Some animal shelters manipulate their euthanasia statistics by instituting policies that leave animals to struggle for survival and die painfully on the streets. So-called “trap-neuter-release” (TNR) programs—or, more accurately, “trap-neuter-reabandon” programs—may allow limited-admission shelters to spin their intake and euthanasia numbers, but they do nothing to protect cats from the horrors that befall them when left outdoors to battle harsh surroundings, sickness, and sadistic people.
Countless cats who are left outdoors without protection die from infected wounds and injuries, as even small abscesses and common urinary tract infections can become raging and deadly for unsocialized cats who cannot be handled and treated. Cats outdoors are vulnerable to contagious diseases, parasite infestations, starvation, dehydration, freezing, heatstroke, attacks by dogs and other predators, and being hit by vehicles. Cruel people often poison, shoot, burn, drown, or otherwise torture and kill cats.
Right or wrong, many property and business owners do not want cats on their property. Not everyone loves cats or wants them climbing on their cars, maiming or killing birds, or digging in their gardens. When animal shelters refuse to accept cats (as more and more so-called “no kill” facilities are doing), property owners often take matters into their own hands and resort to cruelty, both intentional and unintentional.
So many people become upset by roaming cats that legislation was introduced in Wisconsin and Utah to make it legal to stalk, hunt, and kill domestic cats! The bills failed, thanks to an outcry from animal activists and compassionate citizens, but that these bills were introduced at all should serve as a wake-up call for those who claim to care about cats—they are not safe outdoors.
Because of the many deadly hazards that cats face outdoors, responsible guardians allow their feline companions outdoors only when on a leash, in an enclosed area (such as a screened porch), or closely supervised.
Below is just a sampling of some of the horrible fates that have recently 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.
January 2024 Media Reports Exposing How Cats Suffer and Die Outdoors
Hamilton, Ohio
DaytonDailyNews.com reported that authorities were trying “to identify a man who appears to capture [an apparently homeless] cat then slam [him or her] to the ground at a Hamilton apartment complex, causing the animal grave injuries.” According to the report, Sheriff Richard Jones “said the man is seen on video chasing the cat into the building stairwell and is ‘seen in the video capturing the cat in the trash bag, then slams [the animal] hard to the ground.’ The injured cat was dumped behind the building, where a deputy dog warden found [him or her] the next day. The cat was alive, but suffered a fractured pelvis and spine and had to be euthanized.”
Davenport, Iowa
OurQuadCities.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found sick and nearly frozen to death. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said that “[h]e was actively dying” when admitted. According to the report, “Not only was his temperature dangerously low, but he also was severely underweight, and he ha[d] a respiratory infection.” He was receiving treatment, but it wasn’t known whether he’d survive.
Warwick, New York
Westchester.News12.com reported that after an individual who had been feeding a “colony” of approximately 40 homeless cats died “suddenly,” the animals were found sick and starving. A spokesperson for an animal adoption group that had taken in 24 of the animals reportedly said that some of the cats required surgeries and other medical care. One cat was reportedly “found face down in the dirt, dehydrated and emaciated.” Efforts were apparently underway to capture the remaining cats.
Saratoga Springs, New York
TimesUnion.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been transported to an animal shelter and left outside the closed facility “in frigid temperatures” by a business owner who had previously “asked the cat[’s] owner to keep the animal away from his eatery.” Video surveillance footage reportedly captured the business owner leaving the cat outside the facility unconfined and showed that the cat eventually ran off. The animal had not been found at the time of the report. The business owner was charged with cruelty to animals.
Navajo County, Arizona
AZFamily.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a fox who was presumed to be rabid. No additional information was available.
Garland, North Carolina
WECT.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Woodland Park, Colorado
FOX21News.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun. According to the report, authorities said, “The pellet entered the area of [his or her] left shoulder causing permanent damage. The [cat] survived but the long-term effects are unknown.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Sierra County, California
2News.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had tested positive for plague. According to the report, “Cats are very susceptible to plague infection and frequently die without prompt veterinary care.” No additional information was available.
Vienna, Virginia
GazetteLeader.com reported that a resident had told authorities that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “stuck on their fence.” When the resident helped to extricate the animal, they were scratched. The cat was evidently able to escape. According to the report, “The resident advised health officials that he or she was unfamiliar with that particular cat and would not be able to identify” the animal. No additional information was available.
Fluvanna County, Virginia
CBS19News.com reported that authorities had been notified that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had sustained injuries while he was outside overnight. According to the report, “When officers got to the scene, they found [the cat] was severely hurt, and despite efforts to help, the decision was made to euthanize him. The sheriff’s office believes [the animal’s] injuries were intentionally inflicted and the incident is being investigated as a potential case of” cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
Beech Island, South Carolina
PostAndCourier.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been exposed to rabies through contact with an infected raccoon. The cat would reportedly have to be quarantined in accordance with state law. No additional information was available.
Wasilla, Alaska
AlaskasNewsSource.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found frozen to the ground. He apparently received veterinary treatment and was expected to survive. No additional information was available.
West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
KelownaCapNews.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with “severe frostbite to his ears and deep wounds on his head and forelimbs.” The cat had reportedly “been living on the streets, forced to endure the bitterly cold temperatures that have put the Okanagan in a deep freeze over the last week while his wounds were likely caused by an attack from a larger animal.” He was taken to an animal adoption group for veterinary treatment and was expected to survive.
Oxford Township, Pennsylvania
ABC27.com reported that a woman found an apparently homeless cat outdoors in the rain. When she attempted to rescue the animal, she was attacked and sustained injuries. Authorities contained the cat the next day, and he or she was euthanized. Testing revealed that the cat had been rabid. No additional information was available.
Wichita, Kansas
KSN.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been “found on a [tree] stump, just shivering and screaming in the snow,” by workers at a veterinary hospital. According to a spokesperson for the hospital, the kitten’s body temperature was low and he required heat therapy but was expected to survive.
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
IHeartRadio.ca reported that an apparently homeless kitten had fallen into a pool of freezing water. According to the report, he “was ice-cold by the time he was rescued.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where he remained in intensive care. A spokesperson for the group said that “his body temperature was so low that it wouldn’t read on a thermometer” when he was found. He required heat therapy, his limbs were badly swollen, and he was described as “very weak.” It wasn’t clear whether he’d survive.
Fresno, California
YourCentralValley.com reported that a homeless cat described as “[a] community cat” had been found injured and limping. A passerby took the animal to a veterinary hospital but couldn’t afford the cost of needed treatment. After an animal adoption group evidently agreed to pay for the treatment, it was found that the animal “suffered from a broken leg after being shot by a pellet gun and possibly hit by a car.” The break was severe and required surgery as well as the installation of a metal pin. It was expected that he’d require weeks of treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified about the shooting, but no suspects were identified.
Richmond, Virginia
WRIC.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home had been found “in a backyard a few doors down the street” with a pellet gunshot wound to the shoulder. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Authorities reportedly identified a suspect and charged him with cruelty to animals. According to the report, “This took place just weeks after another cat was shot with a pellet gun” in another part of the city.
Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
DailyHive.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been trapped by a resident who had evidently left him in the trap for some time before taking him to an animal shelter. The receiving shelter said in a social media post that the animal was “[c]overed in snow, frozen to the metal bottom, and bleeding upon arrival at the shelter.” He was rushed to a veterinary hospital for treatment for injuries, including ones to his paw pads, and was expected to survive. The shelter said that it didn’t believe there was malicious intent on the part of the individual who had trapped the cat.
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Kitchener.CityNews.ca reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found frozen to death by a neighbor. Authorities were notified. No additional information was available.
Brighton, Colorado
DenverPost.com reported that “at least six” homeless cats had been found dead and that authorities had “received unconfirmed reports that another six to 12 also died.” According to the report, “Only one of the six dead cats was in a condition that allowed testing, and that animal tested positive for FPV [feline panleukopenia virus]. All the cats belong to the same feral colony.”
Ware County, Georgia
ActionNewsJAX.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been kicked across his owner’s yard by a neighbor. The cat’s owner said the neighbor was “screaming belligerently that my dogs were in her yard” before she kicked the kitten, which sent him “flying in the air.” The kitten sustained bruising but was expected to survive. The neighbor was charged with cruelty to animals.
Chandler, Arizona
AOL.com reported that an unspecified number of homeless cats—who had been sterilized and reabandoned by a group of people—had been found injured or dead after they were evidently shot with a BB or pellet gun. According to the report, the group admitted to burying some of the cats after finding them dead. Most recently, a cat was reportedly found unable to use her rear legs and had to be rescued from under a trailer where she’d dragged herself. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Monroe County, West Virginia
WVNSTV.com reported that a homeless cat had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Lakeland, Florida
WestOrlandoNews.com reported that two cats and a dog who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died after consuming poison that was allegedly placed in a neighbor’s yard. According to the report, the neighbor “had repeatedly threatened to poison” the animals if they continued entering her yard. The report said that the cats “died within hours of each other, both exhibiting the following symptoms: choking, unable to breathe, foaming from the mouth, and in obvious significant pain.” Hours later, the dog died with similar symptoms. The neighbor was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.
Daytona Beach, Florida
News-JournalOnline.com reported that authorities had charged a man with cruelty to animals after he allegedly trapped a cat in a box trap on a cold day and sprayed the animal with what a witness said “looked and sounded like a high-pressure water hose.” According to an affidavit, the witness provided authorities with “video of the incident, where [the suspect] is allegedly seen ‘picking up the cage containing the cat and dropping it harshly on the ground in between bouts of spraying [him or her] with the hose.’” When he was confronted by the witness, the suspect allegedly said that the cat “shouldn’t have been in his yard.” It wasn’t known whether the cat had survived.
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
WVNSTV.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
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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