The Great Outdoors? Not for Cats! 2018
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 2018/Toledo, Ohio: WTOL.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had sustained severe injuries when he was attacked by two teenage boys. A resident who witnessed the attack reportedly said that “she saw the two teens, one had a baseball bat in hand and the other one was kicking him, and the one with the baseball bat was viciously striking him in the head.” The boys ran off when she approached them. The cat was taken to an adoption group and was reportedly “undergoing extensive treatment” at veterinary hospitals. A police report was filed.
December 2018/Amity Township, Pennsylvania: WFMZ.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found “acting erratically, staggering and struggling to keep [his or her] balance.” A resident called authorities, and the animal was transported to a veterinary hospital, where he or she was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Multiple people reportedly required post-exposure rabies treatments.
December 2018/Hobart, Indiana: NBCChicago.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had fallen through ice on a frozen lake. A witness saw the cat fall through the ice and said that the animal couldn’t get to shore. “I could see that the fur was freezing and he was getting weighed down,” he said. The man jumped into the lake and was able to bring the cat to shore. The rescuer sustained cuts from the sharp edges of the ice. The cat apparently survived but was allowed to wander off.
December 2018/Henderson County, North Carolina: WSPA.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with an arrow. She had then apparently managed to crawl back to her owner’s property, where she was found. An arrow had “reportedly entered through the cat’s rear leg and pierced her upper body as she tried to get away and disemboweled her.” Her owner reportedly “put the cat down” because of the extent of the injuries. Authorities investigated, but no suspects were identified.
December 2018/San Angelo, Texas: GoSanAngelo.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the leg with an arrow. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2018/Greeneville, Tennessee: GreenevilleSun.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. He or she had returned home with injuries to the face and back and was taken to a veterinary hospital. Bullet fragments were discovered in the animal, and one of the cat’s eyes was so badly damaged that it had to be removed. Authorities had reportedly identified a possible suspect.
December 2018/Longmont, Colorado: TimesCall.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog who was also roaming unsupervised. The dog’s owner was cited. No additional details were available.
December 2018/Greensboro, North Carolina: WFMYNews2.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found clinging to a tree, bleeding, and crying in pain. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that she’d been shot with a pellet gun and a pellet had lodged near her spine. She was given pain medication and needed surgery. Two other roaming cats had reportedly also been shot in the area. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2018/Weaverville, North Carolina: FOXCarolina.com reported that a homeless feline described as a “community cat” had been seen exhibiting symptoms of rabies. The cat hadn’t been seen again, and authorities were warning area residents to be cautious and report any sightings of the animal.
December 2018/San Luis Obispo, California: SanLuisObispo.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found severely injured. He was taken to an animal shelter, where it was found that he’d sustained “multiple fractures” to his jaw and trauma to an eye. He received veterinary treatment. It wasn’t known how he’d been injured.
December 2018/Houston, Texas: ABC13.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found “with a severe burn on the top of his head and a burn on his front paws. His eyes were swollen shut and he was in significant pain.” Authorities were called, and he was taken to an animal shelter, where he received treatment. No additional details were available.
December 2018/Upper Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania: FOX29.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with her paws frozen to a storm drain. Authorities were called and reportedly used “warm water to [unfreeze] the kitten’s feet from the drain.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she was admitted with “critically low body temperature” and injuries.
December 2018/Gilmer County, Georgia: TimesFreePress.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found in a resident’s carport dragging his or her back legs and appearing ill. The cat was apparently taken to an animal shelter, where he or she was euthanized and later tested positive for rabies. Authorities were canvassing the neighborhood, where “several” homeless cats reportedly roam, and warning residents about the risk of exposure.
December 2018/Omaha, Nebraska: Omaha.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with her paws frozen to a storm drain. Authorities were called and used lukewarm water to melt the ice and free her paws. She was taken to an animal shelter, where she received hydrotherapy and warming blankets and pads. A spokesperson for the shelter said that it’s not uncommon for the facility to receive cats in the winter who’ve been found frozen to storm drains and other objects.
December 2018/Redondo Beach, California: DailyBreeze.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found outside a business injured and having difficulty walking. A passerby took her to a public animal shelter from which she was ultimately transported to a veterinary hospital. X-rays showed that her leg had been broken in three places, and veterinarians reportedly believed that the injury was “probably a few months old.” She underwent surgery.
December 2018/Adams County, Pennsylvania: FOX43.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun and died two days later. It wasn’t reported whether veterinary care had been sought or provided. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Lafayette, Indiana: JCOnline.com reported that a cat who’d apparently been left behind when his or her owners moved had been captured in a live trap and pushed into a pond, where the animal drowned. The drowning had been videotaped and posted on social media by a teenager who commenters said helped the manager of a mobile home park “get rid of animals left behind when tenants move[d] out.” Another commenter said that “shelters rarely take the animals.” Authorities were investigating.
November 2018/Douglas County, Oregon: NRToday.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured. A resident locked the animal in a shed and called authorities. No additional information was available.
November 2018/Ontario, Ohio: MansfieldNewsJournal.com reported that a homeless cat who was one of many fed by a resident had been found with an arrow through his body. Authorities were called, and he was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the arrow was removed and he was being treated. It wasn’t reported whether they were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Derry, New Hampshire: UnionLeader.com reported that a man had been indicted on a cruelty-to-animals charge after allegedly attacking an apparently homeless cat. Witnesses said that they saw him drag the cat by the tail from underneath a van, take the cat to the side of an apartment building, and beat the animal, who was “screeching and meowing ‘as if [he or she] was being tortured.’” Authorities were called and found the cat in some bushes badly injured, unable to move, and “tangled up in sticks.” He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital and “treated for a lower jaw fracture.” In addition, according to police, medical records indicated that “the cat experienced pain in the area of [the] pelvis.”
November 2018/Louisville, Kentucky: WAVE3.com reported that a homeless cat had sustained severe burns and injuries after a car engine in which she had apparently sought warmth was started. The vehicle’s owner reportedly “started his car and saw fur flying everywhere, so he turned it off to investigate.” The cat “was skinned on one side of her back from the hot engine and had multiple cuts on her nose.” She was taken to an animal shelter, where she received emergency medical treatment, including the removal of an eye. She was expected to survive.
November 2018/San Antonio, Texas: KENS5.com reported that a homeless cat who was regularly fed by some residents of an apartment complex had been shot in the neck by another resident. She died shortly afterward. A suspect was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after witnesses said that they saw him “standing on a second floor balcony … shooting at a group of cats.”
November 2018/Derry Township, Pennsylvania: TribLive.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home bleeding with a hole under an eye. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the injury was determined to be a gunshot wound. It wasn’t reported whether the animal survived. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/South Yarmouth, Massachusetts: CapeCodToday.com reported that a homeless cat with five kittens had been found struggling to survive in a woodpile. They were taken to an animal adoption group, where it was found that the mother was “covered with a number of ticks and her veterinary exam revealed a heart murmur.” They all were expected to survive.
November 2018/King City, Oregon: KATU.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “seriously injured.” The animal “had a string wrapped tightly around her neck and was covered in mud. Her eye was also damaged.” Her prognosis was reportedly “uncertain and she may lose her eyesight.” Another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the neighborhood had been found “with ink pen markings on [his or her] fur.” Two additional cats had been found dead, one in a park and one near a road. Necropsies were to be conducted to determine how they died. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Mainesburg, Pennsylvania: SunGazette.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot by a neighbor. The woman told authorities that the cat had entered her home and attacked both her and her dog. She was charged with cruelty to animals. It wasn’t reported whether the cat survived.
November 2018/Sams Valley, Oregon: KTVL.com reported that more than 36 cats at four locations where a group doing business as Wild Whiskers Animal Rescue had been trapping, sterilizing, and reabandoning homeless cats had died from “panleukopenia, also known as cat parvo or feline distemper.” Painful symptoms of the fatal disease include “diarrhea and vomiting [and] seizures.”
November 2018/Louisville, Kentucky: WAVE3.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “with an arrow stuck in his head, between his ear and skull.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the arrow was removed and he received stitches. Authorities reportedly believed that “the arrow most likely came from a handheld crossbow—shot less than 15 feet from the cat.” It wasn’t reported whether they were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Wahiawa, Hawaii: KHON2.com reported that a resident had found a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision with an arrow through the head. The animal was lying on the ground and having difficulty breathing. Authorities were called, but the cat was no longer at the location when they arrived. They canvassed the neighborhood and asked residents to keep their cats indoors or under supervision.
November 2018/Dunmore, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home vomiting. His owner said, “Every time there was little drops of blood coming out.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died and an X-ray showed that he’d been shot in the abdomen with a pellet gun. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Hilton, New York: 13WHAM.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found acting ill or injured. A good Samaritan took the animal to a veterinary hospital and was bitten in the process. The cat was in such bad shape that he or she had to be euthanized, and testing revealed that the animal was rabid. The good Samaritan required post-exposure rabies treatment, and there were concerns that other homeless cats and wildlife in the area had also been exposed to the virus.
November 2018/Wheelersburg, Ohio: WVAH.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and dismembered on a bridge with the remains of a second cat. Their bodies had been dismembered with “almost surgical” precision, and no blood was found on their fur or the road. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Waverly, New York: SpectrumLocalNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot and killed with a BB gun by a neighbor. A suspect was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals and criminal mischief.
November 2018/Vancouver, Washington: Columbian.com reported that an unspecified number of cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead from suspected poisoning. According to authorities, “A handful were reported around the Hough neighborhood, a couple in the Fircrest area, and another handful in the Fisher’s Landing neighborhood.” Raccoons had also been found dead from suspected poisoning. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2018/Lincoln, Nebraska: KLKNTV.com reported that a cat who had slipped out the back door of his home had been hit and killed by a car. The car’s occupants stopped and retrieved the body, which was later sought by his owners.
November 2018/Moultrie, Georgia: MoultrieObserver.com reported that a cat who was apparently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been beaten with a rake and set on fire, allegedly by a resident who told authorities that she believed the animal was rabid. A neighbor reportedly videotaped the abuse. When authorities arrived at the home, they “found a cat, still alive but critically injured with burns and spinal fractures.” The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she died. The resident was charged with cruelty to animals.
October 2018/Asheville, North Carolina: WFMYNews2.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and mutilated on the property of a grocery store. Authorities had reportedly been “alerted to social media images showing the dead cat strung up and sliced open, posed with needles in [his or her] body and drugs in [his or her] mouth.” Two suspects were arrested and charged with misdemeanors for “improper burial of an animal,” and a third was being sought in connection with the case. A necropsy was reportedly scheduled to determine the cause of the cat’s death.
October 2018/Toledo, Ohio: 13ABC.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been “found with a leg that had been broken in several places: ‘Literally his leg was in a zigzag shape, and he was dragging it. It had to be continual pain and horrendous pain.’” He was taken to an animal hospital, where it was found that the leg was so badly damaged that it would need to be amputated. An animal-adoption group that was apparently paying for his treatment had reportedly also recently received seven homeless kittens found “in an abandoned garage” who were “close to death.” They were also receiving treatment and were expected to survive.
October 2018/Amity Township, Pennsylvania: ErieNewsNow.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead inside a plastic carrier next to a road. A postmortem examination determined that he’d died from two gunshot wounds. A microchip was traced to an owner who reportedly told authorities that he’d been “missing for about four days” before his body was found. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2018/Ocala, Florida: Ocala.com reported that a resident had taken three homeless kittens to the police department after their mother and three siblings had “disappeared.” It was believed that they had been killed by roaming dogs. Two neighbors reportedly “said the remaining kittens were in danger and [the neighbors] had to use sticks to fend off dogs waiting to attack them.” One of the neighbors said, “The dogs were nipping at them.” The kittens were apparently transferred to a public animal shelter.
October 2018/Schertz, Texas: WEARTV.com reported that a black cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dismembered on his owner’s front lawn. He was reportedly found “with a cut from his belly to his neck. It appeared the carcass was deliberately displayed.” Part of his scalp had also been removed and set beside the body. Authorities reportedly said that “this type of crime increases with black cats close to Halloween.” They were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2018/Phoenix, Arizona: 12News.com reported that a homeless cat who had apparently been sterilized and abandoned in a trap, neuter, re-abandonment program had been seen with an object protruding from her eye. She ran into some bushes and wasn’t seen again until “a few days later.” The resident who first saw her said, “I saw, what I originally thought was a screw driver, but later figured out it was a dart. You could see [her] eye was basically about to fall out.” She was eventually found and taken to a veterinary hospital, where the dart was removed. She was placed in a foster home and was recovering from severe dehydration and an “infection in her head.” She was also expected to undergo surgery to remove her damaged eye. While searching for her, another resident said that she learned that a kitten who “had been darted in the eye” was recently found in the same area. Authorities were alerted, but no suspects were identified.
October 2018/Salem, Oregon: KPTV.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found on a busy street, “glued to the road.” A good Samaritan stopped and later said, “When I went to pick her up, her feet were stuck to the road …. [I]t was like a rubber cement .… It was all under her neck and then she had a little bit down her side, but it was mostly her tail and her feet.” He took her to an animal hospital, where the glue was removed and she was treated for puncture wounds to the neck. It wasn’t known what had caused them.
October 2018/Waterloo, Wisconsin: HNGNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with an arrow. His owner “heard a huge, loud painful growling noise” outside and found the cat on the porch crying in pain with an arrow through his body. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was removed and he required treatment for an infection and pain. Anyone with information was asked to contact authorities. No suspects were identified.
October 2018/Forest Grove, Oregon: KATU.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
October 2018/Miami, Florida: Miami.CBSLocal.com reported that a resident had found an apparently homeless cat who appeared ill or injured. The animal was apparently taken to an animal shelter or hospital, was euthanized, and tested positive for rabies. One person was exposed to the virus and was receiving treatment. The health department was looking for a second person who had reportedly been scratched by the cat.
October 2018/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Post-Gazette.com reported that a cat who had reportedly escaped from his home had returned with an arrow through his body. His owner said that he “heard what sounded like an animal in pain” and found the cat outside the front door. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he had to be euthanized because the arrow “had pierced both his lungs.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2018/Allentown, Pennsylvania: MCall.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found by a resident badly injured on the roof of a garage, “bleeding profusely from the mouth.” He was taken to an animal shelter, where it was found that his jaw had been broken and he’d been doused with pepper spray. He was rushed to an animal hospital, where he underwent jaw surgery. He was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2018/Wixom, Michigan: TheOaklandPress.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead. Her owner said that she “appeared to have been stomped on and shot in the head with a BB gun.” Her body was taken to a veterinary hospital for a postmortem examination, which found “severe spinal and jaw injuries as well as a 2 millimeter hole in [the] center of the cat’s skull and a 6 millimeter hole in the top of her mouth.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2018/Emporium, Pennsylvania: WeAreCentralPA.com reported that authorities had charged a man with cruelty to animals, among other violations, after he allegedly trapped and killed a neighbor’s cat—who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision—by shooting the animal with a BB gun. The body was then apparently thrown in a creek.
October 2018/Eagle Mountain, Utah: FOX13Now.com reported that two homeless kittens had been found suffering from such severe eye infections that “they could barely see.” They were apparently taken to an adoption group for treatment.
October 2018/Chester, South Carolina: HeraldOnline.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had fallen into and become trapped in a 40-foot-deep pit at a steel plant. With the help of firefighters, a volunteer “used ropes rigged to a crane to rappel down the pit” to rescue the kitten. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment but didn’t survive. A fire department spokesperson said, “The kitten had ingested materials,” which likely contributed to his or her death.
October 2018/Longmont, Colorado: TimesCall.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that the animal had been shot and “five to six pellets” remained in the body. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
September 2018/Bonita Springs, Florida: FOX4Now.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been discovered with an arrow in her abdomen. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that her intestines had been punctured. She was being treated. A neighbor was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after a warrant to search his home was executed and turned up “a mini crossbow and multiple arrows matching the one that impaled the cat.”
September 2018/Butler County, Ohio: WLWT.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured and “stuffed … into a hollowed-out tree.” The cat was apparently taken to an adoption group, where a volunteer said, “Her pelvis is crushed. She has fractures in her legs (and) she can’t go to the restroom by herself.” She said that “the cat is on a lot of pain medication,” and it wasn’t known if she would survive. How the cat was injured was unknown, but the volunteer said that the group receives calls “on a weekly basis” about cats and kittens who have been intentionally harmed. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were alerted, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Enid, Oklahoma: EnidNews.com reported that a homeless cat described as a “neighborhood cat” had been stabbed to death by a man who said that the animal had bitten him. “It pissed me off,” he allegedly stated. Authorities responding to a report of an animal sacrifice reportedly found the cat dead in the man’s driveway, “in the middle of a pentagram that appeared to be made of salt.” He told them that “after the cat bit him, he heard his god … tell him to kill [the animal].” He was arrested and charged with “willfully or maliciously killing a cat.”
September 2018/Camarillo, California: TheCamarilloAcorn.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home limping. The next day, after seeing that her “condition hadn’t improved and [her] right front leg was swollen,” her owner took her to a veterinary hospital. X-rays showed that she’d been shot with a pellet gun, resulting in several broken bones in her leg. She was receiving treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Benton County, Oregon: GazetteTimes.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured on a highway by a sheriff’s deputy. The animal was placed in a blanket and taken to a veterinary hospital.
September 2018/Santa Barbara, California: KEYT.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died. X-rays showed that a pellet or bullet had “pierced the cat’s lungs.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Nampa, Idaho: KTVB.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an arrow through his body. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a spokesperson said, “The arrow went through the abdomen, it went through several parts of the small intestine.” He underwent surgery and was expected to survive. The cat’s owner said that she planned to alert authorities, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Mountain Home, Arkansas: BaxterBulletin.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a business owner had been found with an arrow through her head. When the business owner approached her, she ran off. Four days later, she was seen again and taken to a veterinary hospital. An examination and X-rays showed that she “was shot in the nose, just beneath her eye. The arrow then went through the roof of her mouth, came out into the cat’s pharyngeal area, went through the base of her tongue, then pierced the corner of her throat before coming out through her neck.” The arrow was removed, and she was expected to survive. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Salt Lake City, Utah: FOX13Now.com reported that an apparently homeless, badly burned kitten had been found by a firefighter working to contain a fire at a recycling plant. He was apparently taken to an animal shelter, where a spokesperson said that he had singed fur and is currently in an “oxygen chamber … to help heal his lungs from smoke inhalation.”
September 2018/Hawthorne, California: ABC7.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found by a resident stuck to a glue board set out to trap and kill other animals. The kitten was taken to an animal shelter, where she was removed from the board, and she was expected to survive.
September 2018/Lacey, Washington: MyNorthwest.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead along a road. A spokesperson at the sheriff’s office reportedly said that he’d likely been hit by a car. His owner, however, believed that he’d been intentionally mutilated by a human, possibly in connection to 13 other cats in the area who’d been found dismembered. (See the August 2018/Olympia, Washington, entry.) She reportedly said, “He had been cut open. This wasn’t from an animal … his skull was shattered. It was just his skull. His legs weren’t broken. It was done by a person.” Authorities were investigating the killings, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Warminster, Pennsylvania: NBCPhiladelphia.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured beside a street. When his owner saw him, she said that she could tell that he was injured and “scared to death.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot. He was treated but didn’t survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Miami Lakes, Florida: Local10.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot with a BB gun. He underwent surgery to remove “several BB pellets” from his leg, authorities reportedly said. He contracted a post-surgical infection but was expected to survive. Another cat had reportedly been shot with a BB gun in the same area several months before. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/New Orleans, Louisiana: USAToday.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been electrocuted after seeking shelter in an electrical substation. Thousands of residents lost electricity for more than an hour because of the damage caused.
September 2018/Liberty, South Carolina: Independent.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found unable to maintain balance. A resident who tried to help the animal was bitten. She told authorities that several days earlier, “a skunk had killed several cats and [a] kitten and the skunk had died on her property.” The kitten was euthanized and tested positive for rabies, and the resident received post-exposure treatment. WSPA.com reported that two residents had been bitten and scratched by the kitten and were “referred to their health care providers.”
September 2018/Little Rock, Arkansas: FOX16.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an apparent pellet wound to her neck. She was expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Des Moines, Iowa: SiouxlandProud.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been taken to an adoption group by a resident who alleged that the animal had been beaten with a baseball bat at the home of a couple that “regularly … beat animals.” He reportedly witnessed the attack on the kitten, which resulted in a broken jaw and a leg so damaged that it had to be amputated. A spokesperson at a veterinary hospital said, “He was skinny, his jaw was misaligned, he had a lot of swelling, a lot of scarred tissue, he had no sensation in his limb.” A relative of the man who had dropped him off apparently tried to care for the animal but couldn’t. Two weeks later, the man was asked to shoot him to end his suffering. He took the kitten to the group because he “couldn’t bring himself to shoot” him. The cat was under treatment at a veterinary hospital. The adoption group was trying to get enough information to file a police report.
September 2018/St. Louis, Missouri: People.com reported that a cat who was described as an “outdoor cat” had become ill. The animal’s owner took the cat to a veterinary hospital, where the tentative diagnose (without testing) was feline leukemia. The cat was prescribed prednisone to treat symptoms but died. Two days later, the owner developed symptoms including “three large and unsightly boils … on the right side of his neck.” He was diagnosed with glandular tularemia, believed to have been transmitted to him from the cat, who was apparently misdiagnosed. The owner received treatment.
September 2018/Millsboro, Delaware: DelmarvaNow.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured in a resident’s driveway after being hit by a car. When attempting to help the cat, the resident was bitten. The cat apparently died or was transported and euthanized and tested positive for rabies. The resident required post-exposure rabies treatment.
September 2018/Ontario, Oregon: ArgusObserver.com reported that authorities were investigating the possible poisoning of cats who were described as part of “a colony of cats.” The city’s police chief reportedly said that officers have “heard that there have been up to 4 cats found deceased” and that the cause of their deaths was unknown. No suspects were identified.
September 2018/Hopatcong, New Jersey: NJHerald.com reported that authorities were investigating after a resident posted a photo of her son in the driver’s seat of a car with her in the passenger seat on social media. The caption reportedly read, “As he drives mom around and runs over 3 cats maybe people should keep [their] cats at [their] house and not on the street so proud of him Eliminating the cat population.” After receiving comments, she reportedly posted again, saying in part, “I am proud he ran them over keep your … pets off the street.”
September 2018/East Grand Rapids, Michigan: FOX17Online.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been discovered injured and bleeding. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot with a BB gun. A pellet remained lodged in his leg, “which, at his advanced age, would have prevented him from walking.” He was euthanized. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/San Jose, California: NBCBayArea.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot with a pellet gun and that several pellets remained in his body. He was being treated, but his injuries were reportedly “so severe he may not be able to walk again.” Veterinary offices in the area had reported recently handling “a few cases of cats shot by pellet guns.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Asheville, North Carolina: WLOS.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with a severe infection in both eyes. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where plans were made to remove one of her eyes, which had ruptured because of the infection. She was under treatment.
September 2018/Lexington, Kentucky: WKYT.com reported that a group of children had found an apparently homeless kitten under a bush. He was “soaking wet [and] wrapped in a heavy coat,” and it was believed that someone had tried to drown him. He was taken to an adoption group and was being treated for hypothermia and dehydration.
September 2018/Mobile, Alabama: FOX10TV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by three dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner said he went outside after hearing a noise and found that his cat had been mauled to death. He followed three dogs down the street but apparently didn’t find out where they lived. He reportedly said that “about six or seven cats were killed in the area in the past two or three weeks.” Authorities were notified.
September 2018/St. Petersburg, Florida: WFLA.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and dismembered. After he didn’t return home for days, one of the cat’s owners reportedly found his body near the home without a head or tail. Days after that, his skull was found “propped up” in the front yard. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Bloxom, Virginia: DelmarvaNow.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found sick and injured among the rocks at a beach. She was apparently euthanized and tested positive for rabies. It was considered that “[g]iven the remote location … where [she] was found and [her] poor condition, it is possible that [she] may have been transported there by someone from another location.”
September 2018/Utica, New York: SpectrumLocalNews.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found crying and injured in a wooded area. She “had a green leash wrapped around [her] abdomen area and was bleeding and was stuck and was obviously in pain,” according to a spokesperson for an adoption group where she was apparently taken. It took 25 to 30 stitches to close a deep wound around her midsection, apparently caused by the leash that she’d been found entangled in. A “colony of stray cats” is reportedly fed in the area. She was expected to survive.
September 2018/Charlotte, North Carolina: WBTV.com reported that a homeless cat had died after someone set the animal on fire. A witness said that the cat ran by her and was “bursting into flames.” She poured water on the animal before he or she died. The cat was reportedly “one of several strays in the neighborhood” who were regularly fed by area residents. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2018/Schenectady, New York: TimesUnion.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been hit by a car. A neighbor was charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly stomping on the injured animal and “then picking [him or her] up and swinging [the cat] against a tree.” A court date was set.
August 2018/Kailua-Kona, Hawaii: KHON2.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found by authorities with an arrow through his or her body. The cat was taken to an animal shelter and had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. A shelter representative reportedly said that this is the third time in two years that a cat had been shot with an arrow in the area and that “there is a feral cat problem in our community.” No suspects were identified.
August 2018/Mountlake Terrace, Washington: MLTNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by two dogs after entering their yard. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital and diagnosed with a broken pelvis and femur. Authorities were notified.
August 2018/Mesa, Arizona: AZFamily.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dismembered in an “area … plagued with a stray cat colony,” according to neighbors. One of the cats was found “cut in half with [his or her] eyeballs popping out,” and only the rear half of the second cat was found. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. It was later reported that three more dead cats had been discovered in the area. A dead adult cat was found against a curb, and two dead kittens were nearby, one of whom had been beheaded. KTAR.com later reported that as many as six cats had been found dead in the area since August 30.
August 2018/Worcester County, Maryland: WBOC.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found, apparently ill. Authorities were called, and he or she was evidently euthanized and tested positive for rabies.
August 2018/Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: KREM.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home injured. Her owner said, “She came running in, dragging her leg. And went straight into the bed.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that she’d been shot with a BB gun, and her leg was so badly damaged that it had to be amputated. Police were notified, but no suspects were identified.
August 2018/Naugatuck, Connecticut: Patch.com reported that a homeless cat who was apparently part of “a colony of about ten community cats” had been found sick. Before dying, he or she attacked two kittens in the area and was captured by a resident. Testing revealed that the animal had rabies. Seven other cats in the colony had reportedly been captured and tested negative for the virus. It wasn’t reported whether the kittens survived.
August 2018/Gibsonton, Florida: FOX13News.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot to death by a resident who was attacked by the animal. Testing revealed that the cat had rabies, and the resident needed post-exposure treatment. The previous week, three residents of the same county were attacked by another rabid cat, and all received post-exposure treatment for the fatal virus.
August 2018/Phoenix, Arizona: 12News.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with severe burns to his rear legs and tail. He was taken to an animal shelter, where veterinary staff found that the burns were “so bad on his hind legs and tail that muscle was exposed.” He was treated for 87 days at a trauma center and was expected to survive. It wasn’t known what caused the injuries.
August 2018/Taylor, Pennsylvania: PAHomepage.com reported that several cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead from suspected poisoning in a neighborhood. A property owner was reportedly “facing eight criminal counts,” including two felony cruelty-to-animals charges, after telling police that she “used rat poison to kill at least two cats near a property she owns.” Court documents reportedly show that she stated that she “was trying to stop stray cats from getting into her tenant’s garbage.”
August 2018/Eugene, Oregon: KEZI.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner witnessed the attack, during which the dogs chased the animal into a neighbor’s yard and “began to literally tear him apart.” She said that “she could hear his bones crunching, so she tried to step in and help, but she was bitten and dragged to the ground. She suffered bite wounds to her hand and leg.” The cat died shortly thereafter. Authorities impounded the dogs and were investigating.
August 2018/Warwick, New York: RecordOnline.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been “found with two open wounds filled with maggots. She [was] also missing an eye, was underweight and had an upper respiratory infection.” Authorities were called, and she was transported to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
August 2018/Bonner County, Idaho: BonnerCountyDailyBee.com reported that a cat who had evidently been abandoned in a trap-neuter-reabandon program had been found badly injured outside the news outlet’s office. A worker said, “At first glance I could tell she was way underweight, in pain and scared.” Upon further examination, she found that “the front left paw or leg was almost completely gone. … ‘It was literally hanging on by a hair.’” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, including amputation of her leg.
August 2018/Corpus Christi, Texas: KRISTV.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by “a pack of dogs,” who were also roaming unsupervised. One cat had been found “severely injured” in a neighbor’s yard. He was taken to a veterinary hospital and treated, but he died. Video surveillance footage showed another cat being attacked, and he died shortly thereafter. Authorities had set traps and were trying to capture the dogs.
August 2018/Brush Prairie, Washington: KPTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found badly injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been paralyzed from a gunshot and a bullet remained lodged in his neck. He had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects had been identified.
August 2018/Baltimore, Maryland: WBALTV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured. He was taken to an animal shelter and then transferred to a veterinary hospital for treatment. He’d sustained “severe injuries” to his neck, possibly “from some sort of dragging issue or [it] could’ve been a burn, like a chemical,” the treating veterinarian said. He’d also been shot with a BB gun, according to the veterinarian. “We found another projectile here that probably went through when the leg was extended with him running away,” he said. The cat was being treated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
August 2018/Saginaw County, Michigan: WNEM.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. His owner’s mother saw the dogs drag him off the porch and were “just pretty much playing tug-o-war with him,” she said. He died shortly after the attack, and authorities were notified.
August 2018/Ruidoso, New Mexico: RuidosoNews.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten who appeared ill had been found curled up on a plastic bag on a resident’s driveway. The kitten was taken to an animal shelter and mercifully euthanized because of the severity of his or her condition.
August 2018/Galveston, Texas: ABC13.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found badly injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot in the face. Pellets reportedly “penetrated the skull and sinus cavity near his nose. They tore a large hole in his tongue and continued on to his paw, in which two toe bones were shattered.” He was unable to eat for several days because of the injuries and remained under treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
August 2018/San Angelo, Texas: GoSanAngelo.com reported that a homeless kitten who was fed by a resident had sustained injuries after she was shot by a neighbor. One of her legs was reportedly “shattered by the shot and will need to be amputated.” Another leg was fractured. She and two littermates were taken to an animal shelter. Another kitten who was reportedly injured in the shooting ran off and hadn’t been found. Authorities were reportedly investigating, but no suspects were identified. It was later reported that a neighbor was facing charges, including “firearms-discharging in city limits” and cruelty to animals, after admitting to authorities that “she shot at the kittens because she is allergic to cats and they were on her property.”
August 2018/Anderson, South Carolina: IndependentMail.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been thrown onto the roof of an apartment building. A suspect was identified and charged with “mistreatment of an animal” after allegedly posting a video of the abuse on social media. According to a police department spokesperson, “He said the kitten had scratched him so he threw [him or her] on the roof.” Authorities searched but were unable to find the kitten. It wasn’t known if the animal survived.
August, 2018/Brooklyn, New York: PIX11.com reported that homeless cats in a neighborhood had been found dead from suspected poisoning. A resident said, “People are poisoning the cats. I’ve seen dead cats. I’ve seen antifreeze fluid on the corner.” Two dogs died after ingesting antifreeze, and one recovered with treatment. The area reportedly had “dozens of feral cats running around.”
August 2018/Marion, Ohio: MarionStar.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. The cats’ owner witnessed one of the attacks and said that she saw “him killed in front of [her] and the horror in his eyes.” Authorities apparently cited the dog’s owner.
August 2018/York, South Carolina: GreenvilleOnline.com reported that two teenage boys had abused an apparently homeless kitten while one of them filmed the abuse and shared the video on social media. A member of an animal-adoption group contacted one of the boys and was able to find the kitten, who was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. A veterinary examination reportedly found “head trauma and signs of strangulation.” Authorities were able to identify the teens, who “admitted to taking part in the video and told deputies they were ‘just having fun,’ according to the incident report.” They were charged with ill treatment of animals. The kitten was expected to survive.
August 2018/Fortuna, California: KIEM-TV.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found on the side of a highway with “blood … coming out of her mouth and she was barely breathing.” She was so weak that wind created by a passing vehicle “rolled her over.” A good Samaritan took her to a veterinary hospital, where she underwent surgery and was in critical condition.
August 2018/Corpus Christi, Texas: KIIITV.com reported that at least four cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by five dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Three of the cats had been killed within a one-week period. A police department spokesperson said that authorities would investigate if a report were to be filed but that the department hadn’t yet received one.
August 2018/Sugar Land, Texas: KHOU.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. After finding his body on their front lawn, the owners watched surveillance footage, which showed the dogs killing the cat. One of his owners said, “I watched them toss that cat around like [he] was a play toy.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating.
August 2018/Tacoma, Washington: TheNewsTribune.com reported that three homeless kittens had been found ill and injured in the overflow area of a city garbage truck. They were taken to a veterinary hospital and received treatment, including sutures to close a wound and antibiotics for respiratory infections. They were expected to survive.
August 2018/New Albany, Indiana: WAVE3.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with burns and other injuries. She was taken to an animal shelter, where the director said that she was admitted “with very serious burns on a lot of her body. … [S]he kept losing more and more skin and fur.” It was believed that she may have been in the engine compartment of a vehicle when it was started or that she had been injured by a firecracker. She was being treated.
August 2018/Grafton, New York: DailyGazette.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found on the side of a road “with obvious head and leg injuries, but still conscious,” according to a police spokesperson. A witness called authorities after seeing the cat run into the road and get hit by a vehicle, throwing him into the path of another vehicle, which also hit him. A responding state trooper took him to a veterinary hospital, where an owner was identified and treatment was given.
August 2018/Durham, North Carolina: WRAL.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with facial injuries. A good Samaritan apparently took him to an animal hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot 15 times in the face with a BB gun. He was either wearing identification or was microchipped, and his owner was contacted. She said that he’d been missing for two days before she was called. He may have been blinded in the attack, because his owner said that when she brought him home, “he was banging his head into the furniture and everything.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
August 2018/Springfield, Missouri: KSPR.com reported that a homeless cat who had apparently been sterilized, ear-tipped, and reabandoned had been found badly injured after being hit by a car. He was taken to an adoption group, which transported him to a veterinary hospital. He’d sustained injuries to his head and mouth, including broken teeth. He underwent one surgery and was expected to undergo another “to pull those teeth that are in bad shape
August 2018/Beverly Hills, Michigan: FOX2Detroit.com reported that a homeless cat described as a “community cat” had been seen limping. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot with “a .177 hunting pellet,” which had embedded in his leg. He underwent emergency surgery and was expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
August 2018/Green Springs, Ohio: TheNews-Messenger.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an arrow through the body. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that the arrow had punctured a lung. The cat had also apparently been shot with a pellet gun, leaving pellets embedded in the tail, which had been broken. He or she died at the hospital. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
August 2018/Olympia, Washington: SeattleTimes.com reported that seven cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and mutilated, two of them within 48 hours of one another. The cats had been found “cut open from stern to genitals with a scalpel and their spines were removed,” according to authorities. There was evidence that one of the animals had been strangled before the mutilation. KCRA.com reported that “in one instance, a surgical glove was found next to a cat’s body.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. KIRO7.com later reported that an eighth mutilated cat had been found in the area. Q13FOX.com subsequently reported that a ninth cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found mutilated. According to officials, he “had been beaten and cut open and several internal organs removed.” His owner said she found him “totally strewn out, flat as a pancake.” KEPRTV.com later reported that a 10th cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found similarly mutilated and that “[l]ater in the day, another cat was also found mutilated … however investigators have not linked the killing to the other 10 incidents at this time.” KOMONews.com later reported that a 12th cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead. A resident discovered the mutilated body when he investigated “flies and bees swarming around a field.” ABCNews.Go.com later reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found mutilated, making her the 13th cat found dismembered in the area in recent weeks.
August 2018/Oxford, New York: WICZ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been run over on his owner’s driveway. Video surveillance footage captured the incident, in which the driver appeared to run over the cat intentionally. He was later found dead from the injuries. His owners were petitioning authorities to file cruelty-to-animals charges against the driver.
July 2018/Gaston County, North Carolina: SpectrumLocalNews.com reported that a kitten who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found sick. A veterinarian who discovered the animal called authorities after providing treatment. The kitten was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Authorities reportedly notified the animal hospital where workers had treated the kitten as well as health officials in a neighboring county where the kitten’s owner lived.
July 2018/Lincoln County, North Carolina: SpectrumLocalNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found in a resident’s yard and appeared “kind of just sick and unhappy.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she was found to be pregnant. She evidently died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies.
July 2018/Cañon City, Colorado: CanonCityDailyRecord.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found confused, lethargic, and acting aggressively. Authorities were called, and the animal was evidently euthanized. The body was sent for rabies testing.
July 2018/Georges Township, Pennsylvania: TribLive.com reported that authorities had arrested a maintenance worker at a mobile home park who told them that he’d found an apparently homeless kitten badly injured and dragging his or her body along a road, evidently after having been hit by a car. He reportedly said that he “picked up the kitten, took [him or her] into a nearby field, wrung [the animal’s] neck and tossed [the body] into the weeds.” The kitten was found alive approximately 16 hours later by a resident who called an adoption group, which transported the animal to a veterinary hospital. He or she was described as being “in really bad shape from trying to drag [him- or herself] around” and was covered with maggots. The veterinary hospital found that the kitten was hypothermic and thin, and an X-ray revealed a buckshot pellet lodged over the animal’s spine. The kitten died while undergoing treatment.
July 2018/Williamsburg, Virginia: WAVY.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found badly injured on the side of a highway. He’d evidently been hit by a car or fallen from a car’s undercarriage, where cats often hide. He was taken to an animal shelter, where veterinary staff had to “rewire his jaw, operate on his leg and then ultimately remove it.” He was expected to survive.
July 2018/Boston, Massachusetts: WHDH.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with severe injuries to a leg in a resident’s basement, after he’d evidently fallen in through a window. He was taken to an animal shelter, where a spokesperson described the injuries: “Basically his entire front leg and paw were ‘de-gloved,’ which means all of the skin and most of the tissue had been torn away, exposing the bones.” The leg was amputated, and he was expected to survive.
July 2018/Mobile, Alabama: WBRC.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by three dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. After the cat’s owner found the body, he reviewed surveillance footage, which had captured the attack. A neighbor said that the same dogs had killed her cat the night before. Authorities were looking for the dogs.
July 2018/Hope Mills, North Carolina: FayObserver.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found injured in a parking lot. A family took the animal to a veterinary hospital for treatment and then to their home. “A month later, the kitten began behaving differently” and was again taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she scratched a veterinarian and was determined to be exhibiting signs of rabies. The kitten was euthanized and tested positive for the virus. Six family members and the veterinarian had to undergo post-exposure rabies treatment.
July 2018/Tucson, Arizona: Tucson.com reported that three cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in a neighborhood after they were apparently abused. A fourth cat was found dead, but it wasn’t clear if he or she had first been abused, and the cause of death was not yet known. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Chelsea, Alabama: CBS42.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found by a good Samaritan “with his mouth open, clinging to life. He was dehydrated and nothing but skin and bones.” He was taken to a general store and examined by a veterinarian, who reportedly said that the kitten’s legs were paralyzed. He was reportedly receiving treatment.
July 2018/Washington County, Maryland: HeraldMailMedia.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with arrows. One of them was found alive by a resident, with an arrow through his or her body. Authorities were called and transported the cat to an animal shelter, where he or she died the next day. Another cat in the area had also recently been shot and killed with an arrow. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Waterville, Maine: WMTW.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been seen wandering around an area with an arrow protruding from his or her back. Authorities were called but were unable to capture the animal. A police spokesperson reportedly said that authorities weren’t actively searching for the cat but would respond if he or she was seen. It wasn’t reported whether a criminal investigation had been undertaken, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Fayetteville, Arkansas: NWAHomepage.com reported that three cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died from a feline tick-borne disease common in the area. Their owner said, “They were lethargic one day, they were throwing up the next day. Then they were really hot and then they died.” She said that she “took them to the vet but it was too late.”
July 2018/Wichita, Kansas: KWCH.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found badly injured on a road, apparently after he’d been dragged by a car. Authorities transported him to an animal shelter after his location was reported by a good Samaritan. He was reportedly emaciated and infested with fleas. He had sustained “road rash on his legs and belly” and had “exposed tissue,” and his tail had to be amputated “because it was broken and cut open.” He was receiving treatment.
July 2018/East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana: WBRZ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found beheaded. His owner said that she’d received text messages from a neighbor that included photos of the cat and that “he was dead, and … he had suffered some bad things.” Authorities said that they had “investigated a number of cat mutilations” in the area, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Central Point, Oregon: KDRV.com reported that firefighters had found an apparently homeless kitten in debris while they were cleaning up after a wildfire. He had been badly burned and was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
July 2018/Pinellas County, Florida: ABCActionNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died from poisoning after crawling under a house that was being fumigated. Her body was found under the house two days later. Authorities charged the fumigation company with cruelty to animals for failing to clear the structure before fumigating, but the charges were dropped because of conflicting statements.
July 2018/Memphis, Tennessee: FOX13Memphis.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by four dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. One of the cat’s owners said that she found her cat dead with puncture wounds on her side. Video surveillance footage showed the dogs roaming around her home. She said that a neighbor told her that she had witnessed the same dogs attack and kill her cat. Authorities were attempting to capture the dogs, but it wasn’t known who, if anyone, owned them.
July 2018/Stowe Township, Pennsylvania: WPXI.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found crying and unable to move on her owners’ patio. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she’d been shot and that a bullet had lodged in her side. She had to be euthanized because of the severity of the injuries. One of her owners said that a neighbor told him that he’d recently found three homeless cats dead, apparently from gunshot wounds. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Sonora, California: UnionDemocrat.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been injured after he or she was attacked by dogs in a resident’s yard. A police report was filed. No additional information was available.
July 2018/Spring Grove, Pennsylvania: YorkDispatch.com reported that a homeless cat who was being fed by a resident had been found injured. A day later, she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that she’d been shot twice with a pellet gun. A pellet had shattered the bone in her leg and was embedded there, and another was lodged in her abdomen. She underwent surgery that included the placement of a plate in her leg and 20 staples to close the wound. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Elmore County, Idaho: IdahoStatesman.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a family had been found dead. Tests revealed that he or she had died of plague. The family members were receiving post-exposure treatment. In the county the previous month, a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was also diagnosed with plague after falling ill. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive.
July 2018/Linton, Indiana: WTHITV.com reported that two apparently homeless kittens had been found in poor health with their mouths glued shut. The first kitten had been found at a gas station by a resident who said, “[H]er face [was] covered in black stuff and it’s hard so we thought maybe it was tar or grease but it was real hard. . . . I start picking the glue, what I think is glue, off and I pull, it’s almost like a wad of silicone, rubbery stuff out of the roof of her mouth.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital but “died days later.” The second kitten was found in a town nearby with a similar substance around his face. It wasn’t reported whether he was provided with veterinary care, but he was apparently expected to survive. Authorities had apparently been notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Santa Catalina Island, California: TheCatalinaIslander.com reported that four cats who were part of a “colony” had become ill or died. One cat, who’d been found dead, appeared to have been attacked by another animal. A second cat had been found “in pain … acting very sluggish and obviously mortally sick.” He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital and died. A third cat showed similar symptoms and “eventually died.” A postmortem examination revealed that he or she had died from antifreeze poisoning. A fourth cat had been found exhibiting similar symptoms and was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/White Township, Pennsylvania: IndianaGazette.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with gunshot wounds. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital and was expected to undergo surgery to repair broken bones. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Loretto, Michigan: IronMountainDailyNews.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been among an unspecified number of dead animals found dumped at a boat landing. A sheriff’s department spokesperson said, “Someone is trapping nuisance animals and drowning them—and is considering people’s cats … a nuisance.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Felch Township, Michigan: IronMountainDailyNews.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a “deformed leg.” She was apparently taken to a veterinary hospital, where it “was determined she had been shot and a bullet fragment caused her painful deformity.” The leg had to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Niagara, Wisconsin: IronMountainDailyNews.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home returned the next day and “took two steps and fell right over,” according to his owner. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot in the pelvis. He had to be euthanized because of the extent of the damage. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Muskogee, Oklahoma: KRMG.com reported that two homeless newborn kittens had sustained severe burns after their mother was frightened away when children threw a firecracker near her. The mother cat reportedly dropped the kittens on a hot driveway from which they were too young to escape. One of them sustained burns to the tail, legs, and mouth, including having part of her lip burned off. The other kitten sustained burns to the stomach. They were taken to an animal shelter for treatment, and it wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating.
July 2018/Clinton, Missouri: FOX4KC.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found with severely swollen and infected front paws. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that someone had wrapped rubber bands tightly around his paws, cutting off the circulation. If he survived, it was believed that he could “lose one or both paws and may need prosthetic paws.” Anyone with information was asked to contact authorities, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Frankford Township, New Jersey: NJHerald.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home limping and with two deep wounds. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that she’d been shot. The bullet had entered through the left shoulder blade and then hit her right shoulder. Shattered bone fragments had become embedded in her body. She was treated and returned home, where she died a couple of days later. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Struthers, Ohio: WFMJ.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been badly injured by a group of children. A witness said that she saw the kids kicking the animal in a field. She picked up the cat and took her to a self-professed “animal rescue” the next day, where she was apparently left to suffer from a painful miscarriage. All seven of her kittens died. She was then transferred to a veterinary hospital, where her condition was described as “touch and go” because it was believed that her bladder had been ruptured during the attack. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified.
July 2018/New York, New York: People.com reported that a feline who was described as “a friendly street cat” had sustained severe injuries after residents witnessed a group of teenagers force a firecracker into his mouth and light it. Witnesses had been unable to stop the abuse, catch the teens, or capture the badly injured animal. Two days later, he was “found with part of his mouth ‘blown apart.’” A woman who found him said that he “walked towards us mouth ripped open, tongue hanging out, blood smeared on his face.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he “endured several surgeries to remove most of his teeth and file down bone so the wound in his mouth could be closed.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating.
July 2018/St. Helena Parish, Louisiana: WBRZ.com reported that authorities believed that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by another animal. After biting a resident, the cat was evidently captured and euthanized, and he or she tested positive for the rabies virus.
July 2018/Bellingham, Washington: BellinghamHerald.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. The owner of one of the cats found him “laying kind of weird and flopping around.” She said, “I saw blood on his leg, and when I picked him up, under his right armpit area there was blood everywhere. I put him down and he kind of collapsed on the porch.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed a small-caliber bullet lodged in his chest, and it was determined to be too dangerous to remove it. He was being treated. The second cat sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, which shattered the bone. The leg had to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Fort Walton Beach, Florida: NWFDailyNews.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten was found being gently carried by a dog walking along a road. A good Samaritan took the pair to an animal shelter, where the kitten died from “coccidia, a parasitic infection kittens can get in their stomachs that causes diarrhea and dehydration.”
July 2018/Lake Stevens, Washington: HeraldNet.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with a 21-inch arrow stuck in his leg. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot with arrows twice, once in each leg, and he underwent two surgeries. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Belton, Texas: KWTX.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been thrown into a lake by a teenager while another teen filmed it. The suspects were identified after the video was shared on social media. It wasn’t known whether the cat survived. Authorities were investigating.
July 2018/Bristol, Virginia: WJHL.com reported that a homeless kitten had been restrained by a teenager and sprayed in the face with pepper spray. A suspect was identified after the video was shared on social media. The case was referred to the Bristol Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. A later report revealed that the kitten had been located and taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
July 2018/Mansfield, Ohio: MansfieldNewsJournal.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had sustained severe injuries to her rectum after someone inserted a firecracker and set it off. The cat’s owner couldn’t afford veterinary care, so she surrendered her to an animal shelter. A worker said that “there was a lot of exposed flesh” and that the cat was in so much pain that it was difficult to examine her. The examining veterinarian said that if she survives, she may be incontinent or scar tissue may form and prevent her from relieving herself. She was being treated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/San Antonio, Texas: KENS5.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a park with severe injuries to her head. She “wasn’t moving very well,” she was covered with maggots, and one of her ears had been “completely blown off.” She was taken to an animal shelter, which transported her to a veterinary hospital. According to the attending veterinarian, “The ear canal had already necrosed all the way down to the base of the skull.” A shelter worker said, “We get kittens that have been in engines and have their skulls ripped open, but this is obviously not done by a car.” It was suspected that the injuries had been caused by a bullet or a firecracker. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Atlanta, Georgia: WFMYNews2.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been kicked “like a football” across a parking lot at a gas station. The incident was videotaped, and footage was shared on social media. Authorities had been unable to find the cat, and it wasn’t known whether he or she survived. They planned to continue looking and hoped to identify a suspect.
July 2018/Port Angeles, Washington: PenninsulaDailyNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found at a park cut in half, with both halves of his body placed near a playground. His owner said that the cat had not been home “for about a week” before he was found mutilated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Bridgeton, North Carolina: NewBernSJ.com reported that “roughly a dozen” cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. One resident found “one of her cats torn and dead in her front yard …. As she went to the back yard to get a shovel to bury her cat, she found another of her cats torn and dead there.” The dogs’ owner was identified, and authorities planned to meet with him.
July 2018/Security-Widefield, Colorado: KOAA.com reported that at least five cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in one neighborhood over a one-month period. Three homeless kittens had been found dead with blood coming from their noses and mouths, and two cats who had owners had been found dead on a sidewalk, “lying beside each other, facing the same direction, both with blood coming from their nose and mouth.” Postmortem examinations of the kittens’ bodies showed no evidence of poisoning, but it was noted that the animals were malnourished. Authorities were investigating.
July 2018/Hannibal, Missouri: WHIG.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with an arrow and had sustained “several other visible wounds.” He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, and authorities had identified a suspect who was being sought for questioning.
July 2018/Norfolk, Virginia: PilotOnline.com reported that three homeless cats had been shot to death and three more had died after they were hit by cars on or near a military base. The cats were reportedly found by a self-professed “rescue group” that operates on the base. A necropsy on one of the cats’ bodies “revealed two large and three small metallic objects in [the animal’s] skull as well as a broken back.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: KFOR.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by several dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Neighbors intervened and chased the dogs away, but the cat had already died. Authorities were notified.
July 2018/Mobile, Alabama: FOX10TV.com reported that more than 50 cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed in a one-month period by three dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The owner of one of the cats said that she found her feline dead on her lawn, and another owner reportedly witnessed the dogs fatally attacking her cat. Authorities had been notified.
July 2018/Yakima, Washington: YakimaHerald.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a resident had “disappeared for a while before returning, bloody from injuries clearly made with something sharp.” Her ears and tail had been cut off. The resident reportedly didn’t take her to a veterinarian. She was eventually taken to an adoption group, where she was found to be underweight and suffering from “several medical challenges,” including mouth and ear infections and possibly an eye infection or condition. She was reportedly receiving eight different medications every day and was expected to undergo surgery after gaining strength. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/San Antonio, Texas: MySanAntonio.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found in a resident’s yard with “mangled whiskers,” eyes “so swollen he couldn’t see,” and discharge draining from his nose and eyes. He was taken to an animal shelter, where he was diagnosed with a severe upper respiratory infection. Both of his eyes were so badly damaged that they had to be surgically removed. He remained under treatment.
July 2018/Seattle, Washington: Q13FOX.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died from suspected poisoning. One of them was found lying near a fence crying and “completely limp.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he had to be euthanized. The second cat was taken to a veterinary hospital after appearing lethargic—he died there. Both cats showed signs of acute renal failure, likely from poisoning. A neighbor was charged with cruelty to animals after allegedly telling their owner that they had ripped up his screen door.
July 2018/Northumberland, New York: OleanTimesHerald.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot and killed by a pellet gun. A suspect was charged with cruelty to animals. No additional details were available.
July 2018/Miami-Dade County, Florida: Local10.com reported that an “outdoor cat” had been found dead and cut into three pieces across the street from his owners’ home. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2018/Brooks, Maine: Waldo.VillageSoup.com reported that three cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died or gone missing over a one-month period. One of them had returned home sick and “died suddenly.” Another returned home sick and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where testing revealed that he’d ingested “a mixture of antifreeze and rat poison.” He was in such bad shape that he had to be euthanized. A third cat never returned home. Authorities were reportedly “aware of the situation,” but no suspects were identified.
June 2018/Grants Pass, Oregon: KOBI5.com reported that an unspecified number of cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been trapped by a resident and abandoned at a rest stop along an interstate highway. The man was arrested on two counts of theft after he admitted to police that he’d been capturing cats and abandoning them at a rest area 14 miles away “because he was tired of cats defecating in his yard.” A neighbor said that two cats whom she’d allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had gone missing, along with “several others.”
June 2018/Jacksonville, Florida: News4JAX.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner chased the dogs while wielding a baseball bat, and one of the dogs reportedly ran into the street and was hit by a car, apparently killing him or her. Neighbors said that before the incident, the two dogs had “attacked and killed more than 20 house cats and chickens in their yards.” Authorities had reportedly been notified.
June 2018/Wake Forest, North Carolina: WBTV.com reported that a kitten who appeared to have been attacked by another animal had appeared “out of nowhere” and attacked a 3-year-old child. The child’s mother said, “His eyes were going crazy. He was foaming. You could tell something was really wrong with the kitten.” Authorities were called, and the kitten either died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies.
June 2018/Belmont, North Carolina: GastonGazette.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked—one fatally—by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The father of the cats’ owner said that he “heard commotion” and went outside to find one of the cats “severely wounded.” He followed the noise and found one of the dogs attacking the other cat. He said that he hit the dog with his walking stick and then shot at him or her to stop the attack. The dog was hit in the paw and later found bleeding by police, who returned the animal to the owner. Authorities declared the dogs “potentially dangerous.”
June 2018/Edgewater, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot in the leg. His owner said that he was expected to survive and that another cat whom she’d allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was missing. No additional details were available.
June 2018/Kansas City, Missouri: FOX4KC.com reported that a kitten who was apparently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “violently kicked” on a football field while an onlooker made a video of the incident, which was shared on social media. Authorities estimated that the kitten “was kicked about 20 or 25 yards” and were trying to identify the suspect as well as the person who took the video footage. It was not known where the kitten was or whether he or she survived.
June 2018/Bucks County, Pennsylvania: LevittownNow.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot by a neighbor with a crossbow. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she was sedated and expected to undergo surgery. A portion of a dart and the crossbow were turned over to police. Authorities were investigating, and the alleged shooter was arrested on an unrelated warrant.
June 2018/Orange County, California: OCRegister.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found in an alley “starving” and suffering from a severe eye infection. He was taken to an animal shelter, where he received treatment, including the removal of one of his eyes.
June 2018/Hamlin, New York: RochesterFirst.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found in a resident’s yard in distress and appearing ill. He or she was unable to stand and kept falling over. Authorities were reportedly called but wouldn’t respond. While putting the cat in a cage, a friend and his son were reportedly attacked. The cat was apparently euthanized or died and tested positive for rabies. The two exposed residents received post-exposure rabies treatment.
June 2018/Walker, Louisiana: WAFB.com reported that two police officers had found an apparently homeless kitten darting through traffic. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital and treated for a broken leg.
June 2018/New Orleans, Louisiana: WGNO.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been picked up and slammed to the ground by a resident who had found the animal outside his home. Witnesses reportedly tried to aid the kitten, but he or she died. The suspect was charged with cruelty to animals.
June 2018/Pelham, New Hampshire: Boston25News.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been killed by a neighbor who had captured him in a box trap. The cat’s owner said that he’d been drowned. Authorities were investigating and “looking into possible charges.”
June 2018/Greenwich, Connecticut: GreenwichFreePress.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died after being crushed in a body-gripping trap set by a neighbor. The neighbor was charged with trapping violations.
June 2018/Lynchburg, Virginia: WSET.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found “display[ing] neurological symptoms.” He or she attacked a man, bit a dog under the eye, and scratched a puppy before police captured the feline, who tested positive for rabies. Several other animals may have been exposed to the virus because of “communal feeding.” Authorities were investigating.
June 2018/Heber Springs, Arkansas: KAIT8.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with a gunshot wound to the head. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2018/Scotch Plains, New Jersey: NewJersey.News12.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found injured and missing an ear. He or she was taken to an animal shelter and was being treated.
June 2018/Butler, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been shot to death by a neighbor, “because he was angry that [the animal] had been defecating on his property.” A responding police officer found the cat dead, with an apparent gunshot wound to the torso. The suspect was facing cruelty-to-animals charges.
June 2018/Summerville, Georgia: TheSummervilleNews.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been seen with “an open wound” on the neck. He or she attacked an elderly resident, another cat, and other animals in the area. Authorities were called on a Friday but reportedly wouldn’t respond until the following Monday. No additional details were available.
June 2018/Bay County, Michigan: WNEM.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a resident’s yard with severe facial injuries. She was taken to an animal shelter, where a volunteer said, “Half her nose is missing. Her bottom lip has been pulled from her jaw line. She has teeth missing on the bottom.” It wasn’t known how the kitten got injured. She was being treated.
June 2018/Cortland, New York: LocalSYR.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with her leg caught in a steel-jaw trap. She was taken to an animal shelter, where it was found that the leg had been nearly severed and would require amputation. Authorities believed that she’d been “trapped for several days” before she was found and said that she was “weak, emaciated, and dehydrated.” They were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2018/South Bend, Indiana: WSBT.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found at a construction site unable to move and drenched from being out in the rain. A good Samaritan took him to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot. He’d sustained multiple fractures to one of his legs, and he was paralyzed. He was mercifully euthanized. The good Samaritan planned to alert authorities, but no suspects were identified.
June 2018/Hildale, Utah: CedarCityUtah.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a parking lot unable to move. A good Samaritan called authorities, and the animal was taken to a veterinary hospital. X-rays showed that he or she had been shot and that a bullet was lodged in the neck. The cat was receiving treatment. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
June 2018/Killingly, Connecticut: NBCConnecticut.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found with an injured leg. An animal control officer took her to a veterinary hospital, where she was treated for an infection in the leg joint. While recovering at an animal shelter, she escaped from a cage and attacked a dog, bit an employee, and scratched another employee. She was euthanized and tested positive for rabies.
June 2018/Phoenix, Oregon: KTVL.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had sustained severe injuries to his ears and leg when a car engine in which he’d been hiding was started. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that his leg would have to be amputated. He was also receiving treatment for an upper respiratory infection.
June 2018/Parkville, Maryland: FOXBaltimore.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been discovered dead in an alley. He or she was found next to a paper bag with a brick in it and appeared to have been bludgeoned to death. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Fort Myers, Florida: News-Press.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured after being hit by a car. After biting or scratching someone, the animal either died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies.
May 2018/Bethel Township, Ohio: DaytonDailyNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured and “covered in blood.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot with a pellet gun. A pellet had entered near his eye, traveled through his nose, and lodged in his neck. He was apparently being treated. Authorities had identified a suspect, and charges were expected to be filed against him.
May 2018/Morgan County, Georgia: MorganCountyCitizen.com reported that a homeless cat had been shot. A resident filed a complaint against a neighbor she believed had shot the animal. The cat, who “had taken up residence” at her home, had reportedly not been seen for several days before being found with a hole in the leg. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, and a veterinarian reportedly determined that the hole was a gunshot wound. Authorities were apparently investigating the complaint.
May 2018/Tooele, Utah: USAToday.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. Authorities impounded the dog, who had also killed other animals in the area.
May 2018/McLoud, Oklahoma: KFOR.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had begun vomiting after returning home. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition. He died despite treatment and was diagnosed with a feline tick-borne disease common in the area. A hospital spokesperson said that several cats are admitted with the disease every month during the summer and that most don’t survive. “For cats, the best thing to do is to keep them inside,” he said. “That’s the only place we can eliminate ticks as a problem.”
May 2018/Lawndale, California: KTLA.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death on their owner’s driveway. A third cat was found injured after she’d been missing for four days. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray revealed that a bullet had lodged in her leg after shattering the bone. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Chandler, Arizona: ABC15.com reported that at least a dozen cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had gone missing or died within six months in one neighborhood. Some residents reportedly “fear someone is poisoning cats in the community.” They say that “the cats they’ve found dead have not shown any indication of falling prey to another animal or [being] hit by a vehicle.” One resident said that she’d found her cat dead behind her home. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Deerfield Beach, Florida: Local10.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by four dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Another cat in the neighborhood had been attacked and injured by the same dogs, and others hadn’t been seen since the attacks, which were captured by surveillance video. Authorities were notified, but it wasn’t known who owned the dogs.
May 2018/Colbert, Washington: KHQ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home with a bleeding wound on the top of his head. His owner believed he’d been grazed by a BB. It wasn’t reported whether the cat received veterinary treatment. The owner reportedly planned to alert authorities, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Hamilton, Montana: RavalliRepublic.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been captured in a box trap and allegedly shot to death by a maintenance worker at a church. Authorities investigated and “found that the church had an ongoing problem with feral cats and raccoons on its property. The cats had been defecating in a sand volleyball court that’s used by youth groups. The church’s maintenance staff had been using live traps to capture the animals.” The alleged shooter was charged with discharging a firearm within city limits.
May 2018/Middletown, Ohio: WHIO.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been set on fire. Responding to a report, authorities found the cat and put out the fire. A police officer shot the badly burned animal to end his or her suffering. Evidence showed that lighter fluid had been used to ignite the cat. A suspect was indicted on a felony cruelty-to-animals charge, and after he failed to appear in court, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
May 2018/Douglas County, Oregon: NRToday.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found outside a residence and appeared sick, with blood dripping from his or her mouth. Authorities were alerted, but no additional details were available.
May 2018/Theodore, Alabama: AL.com reported that three apparently homeless cats in a neighborhood had been found bleeding after their tails were cut off and that a fourth cat’s tail had been partially severed. One resident said, “There is a stray cat that hangs out on my porch sometimes. … She’s pregnant. [She] just came on my porch without [her] tail! It’s bloody. There is blood all over my porch.” At the time of the report, residents had only been able to capture two of the injured cats for treatment at a veterinary hospital. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Nashville, Tennessee: FOX17.com reported that a cat described as a “friendly neighborhood cat” had been found at a resident’s door with an arrow protruding from his eye. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. Because part of the arrow was plastic, it didn’t show up on X-rays, so “veterinarians won’t know how far the arrow went into the cat’s skull until it’s surgically removed.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Luzerne County, Pennsylvania: FOX56.com reported that an apparently homeless, pregnant cat had been found shot in the leg. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a veterinarian said that she was in “excruciating pain. The nerve was damaged. The blood vessel was damaged. The bone was damaged. The tendon was damaged. … [T]he cat was in great pain and she lost so much blood. She was so anemic.” She underwent surgery. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Washington County, Oregon: KATU.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found decapitated and dismembered on a neighbor’s front lawn. Authorities were investigating and believed that she’d been intentionally killed and mutilated by a human. No suspects were identified.
May 2018/Cold Spring, Kentucky: RCNKY.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found lying face down in the street with blood coming from the mouth. A good Samaritan took the animal to a veterinary hospital, where he or she died.
May 2018/Birmingham, Alabama: WVTM13.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found injured. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where her leg had to be amputated because the bone had been shattered by a .22-caliber bullet. Three additional cats in the area had reportedly also “been hurt.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Lenawee County, Michigan: LenConnect.com printed a letter to the editor reporting that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an arrow through his or her body. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he or she had likely been shot from below, possibly while sitting in a tree. The arrow reportedly “entered the neck and partially exited under the shoulder blade.” Three hours of surgery were required to remove it. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Nevada County, California: KCRA.com reported that a litter of homeless newborn kittens had been found dead. Responding to a report, an animal control officer found one of the animals moving and performed CPR to revive him or her. The kitten was then transported to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
May 2018/Nevada County, California: TheUnion.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot and killed with a pellet gun. No additional details were available.
May 2018/Horry County, South Carolina: WPDE.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a downtown area, unable to use her back legs. She was taken to an animal shelter, which consulted with a veterinary hospital. X-rays revealed that she’d been shot and that a bullet was lodged in her spinal cord. She was apparently receiving treatment. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Bixby, Oklahoma: KJRH.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead. His owner said that the animal had sustained a pellet wound to his lungs. Another cat in the neighborhood was missing. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Flagler County, Florida: PalmCoastObserver.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. The kitten’s owner said that she went outside after hearing him or her “screaming” and witnessed a dog “holding the kitten in his teeth and shaking the kitten back and forth violently.” The feline’s owner shot at the dog, who wasn’t hit and ran away. The kitten died. Authorities reportedly found and “detained the dog.”
May 2018/Riverside County, California: MyNewsLA.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an arrow through his body. An animal control officer transported him to an animal shelter, where a veterinarian said, “He was alert, vocal and in pain .… The arrow entered in his left shoulder and traveled through his muscles and exited in his lower chest area, near his sternum.” The arrow fractured his shoulder and possibly caused internal injuries. He was being treated and may require the partial amputation of a leg. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Moline, Illinois: OurQuadCities.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “suffering from a BB gunshot wound.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Mount Holly, North Carolina: FOX46Charlotte.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. A witness said that the dogs were “[t]rying to tear [the cat] apart” and that one broke his neck. Additional cats in the area who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had also been attacked by the dogs. At least one of them required veterinary treatment. It wasn’t known whether authorities were investigating.
May 2018/Boston, Massachusetts: Boston.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found badly injured and cowering under a parked car during a rainstorm. A good Samaritan took her to an animal shelter, where veterinary staff determined that she’d been hit and dragged by a car. She was admitted “critically injured, with her left hind leg nearly crushed and her rear right paw stripped away.” She received treatment, including the amputation of one of her legs.
May 2018/Wake County, North Carolina: CBS17.com reported that four cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been shot by a neighbor. One of them was found dead, and the other three were found injured two days later. One of them was in such bad shape that he or she had to be euthanized. Another was badly injured when a bullet severed a tendon and ligament and grazed a leg bone. The surviving cats were reportedly taken to a veterinary hospital, and the neighbor was arrested on three counts of cruelty to animals.
May 2018/Charlotte, Vermont: ShelburneNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found crying loudly, unable to use his rear legs, and drooling. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was euthanized. Testing revealed that he was rabid.
May 2018/Lake Placid, Florida: MercuryNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been shot to death by a neighbor. A responding sheriff’s deputy who tried to question the suspect was also shot to death. The alleged shooter was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, among other charges.
May 2018/Madison County, Georgia: AugustaChronicle.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot by a neighbor. The kitten was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she underwent surgery to amputate one leg as well as toes from another. Additional cats had reportedly been shot and not survived. Both the alleged shooter and the kitten’s owner were arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an argument.
May 2018/Kearney, Missouri: FOX4KC.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found bleeding and “dying” in his owner’s backyard, with an “entry wound behind his ear.” Police reportedly confirmed that he’d “been shot at close range with a pellet or BB gun.” He apparently died unaided in the yard. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Davis, California: DavisEnterprise.com reported that three cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. A witness saw the dogs kill one of the cats, a dead cat was found in a resident’s yard, and one of the dogs was seen carrying a dead cat in his or her mouth. The dogs were seen chasing another cat. Authorities impounded the canines “pending a vicious animal investigation.”
May 2018/San Marcos, Texas: Statesman.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision “showed [a] progression of symptoms … including unusual and erratic behavior, aggression, excessive salivation, vomiting, then death,” according to city officials. The cat’s owner took his body to an animal shelter, and testing revealed that he was rabid.
May 2018/Chicago, Illinois: Chicago.Suntimes.com reported that a cat who was apparently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog while his owner allegedly filmed the incident. The owner was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals. He reportedly admitted that his dog had killed a cat as well as an opossum.
May 2018/Winters, California: SacBee.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by “an off-leash dog.” The cat was described as a “mascot” at a coffee shop and was killed outside the shop when it was closed. Authorities were notified, but it wasn’t known who owned the dog.
May 2018/Cape Coral, Florida: FOX4Now.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home with an arrow through his body. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Moscow, Idaho: DNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a .22-caliber weapon. One of her owners said that he heard a loud bang and then “saw her run inside and … saw the look of terror on her face.” She entered the house bleeding from her side and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. Authorities investigated, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Bend, Oregon: KTVZ.com reported that a homeless cat whom a resident had been feeding had been found with one of his eyes “bulging out” and “filled with blood.” He was taken to an animal shelter, where a veterinarian determined that he’d been shot with a pellet gun “in the eye at close range.” He underwent surgery to remove the eye, the pellet, and bone fragments from his head. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2018/Escambia County, Florida: PNJ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner reportedly went outside when she heard dogs barking and found the cat dead. He or she was missing teeth, and a neighbor apparently witnessed the attack and chased the dogs away. Authorities were investigating to find out who owned the dogs.
May 2018/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: WPXI.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home injured. His owner believed that someone had shot him with a BB gun. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. No additional details were available.
April 2018/Houston, Texas: KHOU.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found under a resident’s house injured and caught in a steel-jaw trap. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. It was believed that he’d been trapped and “in pain for several days.” He was neutered, and a group planned to re-abandon him after treatment.
April 2018/Daytona Beach, Florida: WESH.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found bleeding on his owner’s front lawn. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot with a pellet gun. Pellets shattered the bone in one of his legs and lodged in the muscle of another. One of the legs may require amputation because of nerve damage. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Chesapeake, Virginia: PilotOnline.com reported that four newborn homeless kittens had been found dead after a fire was extinguished behind a restaurant, where a self-professed “rescue” group said that it had been sterilizing and reabandoning homeless cats for the past four years. Two of the kittens had drowned in puddles, and two were revived and taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. The mother cat was reportedly found across the street, “scared to go near the burned-down restaurant.” She was taken to a foster home and reunited with her surviving kittens.
April 2018/Springfield, Ohio: SpringfieldNewsSun.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been picked up by a man and thrown approximately 40 feet into the air, after which she “struck the ground at full force.” Witnesses called police, and a suspect was arrested. He later pleaded guilty to cruelty to animals. The kitten was taken home by a witness, who said that she was traumatized and shaking. He planned to take her to a veterinary hospital for an examination.
April 2018/Springfield, Pennsylvania: DelcoNewsNetwork.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home injured. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where surgery was performed to remove a pellet from the animal’s spine. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Waltham, Massachusetts: Patch.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died from suspected poisoning. No additional details were available.
April 2018/Marietta, Georgia: FOX5Atlanta.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “bleeding extensively.” His owner said that she thought he’d been attacked by a dog or a hawk and didn’t take him to a veterinary hospital until a day later, when she noticed that he wasn’t eating or moving. X-rays revealed that he’d been shot with a pellet gun and that a pellet was lodged near his heart. It was reported that “the next few days are critical” to determine whether he’d survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Elmira, New York: MyTwinTiers.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “yelling,” with a broken jaw, an injured leg, and a burned ear. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d sustained nerve damage to the leg (likely caused by “something pulling it”), which may require amputation, and that his entire ear had been “burned by fire.” He underwent surgery on his jaw. It was believed that the injuries were intentionally caused by a human. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Kanawha County, West Virginia: WSAZ.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot with an arrow. The animal was taken to an animal shelter and then to a veterinary hospital for treatment. No suspects were identified.
April 2018/Sonora, California: UnionDemocrat.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been injured after he or she attacked a dog. The cat then fled into a tree and had to be rescued and taken to a veterinary hospital. No additional details were available.
April 2018/Watchung, New Jersey: TapInto.net reported that a homeless kitten who was “from a colony of free-roaming cats” had been found dead. The animal tested positive for rabies, and an unspecified number of people underwent post-exposure treatment for the fatal virus.
April 2018/Hendersonville, Tennessee: WKRN.com reported that an abandoned cat who roamed a neighborhood had been found by a group of children “battered and bruised.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she’d been shot. She was receiving treatment. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Springfield, Missouri: News-Leader.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and injured by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. A witness saw the dogs “trying to play tug-of-war” with the cat. Using a firearm, he shot at the dogs and said that he thought he’d hit one of them, but they ran off. The cat’s owner arrived on the scene and took him to a veterinary hospital. It wasn’t reported whether he survived. Authorities were investigating.
April 2018/Chatham County, Georgia: SavannahNow.com reported that 17 cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by three dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. It wasn’t reported how many, if any, of the cats survived. One resident said that the dogs had attacked his cats on three occasions and that the cats didn’t survive. Authorities captured two of the dogs and were attempting to catch the third.
April 2018/Baltimore, Maryland: WBALTV.com reported that a kitten, who was apparently homeless and had been sterilized in a trap-neuter-reabandon (TNR) program, had been heard crying for four days and was found trapped in drain pipes at an apartment complex. City workers spent hours “digging holes in several places and cutting pipes” to retrieve her, and she was taken to a veterinary hospital to be treated. No additional details were available.
April 2018/Hilton Head Island, South Carolina: IslandPacket.com reported that a cat who’d been sterilized by a trap-neuter-reabandon (TNR) group had been roaming for at least 10 days with a plastic jar stuck on her head. She was reportedly “getting weak,” but no one had been able to capture her.
April 2018/Louisville, Kentucky: WDRB.com reported that at least seven homeless cats had been found dead in an area where they’d been reabandoned after being sterilized. A woman who fed the cats said that some appeared to have been poisoned, and one had been shot in the neck. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Gulf Breeze, Florida: NavarrePress.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been hit and killed by a golf cart.
April 2018/Lake Clarke Shores, Florida: WPBF.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dragging himself across a road. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot in the spine with a pellet gun, which paralyzed him. He was mercifully euthanized. His owner said that another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had also been shot and that “others just have gone missing.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/Douglas County, Oregon: NRToday.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident who said that a cat had been seen roaming in the area with an arrow sticking out of him or her. No additional details were available.
April 2018/Carbondale, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. The dog was shot and killed by police the next week after attacking another dog and charging at authorities and a group of kids.
April 2018/Terrytown, Nebraska: StarHerald.com reported that 25 homeless cats had been rescued by authorities after they were found in and around abandoned mobile homes, where people had been feeding them. They were suffering from ailments including “broken legs, missing eyes and hair loss from disease.” They were taken to an animal shelter, and authorities were working to remove additional cats from the area.
April 2018/Portage, Wisconsin: WKOW.com reported that nine cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been killed and dumped on a resident’s property. She said that the cats had been left on her property over a period of six weeks and that they had been “healthy cats that had their nails trimmed, declawed, and there was no trauma. … In fact, they had an expression of agony.” The owners of three of the cats had identified their remains. Authorities cited a suspect for disorderly conduct and littering, and additional charges were being considered.
April 2018/Jacksonville, Florida: FirstCoastNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. A neighbor witnessed the attack but was unable to stop it. Area residents said that “several cats” had been killed by roaming dogs over the previous few months. It wasn’t reported whether authorities had been notified, and apparently, it wasn’t known who owned the dogs.
April 2018/Madison County, Georgia: OnlineAthens.com reported that eight homeless cats who’d been fed by a resident had been shot, killing seven of them. A surviving kitten was shot in both hind legs, one of which may need to be amputated. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. A neighbor said that he’d shot the cats, whom he perceived as nuisances, when they’d come onto his property. Authorities were investigating.
April 2018/Tom Bean, Texas: KXII.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner said that the dogs had “come in my backyard and killed my cat. And they were back there tearing [the cat] apart.” He was arrested for shooting at the dogs on a residential street.
April 2018/Bedford, New Hampshire: WMUR.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been left at the door of an animal shelter. She was suffering from animal-inflicted bite wounds on her head and a badly injured eye. She died at the facility and tested positive for rabies.
April 2018/Bloom Township, Ohio: LancasterEagleGazette.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found by a resident “flipping over and over” in a neighbor’s yard after becoming ensnared in a body-gripping trap. A state wildlife officer helped the resident remove the cat from the trap, but the animal died from the injuries. The officer’s report said that the cat appeared to have been “in the trap for a long period of time.” A neighbor admitted to setting traps on his property and said that “there are feral cats on his property constantly.” Authorities were investigating.
April 2018/Lodi, California: LodiNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a dog who was being walked on a leash. The cat’s owner went outside after hearing a “rumbling” and saw her cat being mauled by the dog, who had dragged his owner to get to the cat. She pulled the dog off the cat twice before ending the attack with water from a hose. Authorities arrived on the scene about 20 minutes later and found that the cat had died. Because the dog was leashed and licensed, his owner wasn’t cited.
April 2018/Newburgh, New York: MidHudsonNews.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been killed by a resident who placed them in a cage, doused them with lighter fluid, and set them on fire. He was charged with cruelty to animals.
March 2018/Boca Raton, Florida: WPBF.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home badly injured. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was discovered that “she had acid poured on her” and that her “skin was already partially gone and her ribs were hanging out,” according to her owner. She had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. Her owner said that she was told by a staff member at the hospital that her cat was the second acid burn victim the hospital had seen from the area that week. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Savannah, Missouri: KQ2.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found immobile on the side of a road. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she’d been shot with a shotgun and that both of her “front legs were basically disintegrated,” according to a hospital spokesperson. She was mercifully euthanized. He said that this wasn’t the first time the hospital had treated an animal for gunshot wounds and that “it happens way too often.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Gresham, Oregon: KATU.com reported that a “neighborhood cat” had been found dead and mutilated. He’d been cut in half, and a veterinarian speculated that he was likely killed by a human. When residents returned to retrieve the body parts, they were gone. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2018/New Britain, Connecticut: USNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who was found dead in a neighborhood had tested positive for rabies. The local health department was asking area residents who’d had contact with the animal to seek post-exposure treatment. (See the “March 2018/New Britain, Connecticut” entry.)
April 2018/Columbia County, Georgia: WJBF.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured and trying to cross a road. A passerby took the animal to a veterinary hospital, where euthanasia was required because of the severity of his or her condition. The cat tested positive for rabies.
March 2018/Chesterfield County, Virginia: WTVR.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home injured and limping. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot and his leg might need to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Red Bluff, California: RedBluffDailyNews.com reported that an unspecified number of cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been trapped and shot to death by a local man hired by a resident. Authorities determined that he hadn’t broken any laws, but the man agreed to stop trapping cats.
March 2018/Spartanburg, South Carolina: WYFF4.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been killed and mutilated. Her head had been found on the steps of her owner’s deck. The woman said, “It was straight cut. There was no body, no blood, no sign of anything. Just her head.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Dothan, Alabama: WTVY.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been attacked by another animal, apparently while she was giving birth. Residents heard her “screeching outside” and found her with lacerations to the head. Five of her kittens had been killed. She and two surviving kittens were taken to an animal shelter.
March 2018/New Britain, Connecticut: NBCConnecticut.com reported that a homeless cat had been seen with an injured leg and missing an eye. The animal had reportedly attacked at least five people in a neighborhood where “dozens of feral cats” are often seen roaming. One resident was cleaning her garage when the injured cat “came out of nowhere and just jumped on my face.” She sustained scratches to her nose, face, and neck. Those bitten or scratched were undergoing post-exposure rabies treatment, and authorities were looking for the cat.
March 2018/Bend, Oregon: KTVZ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home apparently injured with bloody, matted fur. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that she’d been shot with a pellet gun. A pellet and shrapnel were found in a part of her shoulder where it was too dangerous to remove them. She was being treated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Hennepin, Illinois: NewsTrib.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a body-gripping trap. A good Samaritan contacted authorities, and after a sheriff’s deputy pried open the jaws of the trap, “the cat ran away, seeming dazed.” It wasn’t clear whether the trap had been illegally set, but the village board agreed to consider banning the use of body-gripping traps.
March 2018/Millbrook, Alabama: WSFA.com reported that a cat who escaped from her home had been found hours later in her owner’s backyard suffering from two gunshot wounds. She was taken to a veterinary hospital but didn’t survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Paxton, Illinois: News-Gazette.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found severely burned on the side of a road. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that most of his fur had been burned, his face was swollen, he couldn’t open his eyes or mouth, he was shaking with pain, and his temperature was low. He was being treated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Waipio, Hawaii: HawaiiNewsNow.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found burned to death. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Lafayette, Louisiana: KATC.com reported that at least three cats in one neighborhood had been found mutilated. The owner of one of them said that he found the front half of his cat’s body in a neighbor’s yard: “There was no blood—no guts and it was just a clean cut like someone had cut her with a machete.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/North Versailles, Pennsylvania: WTAE.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “badly injured” after his or her leg was caught in a steel-jaw trap. The leg would require surgery. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating. WPXI.com reported in December 2017 that a homeless cat had been found in the same area with a steel-jaw trap clamped on her leg, which was so badly injured that it had to be amputated. She was taken to an animal shelter, where a spokesperson said that “five cats this year have had to have limbs amputated after being stuck in traps.” The community was reportedly “dealing with a feral cat problem.”
March 2018/Ward, Arkansas: ArkansasMatters.com reported that at least four cats and a dog in one neighborhood who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died from suspected antifreeze poisoning. The owner of one of the cats said, “My cat just walked up to me and collapsed and started seizing.” A neighbor was suspected of intentionally setting out poison, and authorities were investigating.
March 2018/Boise, Idaho: KTVB.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home crying and bleeding. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot, likely with a pellet gun. The pellet had “traveled through the cat’s spleen, colon and stomach” and lodged in the wall of his stomach. He died at the hospital. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Portland, Maine: PressHerald.com reported that three cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in a one-year period. Two had been shot with pellet guns and one with a .22-caliber weapon. They reportedly survived. Their owner said that one of them had sustained severe damage to a leg and another “lost a toe.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified
March 2018/Lincoln, Nebraska: KLKNTV.com reported that a cat who was described as an “outdoor cat” had been seen limping by his owner. He was taken to a veterinary hospital two days later after his owner noticed that he was wasn’t walking, eating, or drinking, and it was determined that “he’d been shot with a BB-gun, or other projectile.” His leg was so badly damaged that it had to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Jacksonville, Florida: ActionNewsJax.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. A neighbor “said he woke up to sounds of a cat squealing and ran outside,” where he saw the two dogs attacking a cat, who was killed. Another cat was attacked but survived. Authorities said that they hadn’t received any calls about the incidents and hadn’t investigated.
March 2018/Coconut Grove, Florida: WSVN.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a dog who was being walked on a leash. Surveillance video captured the incident, which occurred in the parking lot of a business where the cat was allowed to roam the property. A woman later found the cat and said that she was “crying and crying to me wanting help.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that she was unable to use her back legs, one of her legs had nearly been severed, and she had puncture wounds on her abdomen. She was euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. The business owner was trying to identify the dog and owner.
March 2018/Great Falls, Montana: GreatFallsTribune.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in the middle of a street with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto a front paw, which was described as “badly mangled.” A good Samaritan took him to an animal shelter. The shelter director said that it wasn’t clear if the cat would survive and that staff were “trying to keep the cat comfortable.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Palmetto Bay, Florida: Local10.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been wandering around a neighborhood for days with a dart embedded in his or her head. Authorities were notified but hadn’t been able to capture the animal. No suspects were identified. WSVN.com later reported that the cat was described as a “community cat” and had been captured. He was taken to an animal shelter, where veterinary staff treated his wound, and then was re-abandoned outdoors.
March 2018/Westland, Michigan: Detroit.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with “a large portion of his ears” and part of his tail cut off. He was taken to an animal shelter, where it was determined that he’d “also sustained bruising all over his body” and had duct tape wrapped around his legs. He was receiving treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2018/Saukville, Wisconsin: CBS58.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had sustained burns to her face and ears and wounds to her head, ears, and leg after becoming trapped in a dryer vent. A good Samaritan freed her and took her to an animal shelter, where she was receiving treatment.
March 2018/Clay County, Indiana: MyWabashValley.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found seriously injured. Authorities were called, and he was transported to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot in the leg and grazed by a second bullet. The bones in his leg were shattered, and bullet fragments remained in the limb, which was badly infected (indicating that he’d been shot days before he was found) and had to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Lewisville, North Carolina: JournalNow.com reported that the body of a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found decapitated behind a resident’s home. The animal’s head had not been found. Authorities said that they hadn’t opened an investigation because they hadn’t received an official report about the incident.
February 2018/Corpus Christi, Texas: Caller.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by four dogs—who were also roaming unsupervised—on the property of a spay/neuter clinic. The cat, who was described as the clinic’s “mascot,” reportedly “fought for his life for three days” but didn’t survive. Authorities were notified, but it wasn’t known whether the dogs had been found.
February 2018/York County, Pennsylvania: FOX43.com reported that a feline who was described as an “outside cat” had been heard crying by her owner. The owner followed her cries to the eves of the home, where she had apparently crawled with a 3-foot-long arrow through her body. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that “the arrow had come through her chest cavity, she had air in her chest cavity, [and] it … came out through her neck.” She had to be euthanized because of the severity of the damage. Authorities were alerted, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Hillsborough County, Florida: ABCActionNews.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found apparently injured. The feline was taken to an animal shelter and began acting abnormally. The cat was euthanized and tested positive for the rabies virus. Seven people were exposed and required post-exposure treatment.
February 2018/Colorado Springs, Colorado: KKTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with a head wound. His owner said that she thought the wound was a bite mark sustained while fighting another cat outside but finally took him to a veterinary hospital after three days when the wound didn’t heal. A veterinarian suspected that the cat had a tumor and scheduled surgery, during which a .22-caliber bullet was removed. He was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Sanpete County, Utah: FOX13Now.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a ditch with severe burns sustained “during routine maintenance that involved burning material in ditches.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he received treatment for his burns, the most serious of which were to his face. His eyes were swollen shut, and he had to be shaved because of severe matting and singed fur.
February 2018/Pasco County, Florida: FOX13News.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot twice with crossbow bolts. He’d been wandering around a neighborhood for approximately two weeks with a bolt protruding from his side and another from his ear before he was captured and taken to a veterinary hospital. The wounds had become infected, and he’d also sustained two broken teeth. He was being treated. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Cottage Grove, Minnesota: Minnesota.CBSLocal.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found by authorities frozen to the ground. She was taken to an animal shelter and treated for hypothermia. She was also found to be “visually impaired” but was expected to survive.
February 2018/Wichita, Kansas: Kansas.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found unable to move on a frozen river. Workers with the animal control, fire, and water rescue departments were able to retrieve him, and he was taken to a veterinary hospital. He appeared to have sustained a broken leg and broken pelvis, the pads of his feet were “peeling off,” and he was missing nails, likely from clawing at the ice in attempts to move. KWCH.com later reported that the cat’s leg had to be amputated and that his owners had been identified. They suspected that he may have crawled into the undercarriage of a car and fallen out when the car went over a bridge.
February 2018/East Earl, Pennsylvania: LancasterOnline.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot and killed. Witnesses told authorities that they saw a resident shoot the animal in the resident’s yard “with a long gun from his window,” then put the body in a garbage bag. He was charged with cruelty to animals.
February 2018/Fontana, California: MercuryNews.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been abused by a man who “was upset with the kitten for entering an apartment,” according to a police investigation. Witnesses reported that the suspect put her in a freezer at an apartment, then later took her out and began squeezing her body so hard that she cried out before being thrown off a second-story balcony. She landed on concrete and sustained a fractured leg and a collapsed lung. Animal services reportedly responded to the scene and transported the kitten to a veterinarian, where she was receiving emergency treatment, including surgery. The man was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.
February 2018/Floyd County, Georgia: NorthwestGeorgiaNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who was fed by a resident had been found with a crossbow bolt through his head. Authorities were called, and the cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that the bolt had cracked his skull but hadn’t penetrated his brain. He was treated and sent to a foster home. The responding animal control officer reportedly said that he “believes someone would have had to stand over the cat and shoot [him] from a close range with a pistol crossbow.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Jonesboro, Georgia: News-Daily.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found at a resident’s home badly injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for initial treatment, then transferred to an animal shelter for ongoing care for serious burns over most of his back and a head tilt that was likely caused by trauma. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified.
February 2018/Standish, Michigan: MLive.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with severe facial injuries at the home of two residents. They took him to an animal shelter, which transferred him to a veterinary hospital. The examining veterinarian “determined he had suffered a broken jaw, broken bones in his nasal cavity, a broken cheekbone, and was missing teeth. He also had an upper respiratory infection.” The veterinarian said that the injuries were deliberately caused by a human. The cat was receiving treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Jacksonville, Florida: News4JAX.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home limping. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a bullet that had shattered the bone was found lodged in his leg. After the leg was in a cast for three weeks, it was determined that it would need to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
February 2018/Auburn, Alabama: WRBL.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. Her owner said that she took the cat to a veterinary hospital after “she heard the kitten screaming … [and] saw [she] was bleeding.” She underwent surgery but died five days after the shooting. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Phoenix, Arizona: ABC15.com reported that three homeless cats who were fed by a resident had been found so sick that they had to be euthanized. The resident said that when she found one of them, the cat was “acting like she couldn’t see. She was staring off into space and calling like she was lost and breathing hard.” It was suspected that someone had purposely poisoned the cats with antifreeze. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Henderson County, North Carolina: WYFF4.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a rabid raccoon. The cat’s owner shot the raccoon, and the cat, who wasn’t vaccinated, had to be euthanized.
January 2018/Greeneville, Tennessee: GreenevilleSun.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death on a neighbor’s property. He or she had an entrance wound from a small-caliber bullet on one side of the neck and an exit wound on the other. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Newton, New Hampshire: EagleTribune.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found frozen to an ice-covered pond. A good Samaritan called the fire department, and first responders worked for 15 minutes with warm water, chipping away ice, to free the animal’s feet and tail. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital and had to be euthanized because of “a number of ailments, including paralysis from being stuck to the ice.”
January 2018/Linden, Tennessee: WSMV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a crossbow. The bolt was still in the animal when he or she was found, and the owners said that they had to have the cat “put down” to relieve his or her suffering. Authorities arrested a suspect, who was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. They said that the evidence suggested that the animal was shot at point-blank range while the suspect was standing over him or her.
January 2018/Muskego, Wisconsin: JSOnline.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death in his or her owner’s yard. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Carthage, Missouri: CarthagePress.com reported that two homeless cats and a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed on the same evening by two dogs, who were also roaming without supervision. A fourth cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, may also have been killed. Authorities captured the dogs and took them to an animal shelter, where they were being held pending court proceedings. The owner was identified and faced “several city misdemeanor charges.”
January 2018/Waterloo, Illinois: BND.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been killed when a neighbor shot her with a sawed-off shotgun. The neighbor admitted to shooting the animal and was charged with weapons-related violations.
January 2018/Oxford, Connecticut: NBCConnecticut.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot and killed by a neighbor, who told authorities that he thought he or she was a stray and that he was “annoyed” that the animal was in his backyard. He was charged with cruelty to animals, among other charges.
January 2018/Sacramento, California: SacBee.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been heard crying “for a few days” before residents found her hanging upside down, caught in a chain-link fence. They were evidently able to extricate her and took her to an animal shelter, where it was found that one of her hind legs had been severely injured and had a deep laceration, that she’d rubbed her paws raw and mangled them in attempts to escape, and that she may have sustained nerve damage to her rear paws, which she dragged when she tried to walk. She was receiving treatment.
January 2018/Belleville, New Jersey: NorthJersey.com reported that three homeless kittens had been found under a garbage container during a cold snap. They suffered from upper respiratory infections and “were so infested with fleas that they were probably just a matter of days from dying,” according to a woman who worked at a private facility that took them in. They received treatment.
January 2018/Greenville, North Carolina: Reflector.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “meowing in pain and falling over,” according to his owner. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where three buckshot pellets were found in his left hind leg. His paw was also “snapped in half.” He underwent surgery to amputate the leg. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/District Heights, Maryland: FOX5DC.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found roaming at an apartment complex with serious injuries caused by rubber bands that someone had wound around his ears, feet, and tail. The damage was so severe that his ears and some of his toes had to be amputated. Authorities were called and took him for medical treatment. They were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Fayette, Iowa: KWWL.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in the yard of a vacant house with an arrow through his body. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Omaha, Nebraska: KETV.com reported that two cats who were apparently homeless had been found suffering from severe frostbite. An animal control officer rescued one, after a good Samaritan called about the cat roaming in the cold, and took him or her to an animal shelter. Another good Samaritan took the second one to the same shelter after he or she was found in a tree. Both animals had badly frostbitten ears, and one’s frostbitten tail had to be amputated. They received treatment and were expected to survive.
January 2018/Baltimore, Maryland: ABC2News.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been tortured and killed in an alley by five teenagers. Surveillance video captured the incident, which showed “the teens throwing cinder blocks at the cat’s head, lighting [him or her] on fire with cigarette lighters, and tossing [the animal] around with sticks.” Authorities publicly released the video and were trying to identify the suspects. WBALTV.com later reported that two teens had been arrested in connection with the case and that authorities had found the cat’s body. They were still trying to identify the other suspects.
January 2018/Christiansburg, Virginia: Roanoke.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. One of the cat’s owners said that she looked outside after “she heard something thump into the outside of the house” and saw two dogs, one of whom had the cat in his or her mouth and was shaking him back and forth. She alerted her husband, who allegedly picked up the cat’s body and shot both dogs, who had jumped into the bed of their owner’s pickup truck. One of the dogs died at the scene, and the other died on the way to a veterinary hospital. The shooter “faced an assortment of charges,” including two counts of cruelty to animals.
January 2018/Mission Viejo, California: OCRegister.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found on the side of an interstate highway suffering from a badly injured leg. A good Samaritan transported her to an animal shelter, which transferred her to a veterinary hospital. It was determined that her tibia had been “completely shattered,” and the leg had to be amputated. She survived and was put up for adoption.
January 2018/Plumstead Township, Pennsylvania: Patch.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death on the side of a road. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2018/Syracuse, New York: LocalSYR.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a broken and infected tail that had “wedged into a fence [and] chunks of hair froze to the wood” during a snowstorm. Authorities were called and took him to a veterinary office, where it was found that he was also suffering from hypothermia, had a hole in his heart and an irregular heartbeat, and was covered with mats that “were just solid.” His tail had to be amputated, and he remained under treatment.
January 2018/Stroud Township, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that an animal shelter had admitted more than 50 cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision during a cold snap. A shelter spokesperson said that many of them had been found suffering from respiratory conditions and frostbite and that “some are worse.” One cat was missing half of her ear and had badly matted fur, and another had frostbitten ears and toes.
January 2018/Claremont, New Hampshire: VNews.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been admitted to an animal shelter barely able to walk and suffering from frostbite to the ears. A shelter spokesperson said, “People think cats can fend for themselves, but not in this cold.” Overnight temperatures had been below zero.
January 2018/Swanzey, New Hampshire: LedgerTranscript.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been captured in a box trap by a good Samaritan in order to bring him in from freezing temperatures. He was taken to an animal shelter, where it was found that he suffered from frostbitten paws and had such a severe ear mite infestation that infection had set in. He was receiving treatment. The good Samaritan also trapped a second cat who “purred in the car the whole way to the animal shelter” and had frostbitten paws and scars on his face.
January 2018/Pope County, Minnesota: WCTrib.com reported that a cat who “lived outdoors” had been found “showing signs of loss of coordination and difficulty breathing.” He was taken indoors and died the next day. Tests revealed that he had rabies. His owners had to undergo post-exposure treatment, and authorities were investigating and planned to make recommendations regarding four vaccinated horses and three unvaccinated cats on the property.
January 2018/New Lexington, Ohio: PerryTribune.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found frozen to the middle of a road. A police officer found her, “used a bucket of water to thaw [her] out enough to pick [her] up,” and transported her to an animal shelter. She was taken to a veterinary hospital and received treatment for frostbite and exposure. She’d sustained frostbite to the ears and reportedly “tilts her head a lot” but was expected to survive.
January 2018/Greenfield, Indiana: GreenfieldReporter.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found frozen to death near an apartment complex. Authorities removed the body.
January 2018/Mercer County, Kentucky: WKYT.com reported that a kitten who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found frozen to a boat dock. He’d been frozen for at least 11 hours before authorities were called. The responding sheriff had to work for “about 15 minutes” to break the kitten loose, because his stomach and paws had frozen to the dock. The owners of the dock said that they planned to keep him.
January 2018/Renton, Washington: RentonReporter.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a dog, who was being walked without a leash. A witness said that the dog jumped on the cat and pinned him or her to the ground twice before the cat’s owner appeared and wrestled the cat from the dog. The dog then pulled the cat and his or her owner to the ground “multiple times” while the dog’s owner stood by. Authorities were called, and the cat was taken to a veterinary hospital. The dog was impounded for a 10-day quarantine period.
January 2018/Corpus Christi, Texas: KRISTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by three dogs, who were also roaming without supervision. His owner witnessed the attack and said that she saw the dogs “tearing him apart, literally.” He died on the way to a veterinary hospital. The owner said that the dogs had killed as many as 12 cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, at least three of them on the same day. Authorities were trying to capture the dogs, but it wasn’t known who, if anyone, owned them.
January 2018/Omaha, Nebraska: KETV.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead. It was believed that he or she had frozen to death, “even with a shelter.” A second cat had been “found frozen under a car” and was taken to an animal shelter. He or she “did not respond to treatment for … frost bite injuries” and died.
Take a look at even more reasons never to let your cat outside unattended, and pledge to keep cats safe indoors.
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