reportedly proved too much to survive. The pond owner reported that the cat could have been frozen to the rock for as long as three hours before being discovered.

January 2014/Syracuse, New York: Syracuse.com reported that a Syracuse Police Department animal cruelty officer checking on animals who may have been left outside during a cold snap found a dead cat who appeared to be a stray and looked as if he or she had frozen to death midstep and “tipped over.”

January 2014/Ingham County, Michigan: WILX.com reported that the Ingham County Animal Control Department was hiring extra officers to respond to emergency calls over a particularly freezing-cold weekend, including a call about a cat with 3-day-old kittens in an abandoned house without heat. The animal control director reported, “Cats and dogs left outdoors during this bitter cold could be confiscated and their owners cited with animal cruelty. In these bitter and extreme temperatures we will find victims of frostbite and when the snow melts, there will be victims of hypothermia that paid the ultimate price—their life.”

January 2014/Villa Rica, Georgia: WSBTV.com reported that six cats and dogs had died in one neighborhood and that residents believe the animals were poisoned. The deaths were reportedly “sudden and painful.” The manager of the local animal control department said the investigation likely couldn’t move forward unless the killer was caught in the act of placing poison.

January 2014/Houston, Texas: CultureMap.com reported that approximately six cats allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and mutilated in a neighborhood where “missing cat” fliers had been posted. It wasn’t known if the cats were killed by humans or other animals. One cat named Caesar was found dead, “picked clean and scattered across a neighbor’s yard.” The animal’s head was never located, suggesting to both the cat’s owner and  veterinarian that the killing was committed “by a large animal capable of crushing and eating a skull,” such as a large canine. That same news report stated that Harris County authorities had seen an increase in animal-abuse cases in the previous two weeks, including involving a roaming and supposedly “stray, sick” cat who was thrown into the air and shot. Another case involved a suspected serial cat killer in another neighborhood where numerous mutilated dead cats had been found.

January 2014/Summerville, South Carolina: The Post and Courier reported that a teen had filmed himself coaxing two cats who were outside roaming without supervision into coming near him, picking them up, and then throwing them approximately 30 feet. The video was posted on social media, and police were notified. The teen was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals. It was not reported if the cats were injured or survived.

January 2014/Spartanburg, South Carolina: WAFF.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision became stuck inside the engine of a neighbor’s truck. The neighbor drove the truck to a maintenance shop, where animal control officers worked for an hour to release the cat. The animal was uninjured and taken to the city animal shelter.

January 2014/Murfreesboro, Tennessee: WKRN.com reported that a teacher shot her neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors unsupervised, claiming that “she was tired of [the cat] using her children’s sandbox as a litter box.” The cat’s owner transported the animal to a veterinarian, where the animal was euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. The teacher was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.

January 2014/Fawn Township, Pennsylvania: TribLive.com reported that a homeowner called police after a cat was found hanged to death from a tree near the person’s property. The cat had a shoelace tied around his or her legs and another tied around the neck. Police Chief Tim Mayberry said that it was clear that the animal suffered before dying by strangulation. “It was an absolutely sickening sight,” he said. “I’ve been a cop for 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.” The case was under investigation, and no suspects had been identified.

January 2014/Jones County, Mississippi: WJTV.com reported that a woman called the Sheriff’s Department after witnessing a man kill a cat with gardening shears. The man told an investigator that the cat was a stray who entered his home after repeatedly trying to get in for several weeks. He also claimed that the cat had made clawing marks on and around his home trying to get indoors. The man stated that he had bludgeoned the cat with a plastic crate and thought he had killed the animal. Later, he noticed that the cat was clinging to life, so he cut the animal with gardening shears to kill him or her. The cat was buried before police arrived, and no charges were filed.

January 2014/Athens, Tennessee: Local8Now.com reported that a man was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after neighbors saw him pick up a stray kitten by the neck and kick the animal “like a football” into the air. A witness who picked up the kitten said that the animal “twitched” three times before dying in her arms. A court date had been set.

January 2014/Horry County, South Carolina: CarolinaLive.com reported that a cat left outdoors without supervision was attacked and killed by a pack of five beagles. Other animals in the neighborhood had reportedly been found dead recently. There was no mention of an investigation.

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