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.
April 2023 Media Reports Exposing How Cats Outdoors Suffer and Die
Geneva, Florida
FOX35Orlando.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Trotwood, Ohio
Dayton247Now.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured after he’d evidently been doused with an accelerant and set on fire. An animal adoption group had reportedly responded after it was contacted by a police officer asking for assistance in capturing the animal, who was then transported to a veterinary hospital. A spokesperson for the group said that “the vet said that the cat was burnt all the way, head to toe. There were even … lacerations on [his] eyes due to the smoke or the heat.” He was receiving oxygen and additional treatments. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Ruffs Dale, Pennsylvania
WTAE.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured in a resident’s driveway. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a veterinarian reportedly said, “His face is burned, the front feet burned, and there is soot in his ears …. That makes us concerned that he may have been tossed into a fire, perhaps, or something to that effect.” Authorities were seeking information about what had happened, but no suspects were identified.
Phoenix, Arizona
ABC15.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a man. A doorbell camera captured the attack. According to the report, the video was “too graphic to show” but allegedly showed the man “playing with the cat for several minutes before wrapping [him] in a shirt. When the cat tried to get away, the man appears to hold him down and even hit him.” The cat eventually escaped and reportedly survived. His owner said that he had seen the video online “in a neighborhood group” and had shared it with authorities. No suspects were identified.
Miami Lakes, Florida
CBSNews.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The owner of one of the cats apparently saw the dogs fatally attack him. The second cat was found dead in a driveway. Authorities were investigating.
Houston, Texas
Click2Houston.com reported that a resident had found five cats, who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, dead in a park during the previous few months. According to the report, she’d “snapped photos of the cats she has stumbled upon. In January, she found three dead cats placed near each other. In March, she came across a cat [who] had apparent burn marks and a severed tail. On Tuesday, she found a gray and white cat dead on [his or her] back.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Hartford, Connecticut
NBCConnecticut.com reported that “multiple” homeless cats had been found with severed tails by someone who had been feeding them. According to the report, authorities said they’d received an anonymous report about the injured animals “but could not confirm whether it was a person or something else behind the horrific injuries.” No additional information was available.
Tehama County, California
ActionNewsNow.com reported that in a neighborhood where some residents had been feeding homeless cats, other residents didn’t want the animals there and had suggested “dumping” them elsewhere. Some cats in the area had reportedly “died suddenly in the last couple of weeks,” according to a spokesperson for an animal adoption group. No additional information was available.
Mākaha, Hawaii
KITV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had dragged herself home after her “back legs were shattered” by a gunshot. According to the cat’s owner, “She couldn’t use her back legs at all. Wherever she got shot, she crawled all the way back to the house.” Unable to pay for needed veterinary care, the owner surrendered the cat to an animal adoption group, which transferred her to a veterinary hospital and was trying to raise the funds needed for her care. A spokesperson for the group said, “I think people hate cats and they want to get rid of them. … People love to poison cats here on Oahu and that’s the one issue we probably deal with the most.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Swansea, Massachusetts
WPRI.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found on a road with her head “stuck in a sewer grate.” According to the report, “[P]olice, the local highway department and animal control officers teamed up to transport the cat to Mass-RI Veterinary ER, where his head was removed from the grate.” He was returned to his owner.
Okeechobee County, Florida
WPTV.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been captured and tortured in a box trap in February. The attack had been videotaped with a cell phone. According to the report, three men were in custody facing charges of cruelty to animals after a search warrant for a phone was executed and “detectives discovered an eight-minute video that showed an individual pouring Liquid Fire, which is sulfuric acid used to unclog drains, onto a cat [who] was inside an animal trap.” The cat was later released from the trap but had not been found.
Midland, Virginia
Fauquier.com reported that a resident had been attacked by a homeless cat. According to the report, the resident shot the cat to death and called authorities. Testing revealed that the animal had been rabid. Authorities said in a news release, “All identified individuals who may have had contact with the cat have been contacted by the health department and assessed for rabies post-exposure shots.”
Jacksonville, Florida
ActionNewsJAX.com reported that in a two-week period, a resident said that at least five cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, along with a caged chicken, had been attacked and killed by seven dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. One of the fatal attacks on a cat had been captured by a doorbell camera. An apparent witness to that attack said, “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. They got that cat off the handrail by [his or her] tail—and they just pounced. There was no surviving.” Authorities reportedly impounded four of the dogs and “released [them] back to their home.” An investigation was ongoing.
Union County, North Carolina
QCNews.com reported that a cat who was left outdoors had been attacked by two dogs, who were roaming unsupervised. According to her owner, the cat had been “sleeping on the porch in her cage when two dogs dragged her out.” She did not survive. No additional information was available.
Oakland, New Jersey
NorthJersey.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “able to drag herself home after being shot.” According to the report, one of her legs “was shattered by a projectile, likely a bullet, the remnants of which remain in her leg.” Her owners were unable to pay for needed veterinary treatment, including amputation of the leg, and surrendered her to an animal adoption group, which was apparently trying to raise the needed funds. She was expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Fayette County, Tennessee
WREG.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an arrow through his chest. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, which could include the amputation of a leg. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Thermopolis, Wyoming
BNONews.com reported that a cat described as a “barn cat” had “tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza after eating a bird.” A later report revealed that the cat had died. A spokesperson for the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory reportedly “said that in addition to the infected cat, several semi-feral cats and skunks were recently found dead at or near the property.” According to the report, two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had also died in Nebraska “in January after being infected with bird flu, presumably from predation of wild birds.” According to the report, “The first cat in Nebraska died after experiencing a ‘rapid decline’ in health with multiple symptoms, including weight loss, fever, seizures, tremors and loss of proprioception.” After symptoms began, the second cat had reportedly “lived 10 days with neurologic impairment, when the cat suddenly became laterally recumbent with continual tremors, necessitating euthanasia.” It was later reported that two additional cats had died of the virus in Oregon the previous January. The cats had reportedly “lived in a backyard” before they “became severely ill with a range of symptoms, including labored breathing, weight loss, depression and dehydration.”
Hamburg, New York
BuffaloNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been struck by a vehicle. A woman authorities believed had been trying to provide aid to the animal was also struck and died. No information about the cat’s status was available.
New Port Richey, Florida
Patch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
March 2023/Eau Claire, Wisconsin
WEAU.com reported that an injured homeless cat had been found and taken to an animal adoption group. X-rays revealed that the animal had been shot in the shoulder and would require the amputation of a leg. The group evidently lacked the funds needed for the cat’s surgery and was trying to raise them. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Tacoma, Washington
TacomaWeekly.com reported that a badly injured homeless kitten had been found and taken to an animal adoption group. According to the report, he had been found “with a sliced open abdomen and exposed internal organs” and had “arrived weak and in pain with severe infection covering his internal organs.” X-rays also revealed that he’d sustained fractures to both “hips that may require surgery to repair.” It wasn’t known how he’d been injured. He was apparently expected to survive.
March 2023/Edgewood, Maryland
BalimoreSun.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found “with a fractured hind leg.” She was taken to an animal adoption group and “underwent surgery to amputate her right hind leg.” It apparently wasn’t known how she’d been injured. She was expected to survive.
March 2023/Bossier City, Louisiana
KSLA.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found severely injured at a baseball field. He or she had been found “bleeding heavily; the cat had a severely fractured jaw. Some of the cat’s teeth were found on the concrete next to” the animal. According to the report, “The cat was immediately taken to an emergency vet, who confirmed the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma. Given that the cat was found at a baseball field, the veterinarian suspected [he or she] was beaten with a baseball bat. The cat’s injuries were too severe to repair, and the vet had to euthanize the cat.” Authorities were contacted, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
FOX43.com reported that a homeless cat had been seen “frozen in fear by the median of” an interstate highway. A passerby called authorities, who “closed the highway in both directions” to secure the animal. He had sustained abrasions but was expected to survive and was evidently taken to an animal adoption group.
March 2023/Pueblo, Colorado
FOX21News.com reported that a homeless cat who “had been visiting a property for around a month” had been found with “a puncture-like wound under his right eye, his coat was in rough shape and he was underweight. The wound was two centimeters wide and required stitches.” He was taken to an animal shelter, where he received veterinary treatment and was expected to survive.
March 2023/New York, New York
NYPost.com reported that a homeless cat had been found in a subway tunnel “tightly wrapped in a feather boa.” A train conductor saw the animal and stopped the train. Authorities were able to confine the cat, who was taken to an animal shelter. According to a spokesperson for the facility, she had “some medical needs” but was expected to survive.
March 2023/Burlington, Wyoming
CowboyStateDaily.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found in terrible shape. A spokesperson for an animal adoption group said, “Some folks had found her in their front yard when it was, like, minus 30 out and they took her in …. They tried to see what they could do for her and found out that her frostbite injuries were more than what they could handle. And so they brought her here to us.” She said the kitten had severe injuries, including the following: “Her bottom lip [was] detached from her jaw, [and] all of her toes along with both of her ears and most of her tail [were] dead from frostbite.” She received veterinary care, including “toe amputations on all four feet, ear amputations, partial tail amputation and surgery to reattach the kitten’s bottom lip to her jaw,” and was apparently expected to survive.
March 2023/Franklin County, Missouri
KSDK.com reported that a homeless cat had been found in January covered with dirt “after dragging himself into a yard” with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto a leg. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said, “He was in so much pain and distress, he had wounds that were consistent with trying to chew his own leg off to escape.” His leg had to be amputated, but he survived.
March 2023/Clyde, Texas
KTXS.com reported that a homeless cat had bitten several residents. Authorities confined the cat for a quarantine period, during which he or she died. Testing revealed that the animal had been rabid. Residents who had been exposed were advised to seek post-exposure treatment.
March 2023/Huntington Beach, California
Boston25News.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals after he had allegedly smashed an apparently homeless “cat against parked cars, breaking two windshields and killing the animal.” No additional information was available.
March 2023/San Antonio, Texas
KSAT.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been seen by a passerby on “the ledge of an interstate overpass.” Authorities were called, and responding animal control officers were able to rescue the animal. He was taken to an animal shelter, where he was treated for a respiratory infection. Officers also noted his “hunger and thirst as ‘ravenous.’” He was expected to survive.
March 2023/Las Vegas, Nevada
8NewsNow.com reported that “a witness reported seeing a person swinging a cat at another person behind an apartment until [the animal] died, police documents say.” Authorities reportedly found the cat dead and located two suspects. One of them reportedly told authorities that “he had seen the cat walking around but did not personally know the cat. Police said [the suspect] denied hurting the cat and suggested a vehicle might have hit and killed the cat. The witness identified [the suspect] as the [man] who killed the cat.” The suspects were taken into custody and “booked on charges related to the incident.”
March 2023/Gloucester Township, New Jersey
CamdenCounty.com reported that a resident had found a sick cat on the side of a road. Authorities were called and transported the animal to a veterinary hospital, where he or she had died or been euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Four people had potentially been exposed to the virus and were referred to their medical providers for post-exposure treatment.
March 2023/Dickson County, Tennessee
WKRN.com reported that four homeless kittens had been found freezing in a resident’s garage. According to an animal adoption group that found the animals, one of the kittens “had already frozen to death,” two were reportedly “blue in the face and barely breathing,” and “most of the kittens’ eyes were matted shut.” The surviving kittens were taken to the group’s facility for treatment, including “hours on a heating pad” to raise their body temperatures.
March 2023/Collier County, Florida
FOX4Now.com reported that a homeless cat had been found badly injured in a field. A good Samaritan who was able to contain the animal transported him to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d sustained severe burns to all four paws in a brush fire. According to the report, “The burns were so extensive in some areas that some of his back toes had to be amputated.” WINKNews.com later reported that, despite treatment, the cat had died.
March 2023/Atlanta, Georgia
AtlantaNewsFirst.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home with a badly injured leg. His owner said that she took him to a veterinary hospital the next day, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot. According to the owner, the “leg couldn’t be saved. The bone was completely snapped and jagged and you could see fragments of the pellet and one bigger piece of the pellet inside of his abdomen.” The leg had to be amputated, and his owner was reportedly fundraising to pay for the needed treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Floral City, Florida
ChronicleOnline.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, a person had been bitten by the animal and had begun post-exposure rabies treatment. No additional information was available.
March 2023/Providence, Rhode Island
WPRI.com reported that hours before a severe winter storm moved in, a homeless cat had been found giving birth to kittens on a sidewalk. According to authorities, “[T]he cries from the kittens alerted a neighbor, who placed them all in a basket” and took them to the animal shelter, where they were receiving care.
March 2023/Delray Beach, Florida
CBS12.com reported that a “terrified” homeless cat had been found trapped on the median on a busy interstate highway. Authorities were able to capture him and transported him to an animal shelter. No additional information was available.
March 2023/Silver Lake, Washington
TDN.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot, allegedly by a neighbor. The cat’s owner reportedly said that he had heard the “cat moan in agony” when he was shot in the neck at around 9 p.m. one night. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he received treatment, including “a blood transfusion, X-rays and surgery.” According to the owner, the surgery “was complicated: The cat [had] to be ‘wired’ and ‘screwed’ to stay alive as the bullet shattered bones and ripped tissue.” A leg may later need to be amputated. According to a spokesperson for a humane society, no laws were violated because the cat was on the neighbor’s property and was perceived to be threatening animals there.
March 2023/Lansing, Michigan
WLNS.com reported that a homeless cat had been found “with missing and broken teeth.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where veterinary staff reportedly determined that he’d been shot and a bullet remained lodged in his head. According to the report, “[T]he bullet is near some vital areas and cannot be removed.” He was apparently expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Modesto, California
ModBee.com reported that a cat who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had sustained injuries after he or she had become trapped inside the engine compartment of the owner’s car. After driving approximately 7 miles, the owner reportedly heard the cat crying, pulled over, and called the fire department. Responding firefighters found “one of the cat’s feet was stuck in the transmission line,” according to the owner, who said, “In addition to the foot injury, the cat suffered some minor burns and singed hair.” No additional information was available.
March 2023/New York, New York
NBCNewYork.com reported that 14 cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in an empty lot. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Port Charlotte, Florida
NBC-2.com reported that a man was facing criminal charges after he admitted to authorities that he’d beaten a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, to death with a stick 10 months earlier. According to a spokesperson for the animal control division, “He had been having some trouble with cats in the neighborhood. He had really just reached his last straw …. He decided to pick up a branch, something closely available to him. He cornered the cat and he bludgeoned [the animal] with what we believe to be about three or four times.” According to the report, the suspect “had complained twice in 2021 about nuisance cats coming onto his property and causing damage.” No additional information was available.
March 2023/Grantsville, Utah
KJZZ.com reported that six apparently homeless kittens had been found dead on the side of a road. Authorities were called and reportedly “said that upon arrival, it was apparent that the kittens had been tortured prior to their deaths.” They were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Mebane, North Carolina
TheTimesNews.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. One human who had been exposed to the virus was advised to seek immediate treatment. According to the report, “Four cats lived on the property and may have been exposed, and because they were not up to date on vaccinations, they were required to receive boosters and to be quarantined for 45 days. There were also feral cats identified as living in the community [who] may have come in contact with the cat.”
March 2023/Albuquerque, New Mexico
ABQJournal.com reported that a homeless cat had been found badly injured the previous August in the garage of a woman who’d been feeding him. The woman said that “[t]here was a lot of blood, a strange smell, and a hole in [his] body.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he reportedly spent 30 days undergoing treatments, including the amputation of a leg. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Cheyenne, Wyoming
CowboyStateDaily.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a “leg wedged between two wooden fence planks.” Authorities were evidently called and able to remove the animal, who was transported to an animal shelter. According to the report, a city news release said that “X-rays revealed that the four toes of her back left leg were fractured and there was a hairline fracture in her leg.” She received treatment and was then abandoned outdoors.
March 2023/New York, New York
NBCNewYork.com reported that four homeless cats had been found with severe injuries to their legs and feet. One had been found on a sidewalk at night at the end of February with her “leg shaking and paw bleeding.” According to the report, “A closer look revealed all four paws had devastating injuries—some of them so severe the bones were completely exposed.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital and was receiving treatment. Two more homeless cats were found “with identical injuries” and were also receiving veterinary care. According to a spokesperson for a group that was raising money to pay for the cats’ treatment, “[T]he veterinarian treating the cats believes they suffered chemical burns.” A fourth cat was found with similar injuries. She was in such bad shape that she had to be euthanized. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2023/Hamilton Township, New Jersey
NJ1015.com reported that a homeless cat who had bitten a human had died or been euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Memphis, Tennessee: WREG.com reported that over a period of about six months, approximately two dozen cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had been attacked and killed by two apparently homeless dogs. One resident reportedly said that he’d shared video footage of one of the attacks with authorities and that “someone from Memphis Animal Services came to his home to remove one of the dead cats but never picked up the dogs.”
February 2023/Kingman, Arizona: HavasuNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly burned by animal control officers. He was taken to an animal shelter, where it was determined that the burns had likely been inflicted intentionally by a human. He was receiving treatment and was expected to undergo surgery in order to address burned, shrinking skin that was “making it hard for him to blink,” according to a spokesperson for a nonprofit group to which he’d been transferred. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
February 2023/Phoenix, Arizona: Yahoo.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found crying and injured on “a busy interstate” by a state trooper. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that one of his legs had been so badly injured that it had to be amputated. He was expected to survive.
February 2023/Beaumont, Texas: 12NewsNow.com reported that a man had pleaded “guilty to animal crushing” charges after he and another man allegedly filmed themselves “torturing and killing a cat by setting [the animal] on fire, giving [him or her] drugs, and kicking [the animal] … according to a Beaumont Police Department release.” The attack reportedly occurred in October 2021 after the men had found the apparently homeless cat in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Both men were arrested, and the investigation was reportedly ongoing.
February 2023/Las Vegas, Nevada: 8NewsNow.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had gone missing in Alabama. More than a year later, she’d reportedly been found “2,000 miles away” in Las Vegas. While she was missing, both of her ears had sustained damage, one of them severely. An embedded microchip identified the owner, with whom she was expected to be reunited.
February 2023/Ladson, South Carolina: PostAndCourier.com reported that authorities had charged a juvenile with cruelty to animals after he’d been seen picking up a homeless cat and slamming her to the ground. According to the report, “A corresponding police incident report states that two suspects were involved in abusing the stray feline.” An area resident reportedly found the cat and took her to a veterinary hospital. She was expected to survive. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Norfolk, Virginia: 13NewsNow.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found in a resident’s driveway, unable to move his rear legs. He was taken to an animal shelter, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot and that a bullet remained lodged near his spine. He had to be euthanized because of the severity of his condition. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2023/Theresa, New York: WWNYTV.com reported that a homeless cat who’d been fed in a mobile home park with other homeless cats had been seen roaming and badly injured by a resident, who called an animal adoption group. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that it had been unable to capture the cat for an entire month. The animal was described as having “nearly had his face ripped off,” likely after he’d been attacked by a dog. He was apparently receiving veterinary treatment.
February 2023/Corpus Christi, Texas: KRISTV.com reported that a homeless cat described by a resident as “the neighborhood cat” had been mauled to death by two dogs, who were roaming without supervision. According to neighbors, the dogs had also attacked, injured, and killed dogs in the area. Authorities were called and reportedly issued citations to the dogs’ owner.
February 2023/Gainesville, Georgia: WSBTV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. One person had been exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Dove Creek, Colorado: The-Journal.com reported that “many” sick, homeless kittens who had apparently been fed in a colony had died outdoors. A group that sterilizes and abandons cats reported that it had captured an adult cat and seven kittens from the site where they had been found suffering from “serious upper respiratory infections, which is an indicator of the herpes virus.” Three of the kittens required the surgical removal of ruptured eyes, and the adult cat reportedly had “health issues that will need care [for] the rest of his life.”
February 2023/Gibsonton, Florida: TampaDispatch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Seneca, South Carolina: FOXCarolina.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, a human and a dog had been exposed to the virus. The human had reportedly been referred to a healthcare provider, and the dog had to be quarantined.
February 2023/Macomb County, Michigan: CBSNews.com reported that a county worker had found an apparently homeless cat with three of her paws frozen to the ground. The worker reportedly “placed a towel over the cat and quickly worked to pour water around [her] paws to melt the ice.” After approximately five minutes, the cat was freed and placed in a truck. The worker said the cat’s tail also appeared to be frozen. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she was likely in shock. She was expected to survive.
February 2023/Bennettsville, South Carolina: SCDHEC.gov reported that a homeless cat had exposed six people and six other homeless cats to rabies before he or she had died or been euthanized and had tested positive for the virus. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Byron, Michigan: Argus-Press.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been captured in a box trap by a neighbor, who then shot the animal to death with a shotgun. The neighbor reportedly told authorities that the cat “had killed approximately 40” chickens on his property in 2021. At that time, he said that he had captured the cat and called animal control. He alleged that a responding officer had returned the cat to his or her owner, who continued to allow the animal to roam. The suspect was charged with felony cruelty to animals, and the case was pending.
February 2023/Jacksonville, Florida: WSVN.com reported that a cat who had been missing for two months after escaping from his home had been found emaciated and cowering near a pillar at a retention pond. Two good Samaritans rescued the animal and were able to reunite him with his guardian, who lived approximately one hour from the pond. The cat had reportedly escaped after his guardian moved to the area from California and “had never been outside.” No additional information was available.
February 2023/Stafford County, Virginia: Fredericksburg.Today reported that a homeless cat who had been captured in a box trap had been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, “There were confirmed human exposures through bites or scratches from the cat. Three individuals were advised to obtain rabies post exposure preventive treatment.” No additional information was available.
February 2023/Binghamton, New York: WBNG.com reported that a homeless cat had been “found in the middle of the road” by authorities. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray revealed that there was a hole in his diaphragm, likely as a result of being hit by a car. A spokesperson for an animal adoption group at the hospital reportedly said that “his organs were all up in his chest cavity and he had to be rearranged. He was in surgery for about an hour and a half.” He was expected to survive.
February 2023/Indianapolis, Indiana: WRTV.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed by a resident had been found with a pair of pliers stabbed into his or her head. The resident transported the cat to a public animal shelter, where a veterinarian was able to remove the pliers. The animal remained in critical condition. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Stafford County, Virginia: Patch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had bitten and scratched “multiple people” before authorities had captured the animal. According to the report, “The cat became aggressive while in animal control custody, authorities said.” He or she had evidently been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Petersburg, Virginia: WRIC.com reported that a cat who was described as “an outdoor” cat and who had “been known to interact with other cats” had died or been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
February 2023/Kenyon, Minnesota: SouthernMinn.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been frozen to the ground next to a road for at least a full day before someone stopped and was able to pick him up. According to the report, “Pulling him off the icy dirt caused some minor cuts, which have since scabbed over.” After the cat was freed, “the good Samaritan drove him to be treated at Kenyon Veterinary Clinic.” A spokesperson at the clinic said that the animal “had some wounds on the back part of the hind legs, the hocks, and some abrasions on the upper part of his paw pads …. He also had a scab above his left eye, and the top of his coat was singed or burned. We think he was nestled up in an engine that got hot.” He was expected to survive.
February 2023/Quakertown, Pennsylvania: 6ABC.com reported that a cat who was described as “a neighborhood cat” had been seen roaming with an arrow through his body. One week later, he was found badly injured and taken to a veterinary hospital, where a veterinarian said, “The arrow went into his left shoulder, over his neck” and that it had “caused a lot of trauma.” He was receiving treatment. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
January 2023/Suitland, Maryland: WTOP.com reported that after a homeless cat who had been seen “displaying abnormal behavior” bit a resident, he or she was taken to the county’s animal control center. There, the animal was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. According to the resident, the animal “had been seen playing with” a homeless kitten in the area, whose location was unknown. County health authorities were reportedly “asking anyone who may have had contact with either of the cats” to contact them.
January 2023/Honea Path, South Carolina: SCDHEC.gov reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. One human, two dogs, and three other homeless cats had been exposed to the virus. The human was referred to their healthcare provider, and the two dogs had to be quarantined. No additional information was available.
January 2023/Scioto County, Ohio: SciotoCountyDailyNews.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 outdoors unsupervised. Authorities were notified.
January 2023/Oconee County, Georgia: OnlineAthens.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident who said a cat he’d allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead after the animal was shot with a crossbow. According to the report, the resident provided authorities with “a photo of the dead cat along with a Pro Elite arrow with a fiber shaft and aluminum broad head point.” No additional information was available.
January 2023/Upper Paxton Township, Pennsylvania: ABC27.com reported that a homeless cat had been wounded by gunfire at an apartment building. Responding authorities transported the animal to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she had been shot in the neck by “a small caliber weapon larger than a BB gun.” PennLive.com later reported that a neighbor had been charged with “multiple counts” of cruelty to animals in connection with the case. A state police report revealed that the cat had been found in a parking area with “a hole in her neck where blood was still running …. There was a trail of blood all over the [deck of a resident who’d been feeding the cat], stretching from where the cat had been shot to where she was found.” The suspect reportedly admitted that he had shot the cat and said he did so because she “had been scratching his car.” She remained under treatment at the veterinary hospital.
January 2023/Haddon Township, New Jersey: CamdenCounty.com reported that authorities had been called after a resident caught a homeless cat. Authorities transported the animal to a public animal shelter, where he or she “started to exhibit symptoms of rabies and was euthanized.” Testing revealed that the cat had indeed been rabid. According to the report, “Five employees from the animal shelter were scratched by the cat” and were advised to discuss the need for post-exposure treatment with their healthcare providers.
January 2023/Land o’ Lakes, Florida: PascoNewsOnline.com reported that authorities had arrested a man after he admitted to shooting several cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the suspect shot the animals from his porch, including “a black and white cat [who was shot] three times, causing several puncture wounds to the cat.” He was charged with cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
January 2023/Eaton County, Michigan: WLNS.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with injuries to her face. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a “CT Scan showed 7 copper BBs and pellets lodged in her head.” One of the animal’s eyes had to be removed, and she was reportedly going to need brain surgery. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
January 2023/Canton, Ohio: CantonRep.com published a letter to the editor by a resident who said she’d found a homeless kitten who was in such bad shape that “she couldn’t hold her head up.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she apparently had to be euthanized.
January 2023/New York, New York: PIX11.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been hit by a vehicle on a busy parkway. She was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive.
January 2023/Dauphin Island, Alabama: FOX10TV.com reported that a homeless cat had been found dead in a culvert pipe. According to the report, he had evidently been shot to death. MyNBC15.com later reported that two additional homeless cats had been shot to death. The animals were reportedly part of “a colony of cats” who had been fed near a church, some of whom had been sterilized and re-abandoned there. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2023/Burns, Wyoming: PineBluffsPost.com reported that during a cold snap when temperatures remained below freezing for days on end, an apparently homeless kitten had been found frozen to the bottom of a kiddie pool but still alive. According to the report, “There was enough water from prior snow melt to be enticing but dangerous to a thirsty animal.” A publicly funded animal shelter was reportedly called, and responding workers “took a good hour of using a hair dryer” to release the kitten from the pool. A veterinarian who subsequently treated the animal said that he or she “had an upper respiratory infection secondary to the hypothermia. The kitten lost both ears and a toe to frostbite.” He or she was apparently expected to survive.
January 2023/Fort Smith, Arkansas: 5NewsOnline.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home had been missing for days before he’d been found dead in a neighbor’s garage after he’d been mauled by three dogs who were roaming outdoors without supervision. The cat’s guardian said, “The door was open and he was off in a little corner and he was dead. Covered in bite wounds, blood everywhere, fur ripped out, legs broken, back broken.” The owner of the home where he’d been found told the outlet that she had witnessed the dogs roaming the neighborhood and saw one of them “chase a small dog and kill at least five cats …. They were not easy deaths, and they weren’t quick.” Authorities were able to identify the dogs’ owners, who were “cited for various violations,” according to a police captain. The dogs were also impounded for a quarantine period and declared “vicious.”
January 2023/Albany, Georgia: WALB.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed near a grocery store had been found badly injured after she’d been hit by a car. Store employees reportedly “tried to pick her up, but she ran under a drain pipe where she remained for three days until animal control rescued her.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, which might include the amputation of a leg. She was expected to survive, and animal control officials were hoping to find a home for her where she would be kept safe indoors.
January 2023/Harrisonburg, Virginia: BreezeJMU.org reported that a homeless cat had bitten one person near James Madison University and scratched another person on the campus. Authorities captured and transported the animal to an animal shelter, where he or she was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
January 2023/Litchfield, Connecticut: NBCConnecticut.com reported that “an outdoor cat [who] shared food and water with other outdoor cats and wildlife” had died or been euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
January 2023/New Ulm, Minnesota: NUJournal.com reported that a woman had pleaded “guilty to misdemeanor theft” after she admitted that she’d trapped a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, on her property and allegedly asked a friend to abandon the animal outside the city limits. The cat’s owner said that her family had searched the area where the cat had allegedly been abandoned but that he hadn’t been found. He was described as neutered and declawed. According to the report, “The Court will stay adjudication of the conviction upon conditions including no same or similar offenses in the next 12 months.” The woman was also ordered to “pay a fine and restitution to the cat’s owners in amounts to be determined by the Court.”
January 2023/Clarkesville, Georgia: NowHabersham.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found with an injured leg in a barn. He was taken to an animal shelter on December 20, 2022. According to the report, on “January 3, an animal care technician reported during daily rounds that the kitten seemed ‘off’ and was acting strangely. The kitten appeared to be struggling with the injured leg. The kitten also appeared to have a decreased appetite.” The next day, he was reportedly “aggressively attacking any objects presented to him. In addition, the kitten was displaying signs of paralysis, vocalizing loudly, [and] had dilated pupils and hydrophobia.” He was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Two shelter workers required post-exposure treatment for the virus.
January 2023/Penrose, Colorado: FOX21News.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been badly injured after her tail became trapped in a car door before the occupants, unaware of the cat, started driving on a highway. A witness, who had been able to flag down the vehicle, said, “We followed the car for 2 miles at 55 mph with a cat getting dragged by [her] tail on the highway. As soon as they pulled over, the cat just collapsed. And we didn’t know if [she] was alive anymore or not.” The animal was provided with veterinary care for injuries, including what the witness said were “paws … ground down to bone” and “bleeding from the mouth.” She was apparently expected to survive.
January 2023/Fargo, North Dakota: Inforum.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found frozen to the ground in front of an office building. She was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. According to the article, “Frostbite caused her to lose parts of her ears and tail.” She was expected to survive.
January 2023/New York, New York: NYPost.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home crying with a crossbow arrow in his chest. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that the arrow had likely “clipped an artery and that the indoor-outdoor cat was bleeding out internally.” The prognosis was so bad that he had to be euthanized. His owner reportedly said that some homeless cats in the neighborhood had recently gone missing. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2023/Dunnellon, Florida: CBS12.com reported that six cats and a dog who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had died from poisoning. The owner of one of the cats and the dog reportedly said that the cat “started to get sick and had seizures.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died. It was allegedly “determined [that] the cat likely had been poisoned.” The dog had reportedly died with similar symptoms. Another resident told authorities that “five of her cats died from similar symptoms.” Necropsies on some of the animals’ remains determined that they “had died from ethylene glycol poisoning.” A suspect was identified and “allegedly said he put out tainted food to poison the cats, and tried to get them to eat … poison mixed with cat food.” He also reportedly “made statements about harming cats in the neighborhood.” He was charged with four counts of cruelty to animals.
December 2022/Madison, New Jersey: Original.Newsbreak.com reported that after being taken to an animal adoption group by an unknown individual, an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized tested positive for rabies. Authorities were trying to identify the person who turned the cat in. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Clarkesville, Georgia: NowHabersham.com reported that a homeless kitten had been observed “stumbling around.” Authorities were called, and a responding animal control officer was able to contain the animal, who was transported to an animal shelter, where he or she was found to be exhibiting symptoms of rabies. The kitten was euthanized and tested positive for the virus. According to the report, “[A] canine at the residence [where the kitten had been found] had consumed some food that had been placed out for the kitten.” The dog was vaccinated and so was given a booster vaccination and had to be quarantined for 45 days.
December 2022/Livonia, New York: FingerLakes1.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a rabid raccoon. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Goldsboro, North Carolina: CBS17.com reported that an individual had been bitten by a homeless cat. Responding authorities captured the cat, who later died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Fort Lauderdale, Florida: CBSNews.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Albuquerque, New Mexico: KRQE.com reported that several homeless cats in a neighborhood had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming outdoors without supervision. One cat had been killed by the dogs in March. A resident said that the dogs had “killed three more cats since then, including one yesterday and another one last week.” One of the homeless cats had reportedly been “partly blind and deaf.” It wasn’t known whether the dogs were owned. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Powell, Tennessee: WBIR.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been stuck approximately 100 feet up in a tree for two weeks. According to the report, during that time “temperatures dipped below freezing, and a snowstorm swept through [the area].” A tree service reportedly “tried to rescue him three times” and “said the cold weather and the location of the cat prevented them from helping him faster.” The service was eventually able to reach and contain the cat, who was returned to his owner. According to the report, the owner was “preparing” to take him to a veterinary medical hospital.
December 2022/Muskegon, Michigan: KING5.com reported that a homeless cat had been found frozen to the ground “after a massive winter storm.” A good Samaritan took him to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that “his body temperature was only 94 degrees and his eyes had crusted shut from the cold.” (A cat’s normal body temperature is 101 to 102.5 degrees.) WZZM13.com later reported that after two weeks of treatment, the cat died after he’d “suffered a saddle thrombosis that paralyzed him.”
December 2022/Lawrence, Massachusetts: EagleTribune.com reported that a homeless kitten had sustained injuries after he’d become stuck inside the tire of a vehicle. He was taken to an animal shelter, where veterinary staff amputated two badly injured toes. He survived.
December 2022/Millbrook, Alabama: ElmoreAutaugaNews.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found on a golf course, “frozen to and hanging from a storm drain grate.” Authorities with the police and fire departments responded to a call and used warm water to remove her from the grate. She had apparently not yet received veterinary medical attention. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada: GlobalNews.ca reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found frozen to the pavement on the side of a road. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where he received treatment for an upper respiratory infection and multiple surgeries to amputate the tips of his ears, which were badly damaged from frostbite. He was expected to survive.
December 2022/Winder, Georgia: MainStreetNews.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. One person had been exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Stanton, Michigan: WZZM13.com reported that a homeless cat had sustained serious injuries after a vehicle engine in which she’d taken refuge had been started. She was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said that one leg and a toe on another leg had to be amputated. She was expected to survive.
December 2022/New York, New York: ILoveTheUpperWestSide.com reported that a sick homeless cat had been found near a public school. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot with a BB gun. Three BB pellets were reportedly lodged in his body, resulting in a possible collapsed lung and heart damage. He was receiving treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2022/Conneaut, Ohio: Cleveland19.com reported that a homeless cat had been found badly injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot, resulting in the bone in a leg being “completely shattered and irreparable.” An animal adoption group was reportedly trying to raise funds to have the leg amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2022/Boston, Massachusetts: BostonHerald.com reported that a sick homeless cat had been found outside a residence. Authorities were called, and responding officers noted that the animal was “exhibiting neurologic behavior.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he evidently had to be euthanized. Testing confirmed that he’d been suffering from rabies. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Kempner, Texas: KWTX.com reported that an unspecified number of cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked, some fatally, by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Other animals and humans had reportedly also been attacked by the dogs. Authorities were notified. It wasn’t known whether anyone owned the dogs.
December 2022/Oakland County, Michigan: Michigan.gov reported that a homeless kitten had been taken in by a good Samaritan. Approximately six weeks later, the animal “was taken to a veterinary practice when [he or she] was not eating or drinking and was acting aggressively and unable to use [his or her] hind limbs. The kitten became progressively more ill and was humanely euthanized.” Testing revealed that the kitten had been rabid. No additional information was available.
December 2022/Las Vegas, Nevada: KTNV.com reported that residents in a neighborhood had noted that “an unusual number” of cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had gone missing over the previous “several months.” One of the cats had been found “deathly ill” miles from home. The animal was taken to an animal shelter, where he had to be euthanized because he was in such bad shape. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
December 2022/Cedar County, Iowa: TheGazette.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had gone missing in October. His owner said she heard a cat crying the day after he went missing but couldn’t find the animal. The next day, she said that she had found her cat with an arrow through his body. He was taken to a veterinarian for treatment and survived. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2022/De Baca County, New Mexico: KOAT.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Waterbury, Connecticut: KTVZ.com reported that an unspecified number of cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been injured or killed in a neighborhood. Their injuries reportedly suggested that they may have been beaten. One of the animals was found with a broken jaw. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he received surgery and was undergoing additional treatments, according to a woman who was caring for him. Another cat was found, apparently dead, with what appeared to be blunt force trauma injuries to the head. A woman who saw the cat’s body said it was “[v]ery gruesome … like somebody smashed his head.” Authorities were investigating one case that had been officially reported, but no suspects were identified.
November 2022/Springfield, Missouri: OzarksFirst.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “badly injured after being outside all day,” according to the owner. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot and wouldn’t survive. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Northumberland, Pennsylvania: DailyItem.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot to death. His body was found in the woods near the owner’s home. Authorities reported that a veterinarian who had performed a necropsy on the animal’s body “determined that the bullet entered [the cat’s] side, punctured the lung and exited through the opposite side of the body [and that he] died from internal hemorrhaging caused by a single gunshot wound.” According to the report, “The Pennsylvania Game Commission determined the projectile to be a .22 caliber round, according to police.” The suspect reportedly told authorities that “he intended to take ‘a pop shot at this cat to scare [him] away.’” According to the report, “Asked if [he] had any particular reason to shoot at the cat, [the suspect] said, ‘… I’ve been seeing [him] for a few months now, and I’ve seen [he’s] gotten a bunny already,’ according to court documents.”
November 2022/Gilroy, California: NBCBayArea.com reported that residents in three adjacent neighborhoods said that “they’ve been finding burnt animals, both domestic and wild. One woman said her son’s kitten was so badly tortured, they had to put her down.” The kitten had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. She returned home injured and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the owner said that it had been determined that “[s]he had a lot of trauma to the face, but it wasn’t the main cause of her injuries …. The biggest problem and the reason we had to put her down was someone had cut her tongue all the way back at the base.” Burn marks were reportedly also found inside her mouth. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2022/Lindenwold, New Jersey: NJ1015.com reported that “a sick, stray cat” found by a resident had been taken to an animal hospital, where it was determined that the animal was exhibiting signs of rabies. The cat was euthanized and tested positive for the virus. The resident was reportedly advised to “speak to their physician” about receiving post-exposure treatment.
November 2022/Corsica, Pennsylvania: WTAJ.com reported that a man was facing cruelty-to-animals charges after drowning a homeless kitten and attempting to drown another one. According to the report, he “admitted that he attempted to drown both kittens in a bucket near a shed according to court documents. [The accused] told police it was more humane to drown them rather than let them starve because he believed they were strays and had no mother.” A third kitten was reportedly found crying outside a neighbor’s home. Both surviving kittens were taken to an animal adoption group. According to the report, the man was “facing a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals that resulted in death, as well as two misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals.”
November 2022/Town ’n’ Country, Florida: FOX13News.com reported that a self-professed animal “rescue” group “said seven cats in a Town ’n’ Country neighborhood have been shot with a pellet gun in the last year and a half. Of those [who] were shot, three ended up dead.” A woman who fed cats in the area reportedly said that one of the animals had been shot “several times” and sustained “a broken front leg, and might have to have a back leg amputated.” She said that so many cats have been harmed in the area that “it has become a blur of cats [who] have died or are injured.” WFLA.com later reported that a man had admitted to authorities that he had shot “multiple cats in the area.” He was reportedly “charged with aggravated cruelty to animals with a weapon.”
November 2022/Washington County, Tennessee: WJHL.com reported that an animal shelter had announced that a cat had been brought to it after a woman rescued the animal “from ‘teenage boys kicking and abusing’ him.” As a result of the abuse, the cat had reportedly “sustained several fractures to his rear leg and had to have surgery to remove it.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities had been alerted. No additional information was available.
November 2022/McMinnville, Oregon: CBS58.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found with an arrow sticking out of her body. She was taken to an animal adoption group, where she received medical treatment. According to a spokesperson for the group, the arrow tore muscles in one of the kitten’s legs and she was expected to survive. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
November 2022/Lawrence, Massachusetts: WCVB.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto a leg. He or she was apparently taken to an animal shelter for care, and the leg was so badly injured that it was determined that it would have to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Pomona, California: NBCLosAngeles.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed with others at a business had been shot and stabbed to death. Video surveillance footage reportedly showed the cat in the business’s parking lot when two men drove up and shot her with a pellet or BB gun. The video footage reportedly showed that while she was “lying helpless on the ground, two men hop[ped] the fence and start[ed] taking pictures.” One of the men then appeared to use a knife to stab the animal “repeatedly while the other recorded it.” Authorities were investigating. FOXLA.com later reported that two people had been arrested in connection with the case. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Live Oak, Florida: WCTV.tv reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Mount Holly, North Carolina: WCCBCharlotte.com reported that a homeless cat had attacked a resident. Authorities captured the animal, who was apparently euthanized and tested positive for rabies. The resident and others in the area were notified. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Jacksonville, Florida: FirstCoastNews.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in a dumpster. One of them had reportedly been mutilated, and more cats who were allowed to roam unsupervised in the area were missing. A resident said that surveillance footage had captured one of the killings, which showed a man “luring a cat to come towards him, grabbing the cat, and then putting all his weight on the animal.” The man was then seen “pick[ing] up the lifeless cat in a white tarp and walk[ing] away.” News4JAX.com reported that a resident had “identified 21 cats [who] have gone missing from the same area over the past year.” FirstCoastNews.com later reported that authorities had arrested a suspect “on charges of animal cruelty and petit theft.”
November 2022/Rapid City, South Dakota: BlackHillsFOX.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “screaming” and bleeding, then collapsed and died. According to the report, he had been shot with a pellet gun. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
November 2022/Brunswick County, North Carolina: Newsweek.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had attacked his or her owner. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. According to the report, the cat had been “injured during an encounter with an ‘unspecified wild animal’ earlier” that month and his or her rabies vaccination was not up to date. The owner received post-exposure treatment.
November 2022/Houston, Texas: FOX26Houston.com reported that six homeless cats had been found dead from apparent poisoning in a neighborhood. One resident who had been feeding homeless cats said she found three of them dead in one day. Another resident returned home from a vacation to find two dead and decomposing cats on his property after he was “greeted by a stink.” No additional information was available.
November 2022/Kailua, Hawaii: KTVZ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “moaning” and badly injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray revealed that he’d been shot with a BB gun and was bleeding internally. He evidently underwent surgery but didn’t survive. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Butler County, Kentucky: WNKY.com reported that two homeless cats had been found badly injured and were taken to an animal shelter. One of them had reportedly been “shot clean through with an arrow,” and a steel-jaw trap was clamped onto the other’s leg, which had to be amputated. Both cats underwent surgery and were expected to survive. No additional information was available.
November 2022/East Alton, Illinois: TheTelegraph.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals after it was alleged that he’d intentionally and repeatedly run over a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, killing the animal. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Edgefield County, South Carolina: WLTX.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been chased up a tree by an unspecified number of dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised, and had then been unable to climb down. After five days, workers with the county’s emergency medical services and fire departments were able to retrieve the cat, who was described as “emaciated.” She was returned to her owner.
November 2022/Rushville, New York: RochesterFirst.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with serious injuries after she’d apparently been hit by a car. Two people told authorities that they saw a post about the animal on social media and had taken the cat to their home. Authorities reportedly said that after keeping the injured animal overnight, one of the individuals had put her in a freezer “in an attempt to euthanize her. Family members later found the cat and told investigators she appeared to be alive at the time, but they were not able to save her. The cat remained in the freezer after she died.” Both individuals were charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
November 2022/Granite Falls, North Carolina: WCCBCharlotte.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. Two people exposed to the animal were receiving post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Rougemont, North Carolina: PersonCountyLife.com reported that a homeless cat had been taken to an animal shelter after he or she had been found “showing signs of neurological issues and aggression, and had bitten two people.” The cat was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Orange County, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
November 2022/Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: OKCFOX.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 attack was captured on video surveillance footage. The cat’s owner said the video showed that the dogs each grabbed one end of the animal and then “[t]hey tussle[d] [the cat] around and [left] the remains all over the yard.” Some neighbors reportedly said the dogs had killed additional companion animals in the area. No additional information was available.
October 2022/Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina: LexingtonChronicle.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. A person who was exposed to the animal was referred to a healthcare provider for post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
October 2022/Columbus, Ohio: 10TV.com reported that three cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had been found dead and two others were missing. One of the animal’s owners said she found her cat dead in the middle of the street in front of her house: “His eyes were totally out, his mouth was open, and the tongue was out,” she said. Another owner said that two of her cats appeared to have been killed. One had been found with injuries that appeared to be from “either a blunt force or like somebody beat her or it was a bullet hole.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
October 2022/Orlando, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and was described by his or her owner as “the neighborhood cat” had been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. A neighbor’s security camera reportedly “caught it all on video.” The cat’s owner said that when she went outside to investigate “some sort of scuffling,” she saw the dog with the dead cat in his or her mouth. Authorities were notified.
October 2022/High Point, North Carolina: Greensboro.com reported that an apparently homeless cats who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
October 2022/Palm Springs North, Florida: WSVN.com reported that five cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Two of the attacks had been captured on video surveillance footage, which showed the dogs chasing the cats under cars before dragging them out and killing them. Authorities were notified and issued citations to the dogs’ owner.
October 2022/North Lauderdale, Florida: WSVN.com reported that a homeless cat who had apparently been fed by a resident had been found “struggling to walk and in pain.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray revealed that she’d been shot, shattering bones in one of her legs and leaving a bullet lodged in her chest. She underwent surgery, which included the amputation of the leg, and was expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
October 2022/Jackson, Michigan: WILX.com reported that a public animal shelter had announced that it had taken in two kittens, both of whom had both been “shot with a shotgun, which shattered a leg on each cat.” According to the report, the kittens were receiving veterinary treatment and were scheduled to have their injured legs amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2022/Woodbridge, New Jersey: MSN.com reported that a homeless cat who was apparently part of a “colony” of cats being fed in a residential neighborhood had been found appearing “sick and … acting in an abnormal manner.” Authorities were called, and the cat was captured and euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Two residents had reportedly been bitten or scratched by the animal and were advised to seek immediate post-exposure treatment. The state health department advised animal control officials to capture and remove the homeless cat “colony” because all the animals had potentially been exposed.
October 2022/Jacksonville, North Carolina: WCTI12.com reported that one of two dogs who were roaming outdoors without supervision had attacked a child as he was boarding a school bus. The second dog had attacked and killed three cats, who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. The bus driver and several neighbors intervened to stop the attack on the child, and authorities impounded both dogs. No additional information was available.
October 2022/Franklin, Ohio: WSET.com reported that a homeless kitten had been tortured and killed by the building manager of an apartment building. According to a witness, the man bashed the kitten’s head against a table and a concrete column and used his fist to grind the animal’s head onto the porch. He then allegedly put a chain around the apparently dead animal’s neck. When asked why he did it, the suspect said in an interview, “I couldn’t take a chance because [the kitten] would track poop in the building.” He was charged with cruelty to animals.
October 2022/New Stanton, Pennsylvania: TribLive.com reported that a cat who was described as an “indoor/outdoor cat” had been found with an arrow protruding from his back. According to the report, the arrow had entered his back and come out through his chest. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2022/West Hartford, Connecticut: Patch.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured after he’d been hit by a car. Authorities transported him to a veterinary hospital for treatment. No additional information was available.
October 2022/Forestport, New York: CNYCentral.com reported that an apparently homeless, rabid cat had exposed five people and six dogs and cats to the virus before the animal had died or been euthanized. A cat who was exposed had apparently never been vaccinated and so was euthanized. According to the report, “Two other animals were not up to date with their rabies vaccines and are now in quarantine for six months.” The other people and animals who were exposed required post-exposure treatment.
October 2022/Clinton County, Michigan: FOX47News.com reported that an apparently homeless female cat had been found with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto a leg. Authorities were called and removed the device. The cat was then taken to an animal adoption group, where it was found that the trap’s jaws had penetrated “down to the tendon” and that the leg had become badly infected. She underwent surgery to have the leg amputated and survived. No additional information was available.
October 2022/Orangevale, California: ABC10.com reported that authorities were investigating after “multiple mutilated” cats had been found in an area. According to the report, two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision were missing. The animals’ owner notified authorities after doorbell surveillance footage showed a man walk up a driveway, grab one of the cats, and walk away with the animal. The cat could reportedly be heard crying in the video. CBSNews.com reported that more than 12 cats in the area had gone missing or been found dead. A resident reportedly described the doorbell surveillance footage: “You see him walking up to a cat and a cat screeching, you hear a snap, and then no more screeching.” That cat was reportedly later found dead. WSBTV.com later reported that a suspect had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals and petty theft in connection with the case.
October 2022/Nanticoke, Pennsylvania: TimesLeader.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals after he allegedly used a pellet gun to shoot a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, “[P]olice and firefighters recovered a deceased cat from a tree in the area …. A necropsy, similar to an autopsy, showed the cat was shot seven times and a pellet was recovered from [his or her] spine during the procedure.” According to the report, court records revealed that the suspect “admitted to using a pellet gun to shoot” the animal.
September 2022/Gainesville, Georgia: GainesvilleTimes.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized tested positive for rabies. The cat had reportedly exposed two people to the virus. No additional information was available.
September 2022/Hunterdon, New Jersey: DailyVoice.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized tested positive for rabies. According to the report, the cat had been friendly and had delivered a litter of kittens about four weeks before her death. No additional information was available.
September 2022/North Catasauqua Borough, Pennsylvania: DailyVoice.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident who said that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. In addition, the dogs had attacked a human in the area. The dogs’ owner was identified, and authorities were reportedly working to have the animals declared dangerous.
September 2022/Belchertown, Massachusetts: WesternMassNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home with a hole in his body and “covered in blood.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a pellet from a high-powered pellet gun was found in his abdomen. He underwent “multiple procedures” and was expected to survive. According to the report, his family said that “after this incident, he’s strictly an indoor cat.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2022/Everett, Washington: Q13FOX.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the eye with a pellet gun by someone driving by in a car. Authorities were called, and they identified a suspect they believed was involved in “a similar incident earlier in the year.” The person “eventually admitted to driving in the area and shooting a pellet gun from his car, police say.” He was charged with “first-degree animal cruelty and second-degree malicious mischief.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive.
September 2022/Town of Harford, New York: WXHC.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured inside a box trap at a mobile home park. According to the report, he “was found to be shot in the face and head, but was still alive” and his owner didn’t have the resources for necessary veterinary care. Authorities were called, and the cat was transported to a veterinary hospital for treatment. He was reportedly “stable, but lost the use of one eye as the result of the gunshot.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2022/Whatcom County, Washington: BellinghamHerald.com reported that authorities were advising residents to keep cats indoors “after a couple of recent cat deaths in the area.” No additional information was available.
September 2022/West Deptford, New Jersey: FOX29.com reported that a man had been arrested after he was seen in footage from a doorbell camera abusing an apparently homeless cat at an apartment complex. According to authorities, the footage “shows a man picking up the cat over his head and violently throwing [the animal] onto the concrete floor several times. Then, the man is seen leaving the area for a brief time, leaving the injured cat lying on the ground, according to officials. After returning a short time later, police say the man picked up the cat and threw [him or her] out of camera view.” The cat was found alive “in a dumpster, suffering extensive injuries.” He or she was reportedly turned over to animal control authorities for medical care and was “being monitored by medical staff, according to officials.” The man was charged with cruelty to animals.
September 2022/Greenville, Alabama: AlabamaPublicHealth.gov reported that a homeless kitten had been “found on a resident’s porch, and presumed to be a part of a nearby feral cat colony. The resident had been caring for the abandoned animal, approximately 8-weeks-old, when residents were bitten. The kitten became very ill and died a few days afterwards.” Testing revealed that the kitten had been rabid. The residents were reportedly seeking medical treatment.
September 2022/Denton, North Carolina: MyFOX8.com reported that a resident had found an injured kitten on their property who was believed to be “from a litter of feral cats in the area.” The kitten was taken to a veterinary hospital and received treatment. Approximately one week later, the animal was reportedly found exhibiting “‘odd behavior’ and a change in temperament.” He or she was taken back to the veterinary hospital and evidently euthanized. Testing revealed that the kitten had rabies. According to the report, “All people who may have been in contact with the kitten have been notified and have started preventative measures against rabies.”
September 2022/Tallmadge, Ohio: WTRF.com reported that a homeless cat had been seen wandering around an apartment complex with an empty jar stuck on her head. Concerned individuals reportedly made many attempts “to capture the feral cat, including live traps and drop traps, but none were successful.” A man was eventually able to capture the animal with a net, and she was taken to receive medical care. It was believed that the jar had been stuck on her head for several days. According to the report, she “was a new mother and the entire time the jar was placed over her head, several kittens chased after her as they tried to nurse. Those kittens are now in the hands of local humane society.”
September 2022/Johnson City, Tennessee: WJHL.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had sustained a fractured pelvis and a large hernia after a cow stepped on him. He was taken to an animal adoption group, which was trying to raise funds for needed surgery. No additional information was available.
September 2022/Orange, Massachusetts: Recorder.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed with many others in a colony had become ill with symptoms of rabies. The animal was euthanized and tested positive for the virus. No additional information was available.
September 2022/Hicksville, New York: Patch.com reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for days before she was found crying under a bush. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she died. It was found that she’d been shot twice. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2022/Cumberland Township, Pennsylvania: PennLive.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed at a housing complex by a self-professed animal “rescue” group had been found shot to death. According to a spokesperson for the group, the animal was found with “an entrance wound on [his or her] side and no exit wound.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2022/Akron, Colorado: AkronNewsReporter.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The dogs were impounded, and their owner was cited. No additional information was available.
September 2022/Scioto County, Ohio: SciotoCountyDailyNews.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident that an unspecified number of cats she had apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a neighbor’s dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. No additional information was available.
September 2022/Branch, Michigan: ShorelineMedia.net reported that a man had been “sentenced to 12 months [of] probation and two days in jail, and was given credit for time served, on a charge of killing/torturing animals, second degree” for shooting to death a neighbor’s cat—who the owner described as “an inside and outside” cat—the previous spring. According to the report, the cat’s owner “said that the cat didn’t die right away and that [the defendant] had put [the cat] in the trunk of his car to go take [her] and dump [her] in the river. He took actions to cover up what he did.” The cat was reportedly on a fence when she was shot, and the defendant admitted to police that he had shot the animal.
September 2022/Henderson, Kentucky: 14News.com reported that authorities said that an apparently homeless kitten had been “found suffering with a missing eye.” The kitten was transported to a public animal shelter, where he or she “died over the weekend.” According to the report, “Officials say they believe [the kitten] was shot with a BB gun, and they say it’s been happening to many others.” No suspects were identified, and no additional information was available.
September 2022/Albany County, Wyoming: WyomingNewsNow.tv reported that a cat who “lived primarily outdoors or in outbuildings” had died and tested positive for plague. According to the report, “Other cats in a group at the same location have also died during the past several months, indicating likely spread of plague.”
September 2022/San Juan Island, Washington: SanJuanIslander.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by an unspecified number of roaming dogs. According to the report, “The dogs were located by the cat owner and turned over to the person who was care taking them. The cat was later found deceased.” Authorities took a report.
September 2022/Tell City, Indiana: DuboisCountyHerald.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been hit by a car and that “his upper femur” had to be removed. He had to be kept in a cage for two weeks and was expected to take months to recover.
August 2022/Maui County, Hawaii: MauiNews.com reported that charges had been dismissed against a woman who had captured a neighbor’s roaming cat in a trap and abandoned him at a public park. According to the report, the woman had first trapped the cat and taken him to an animal shelter, which returned him to the owner. He was later trapped a second time and abandoned “near the … restrooms” at a park. Eleven days later, he was found in a road by a good Samaritan after he’d been hit by a car. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he had to be euthanized because of the severity of the injuries he’d sustained. According to the report, “In granting the defense request to dismiss the charge … Judge Kelsey Kawano said the animal desertion statute ‘is overbroad.’ … ‘It interferes with a person’s constitutional right to use and enjoy one’s property,’ he said.”
August 2022/Hayden, Idaho: CDAPress.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found injured. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said that he had sustained “severe injuries to his face. He has a puncture wound under his left eye, his top teeth are missing, his mouth has injuries. A tooth fell out while we were first holding him.” He was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital, “where he was given medication and fed through a tube.” It was believed that he’d been “attacked by a small animal,” and he was expected to undergo weeks of treatment.
August 2022/Patchogue, New York: Patch.com reported that a homeless cat, who had apparently been sterilized, ear-tipped, and abandoned outdoors had been found paralyzed and trapped inside a resident’s pool filter. She may have fallen “out of a tree, hurt [her] back and stumbled into the pool.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where “the veterinarian diagnosed the cat with a severed spinal cord, muscle wasting, and broken paws.” She was mercifully euthanized.
August 2022/Barnhart, Missouri: MyLeaderPaper.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found by a resident who said that the animal was “full of ticks and fleas and had a bacterial infection from eating anything she could scrounge up.” The resident adopted her and urged people to spay and neuter their animals.
August 2022/Leesport, Pennsylvania: BerksWeekly.com reported that a homeless cat and kitten had been found dead with “wounds of unknown origin” near a colony of homeless cats. The adult cat had reportedly attacked a resident before entering a storm drain, where he or she died. The bodies of both animals were tested for rabies, and the adult tested positive. Authorities were reportedly “assess[ing]” the colony. ReadingEagle.com reported that the rabid cat had been found injured and that the woman who was attacked had been trying to help the animal. According to the report, “The cat died about 15 minutes after the attack and tested positive for rabies.”
August 2022/Dinwiddie County, Virginia: Progress-Index.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had attacked a resident before the animal, who had died or been euthanized, tested positive for rabies. WRIC.com reported that the city of Petersburg had been “placed under a ‘Rabies Alert’” and that “the cat is likely to have come in contact with numerous other animals.”
August 2022/Parsippany, New Jersey: Patch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Franklinton, Louisiana: Era-Leader.com reported that an injured homeless kitten had been seen with a plastic drink container lid around one of her legs. Workers at a library said it took them weeks to capture the kitten and take her to a veterinary hospital, where staff reportedly “expected the kitten to need surgery to heal the deep wounds and to lose her front right paw due to the damage from the plastic.” She was receiving treatment.
August 2022/Durham, North Carolina: DukeChronicle.com reported that a homeless cat being fed at a university campus had been hit and killed by a car.
August 2022/Springfield, Missouri: KY3.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found with partially paralyzed rear legs. She was taken to an animal adoption group, which took her to a veterinary hospital. A spokesperson for the group said that X-rays revealed that the kitten had been shot and that a bullet remained lodged in her spine, causing paralysis and incontinence. She was reportedly being given “specialized treatments,” and the group had to ask for donations to pay for them. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
August 2022/Brunswick, Georgia: News4JAX.com reported that a homeless cat had scratched two people before the animal, who had died or been euthanized, tested positive for rabies. The people who were exposed were referred to their healthcare providers for post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Dover, Delaware: WMDT.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead after she’d apparently been beaten to death with a broken shovel handle, which was found lying on her body. According to the cat’s owner, her body had been found in an area where “quite a few different people” had been feeding homeless cats on a neighboring property. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
August 2022/Lafayette, Louisiana: TheAdvocate.com reported that a man had died after he’d been hit by a vehicle while trying to help a cat—who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision—who had been found injured in a roadway. No additional information was available
August 2022/Port Orange, Florida: WESH.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Des Moines, Iowa: KCCI.com reported that an Iowa animal adoption group had imported a homeless cat who had apparently been shot in Kansas. According to the report, “A veterinarian in Kansas believes [the] cat was shot in the face. [His] jaw doesn’t line up correctly, one eardrum appears to be ruptured and his teeth will have to be removed.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities had been notified, but no suspects were identified.
August 2022/Albuquerque, New Mexico: KRQE.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found after he’d been shot. His owner said the animal was found “in a pool of blood and the way he was [lying there,] I could tell that he had been shot.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
August 2022/Neopit, Wisconsin: WSAW.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured in a resident’s yard. According to the report, a police statement said that “[t]he cat reportedly was doused in gasoline and someone had set fire to the cat.” He or she had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries sustained. Authorities were asking anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
August 2022/Fairfield Township, Ohio: TimesReporter.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident who said that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Stephens County, Texas: BigCountryHomepage.com reported that a cat who was described as “an ‘outside’ cat,” had bitten his or her owner and then been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Main Township, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun. The animal was reportedly expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Branford, Connecticut: NBCConnecticut.com reported that a kitten who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been taken to an animal shelter after she was found with severe injuries. According to the report, “[S]he had multiple wounds all over her body, including a serious injury to her abdomen that was likely a bite from a large dog. The shelter said the bite had punctured the kitten’s intestines and caused a septic abdomen.” She underwent surgery, during which it was found that her small intestine was “so damaged that over two-thirds of it had to be removed.” She was expected to survive.
August 2022/Oak Forest, Illinois: Patch.com reported that residents in one neighborhood said that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had recently been found dead. According to the report, “A grey tabby cat found deceased a week earlier appeared young, thin, and some surmised [the cat’s] death could have been heat-related.” A woman who fed homeless cats in the area reportedly “said there have also been reports of missing feral colony cats.” It wasn’t known how the cats had died. No additional information was available.
August 2022/Madison County, Georgia: MainStreetNews.com reported that two apparently homeless cats who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Duluth, Minnesota: FOX21Online.com reported that in May a pregnant, homeless cat had been found badly burned. A resident said that the animal had been found roaming in a mobile home park and wouldn’t go into a box trap for “three to four days” after she’d been seen with injuries. She apparently received medical treatment, had five kittens, and was expected to survive. It wasn’t known how she’d been burned.
July 2022/Delray Beach, Florida: WSVN.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found trapped in a storm drain. After six days of efforts by individuals and fire rescue personnel, the animal was captured and taken to a veterinary hospital. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Oxford, Mississippi: News.Yahoo.com reported that authorities had arrested a man after he allegedly posted videos on social media that showed him killing four apparently homeless kittens near an apartment complex. He was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Holden, Louisiana: BRProud.com reported that a homeless cat had been found in a roadway dead from a gunshot wound to the head. According to the report, “It is believed that the cat was part of a colony living in the area.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities had been notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2022/Brandon, Florida: TampaBay.com reported that a kitten had been “found with injuries resulting in paralysis of both his hind legs. Unable to walk, he was forced to drag himself around by his front two legs.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, which flew the animal to a home in Massachusetts, where he reportedly got a wheelchair and was receiving veterinary treatment, including laser therapy and acupuncture. It wasn’t known how he had been injured.
July 2022/Galt, California: GaltHeraldOnline.com reported that a resident had found a sick homeless cat. The animal was taken to a public animal shelter, where euthanasia was necessary because of the severity of the animal’s condition. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: PAHomepage.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Corpus Christi, Texas: Caller.com reported that a homeless cat had been seen on a bridge. A driver who stopped to provide aid called authorities after the animal ran under her car and couldn’t be reached. A responding police officer was bitten while retrieving the cat. According to authorities, the officer then released the animal, who ran to a ledge on the bridge and jumped into a river. Efforts to locate the cat were unsuccessful. According to the report, “The [police department news] release said the officer received seven shots for rabies prevention, as the cat appeared to be diseased and feral.”
July 2022/Oakland, New Jersey: DailyVoice.com reported that a homeless cat had been found crying and with large portions of skin stripped from his neck. An animal adoption group was called and confined the cat but apparently couldn’t afford the veterinary care he needed, so it was asking for donations. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Lincoln, Nebraska: JournalStar.com reported that the head of a cat, who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and had been missing, had been found on a grill at a neighborhood park. Authorities searched for the animal’s body but weren’t able to locate it. It wasn’t known how the cat had died. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Davie, Florida: WSVN.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. After health officials issued a 60-day rabies alert, a local resident reportedly said she was very concerned: “There’s a lot of stray cats out there, and I have a 2-year-old that likes to pet them.” No additional information was available. Local10.com later reported that the rabies alert had been extended to 120 days after a second homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Rock Hill, South Carolina: WCNC.com reported that authorities had received a complaint about water “draining from a vacant unit into the apartment below.” When responding officers arrived, they reported seeing a man exit the vacant apartment holding a kitten and a pair of scissors and “saw fresh wounds on the kitten where half of the ears were cut off.” The man was arrested and issued a warrant for ill treatment of animals. HeraldOnline.com reported that authorities allowed a neighbor to take the injured kitten. The neighbor reportedly told authorities that he or she would take the animal for treatment the next day. No additional information was available.
July 2022/New Hempstead, New York: RocklandTimes.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Danville, Pennsylvania: NorthCentralPA.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death. According to the report, “The owner contacted police several days later to report the incident.” Authorities were asking anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
July 2022/Jacksonville, Florida: News4JAX.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Frederick County, Maryland: DailyVoice.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.WUSA9.com later reported that a second homeless cat had been found acting aggressively. He or she was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Robinson Township, Pennsylvania: CBSNews.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found badly injured behind a residence. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that she’d been shot with a pellet gun and fragments of a pellet remained lodged in her spine, causing paralysis. She was also bleeding internally. The kitten went into shock and had to be euthanized. A second kitten found at the same location had sustained a broken tail. He was receiving treatment and was expected to survive. A suspect had allegedly admitted to shooting the female kitten. Authorities were notified.
July 2022/Readington Township, New Jersey: DailyVoice.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Town of Boston, New York: WIVB.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found wounded. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where treatment was provided for injuries sustained after being shot with a pellet gun. Authorities were asking anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Brackenridge, Pennsylvania: WPXI.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found by authorities “in terrible pain.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said a rubber band had been found tightly wrapped around one of his legs. According to the group, the band had resulted in “poor circulation, pain and an infection” and the leg may have to be amputated. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Livonia, New York: TheLCN.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. Two people were exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Franklin Township, Pennsylvania: TNOnline.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Greenwood, California: MTDemocrat.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where testing revealed that the animal had died of rabies. According to the report, “The family and veterinarian’s office consulted with Animal Services on any other actions needed regarding their potential exposure.”
July 2022/Town of Campbell, Wisconsin: Channel3000.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found injured on the side of a busy highway. Responding authorities took the animal to a humane society, where he or she died, likely from having been hit by a vehicle.
July 2022/Pocomoke City, Maryland: WBOC.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Ukiah, California: UkiahDailyJournal.com reported that authorities were investigating after a resident reported that a cat she’d allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found by residents in another area after he’d gone missing in March. According to the complaint, the resident said that while looking for the cat, “she found another of her cats in a trap in the back of a truck parked at her neighbor’s house.” She released the second cat from the trap and called authorities. Another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the same area had reportedly also gone missing in March. That animal had not been found.
July 2022/Port Orange, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that a man was “facing a charge of animal cruelty after police say he beat [an apparently homeless] cat with a baseball bat, threw the animal down an embankment, and then beat [the cat] to death when the animal was crying.” Witnesses had called authorities. No additional information was available.
July 2022/Pueblo, Colorado: Chieftain.com reported that a homeless cat had sustained injuries after struggling for approximately 36 hours to escape from a swamp cooler in which he’d become trapped. The animal had a tipped ear, indicating that he’d been sterilized and abandoned before he was injured. He was taken to an animal adoption group for medical treatment and was then abandoned again.
July 2022/Floyd, Virginia: SWVAToday.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a dart protruding from his side. Residents who had been feeding him called an animal adoption group, which captured him and transported him to a veterinary hospital. A veterinarian treating the cat reportedly “said the dart perforated seven areas of [his] intestines and almost completely passed through his abdomen.” An abscess was also found around one of his kidneys, and he required two types of antibiotics. He was expected to undergo weeks of treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2022/Smyrna, Delaware: News.Delaware.gov reported that a homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Two people were exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Northampton Township, Pennsylvania: Bucks.CrimewatchPA.com reported that authorities had received a call from a resident who complained that a neighbor’s unvaccinated cat had entered the caller’s yard. When the caller’s dogs attacked the cat, the cat’s owner entered the yard and was able to get the cat away from the dogs. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital before being pronounced dead. The cat’s owner required medical care for a bite sustained during the incident, and one of the dogs required medical care for a laceration. Because the cat was unvaccinated, the dogs had to be quarantined.
June 2022/West Haven, Connecticut: Patch.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured and was taken to an animal shelter. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Chesterfield, Indiana: HeraldBulletin.com reported that a spokesperson for a group that had been sterilizing and reabandoning homeless cats at a mobile home park said that 11 of the cats who were captured had died from the highly contagious panleukopenia virus, also called feline distemper. Another spokesperson reportedly said, “[R]esidents are frightened of the cats because of their disturbing health conditions. One cat … trapped had a large hole in … [the] neck.”
June 2022/Niagara, New York: LockportJournal.com reported that a homeless cat who was being housed in a resident’s garage had sustained injuries, possibly during an attack by a rabid raccoon who was found there. According to the report, “As the cat was not fully vaccinated, the homeowner opted for humane euthanasia in lieu of an extended 6-month quarantine.”
June 2022/Charleston, South Carolina: CountOn2.com reported that a homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, “Confirmed exposures include one person and ‘an unknown number of feral cats within the colony.’” No additional information was available.
June 2022/Port St. Lucie, Florida: Newsweek.com reported that a homeless cat who was near death had been found hiding under a garbage receptacle. A good Samaritan found the animal, who was later named Phoenix, covered with maggots and fleas and with a badly injured paw, infected ears, and a necrotic tail. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition. The veterinarian who treated him also “found bruises and abrasions on Phoenix’s legs while some bone was even exposed.” It was also determined that he was suffering from “a compromised immune system.” He was expected to undergo weeks of treatment.
June 2022/Chandler, Arizona: 12News.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found treading water in a 20-foot-deep storm drain. Authorities were called and “were able to open the drain bolts with a special hyaluronic tool.” The “severely hypothermic and exhausted” kitten was taken to an animal adoption group’s veterinary clinic, where he was found also to have sustained “bleeding and torn nails.” He was receiving treatment.
June 2022/Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania: RepublicanHerald.com reported that two homeless kittens who had been fed by a volunteer with a group doing business as Save the Strays Schuylkill (which traps, neuters, and reabandons cats) had died and that one of them had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, the volunteer had taken the kittens into her garage, where one of them bit her. The animal was later found dead and tested positive for rabies. The second kitten was then also found dead. The volunteer reportedly said she would no longer trap and abandon cats because “she is worried about others in her community, particularly children, coming into contact with rabid animals and contracting the disease.” She was receiving post-exposure rabies treatment.
June 2022/Spokane, Washington: FOX28Spokane.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found bleeding and unable to stand. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot and a bullet remained lodged in his body, paralyzing him. It wasn’t known if he would survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2022/Gilbert, South Carolina: WestMetroNews.net reported that authorities had arrested a man and charged him with ill treatment of animals after they received a report that he had killed an apparently homeless cat and hung the animal’s body from a tree. Upon investigation, authorities reportedly found the cat’s body as well as two more “dead cats with nooses around their necks” in the area. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Hawkins County, Tennessee: TheRogersvilleReview.com reported that a resident who had been feeding homeless cats on her property went outside one day “to find most of the stray cats that she’d been feeding for the past year missing – with one horrible exception. There was a kitten on her porch … [who] had been mutilated.” The kitten was found “sitting and crying on the ramp that leads to her front porch with one front leg severed and the other front leg nearly cut off.” Authorities were called, and the kitten was taken to an animal adoption group, where he was admitted in critical condition. WATE.com reported that a spokesperson for the group said the kitten “was suffering from a severe infection at his leg joint, fly egg infestation and dehydration alongside several cuts around his right shoulder. ‘The one leg was cut completely off …. And [on] the other leg the ball of the humerus and part of the shoulder blade are gone.’” Anyone with information about what may have happened was asked to contact authorities, but no suspects were identified.
June 2022/Tampa, Florida: TampaDispatch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
June 2022/South Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania: CBSNews.com reported that a homeless cat had been found badly injured. Authorities were called and transported the animal to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she had a bullet lodged in her head and had recently had kittens. She had to be euthanized because of the severity of her injuries. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Mantua Township, New Jersey: Patch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. One person was exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada: Military.com reported that housing maintenance workers had found four apparently homeless cats “cut in half” on the base. In an e-mail sent to residents, a base commander said, “The only parts found have been the lower portion and the cuts have been clean indicating it is not a natural attack by a coyote or any other predator.” Anyone with information about what happened to the animals was asked to contact security forces. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Manchester, New Jersey: APP.com reported that a homeless cat had “attacked several people” before being found dead near a resident’s home and testing positive for rabies. Authorities advised anyone who may have been exposed to the cat to seek medical attention. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Southampton County, Virginia: WTKR.com reported that a homeless cat had attacked three farmworkers. The animal died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Ellery, New York: WGRZ.com reported that “at the end of a late-night shift,” a state conservation officer had found a homeless kitten, whose head had become “stuck inside a plastic fast-food drink cup,” in the middle of a road. The kitten reportedly couldn’t “lift [his or her] head off the ground or pull [his or her] head out of the lid.” The officer was able to cut the lid off the kitten’s head, and a home was reportedly found for the animal.
June 2022/Norwalk, Connecticut: Bronx.News12.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been “found with a fractured and dislocated femur, likely from being thrown or manhandled by his leg.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where he reportedly underwent “a procedure” and was resting. The group apparently didn’t have the funds for needed veterinary treatment and was asking for donations. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Bethel Park, Pennsylvania: CBSNews.com reported that two apparently homeless kittens had been found dead on a road. According to the report, authorities were “looking for a suspect” and evidently believed it could be a case of intentional cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
June 2022/Harris County, Texas: Click2Houston.com reported that residents in a neighborhood said that at least four cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked, three of them fatally, by two dogs who were also roaming unsupervised. One resident witnessed an attack after hearing a neighbor’s cat screaming. Another neighbor went outside after hearing an animal growling and saw a cat described as “an outdoor cat” being mauled by the dogs. “One of them had the head of the cat and the other one had the tail and they were literally trying to rip this cat apart,” she said. According to the report, “Video from other neighbors shows other attacks, each taking place over the past few weeks.” Authorities were notified.
June 2022/Town ’n’ Country, Florida: WFLA.com reported that since April 2021, five cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in a mobile home park. According to the report, “[T]hree cats died from gunshot wounds and two others were seriously injured.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2022/Weston, Florida: Local10.com reported that “several” cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and cut in half. Authorities reportedly believed that the injuries were “not consistent with that of animal bites/attacks and appeared to be intentional.” They were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2022/Honolulu, Hawaii: KITV.com reported that a group that has been sterilizing and reabandoning homeless cats on a military base said that recently, two mutilated cats were found near a fast-food restaurant on base. The animals were reportedly “found to have a slit down their stomach with their intestines and organs spilling out. One cat was also treated … [for] blow dart injuries, and several reports have been made about cats being shot at with blow darts.” A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that “multiple cats” were roaming with blow darts embedded in their bodies. “We have only captured one of the injured cats, while others are still on base suffering with these blow darts in them, including at least one cat with a blow dart in [his or her] head,” she said. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2022/Ardmore, Oklahoma: KXII.com reported that authorities had received a report about a man chasing cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision on a resident’s property. Responding officers arrested the man after he was found on the property with a backpack that contained one dead and one live cat. According to the article, a police report “states that the cats didn’t have access to food or water, and were likely crushed by other things in the bag.” A spokesperson for the police department said, “[T]hey’ve been balancing calls in that neighborhood from people who do and don’t like the cats.” The man was reportedly “facing two felony counts of animal cruelty, several drug charges, and a trespassing charge.”
June 2022/Birmingham, Alabama: WBRC.com reported that “at least a dozen” cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had been attacked and killed by a pack of dogs who were homeless or allowed to roam. A resident said that one of the neighbors had witnessed an attack “and chased the dogs away but it was too late.” Another resident reportedly posted on a neighborhood internet site that she had “witnessed her neighbor’s cat [being] killed before going on a walk where she saw 14 other dead cats.” Authorities were reportedly notified.
May 2022/Krum, Texas: Patch.com reported that a homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Henrico County, Virginia: WRIC.com reported that a homeless cat had been found injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray revealed that he’d been shot and that a bullet had become lodged in his throat. He was reportedly scheduled to undergo surgery in an attempt to remove the projectile. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2022/Amarillo, Texas: NewsChannel10.com reported that “several” cats who were apparently homeless had been shot with a pellet gun in an area where there were “many” homeless cats. According to the report, “Officials said over the past month, a local veterinarian confirmed through x-ray that several cats have been shot with a pellet gun.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
May 2022/St. Simons Island, Georgia: TheBrunswickNews.com reported that a homeless cat had chased a dog and then cornered a painter in a work truck for an hour before the animal was beaten to death by another worker in the area with “a nearby child’s T-ball bat.” Authorities sent the animal’s body for testing, which revealed that he or she had been rabid. The man who killed the cat reportedly received post-exposure rabies treatment.
May 2022/Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore.CBSLocal.com reported that after the cries of an apparently homeless cat had been heard coming from inside a vehicle engine, authorities were called and worked for more than an hour to free him from the engine’s compartment. Once freed, it was found that he’d sustained “burns covering his underside and ulcerations on all four paw pads, staff said. His skin was peeling and his fur was covered in soot; he even had soot in his mouth.” He was taken to an animal shelter for treatment.
May 2022/Marshall, New York: RomeSentinel.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. One person was exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
May 2022/North Charleston, South Carolina: FOX6Now.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 an animal shelter, where veterinarians reportedly “said radiographs showed multiple pellets embedded in the cat’s skin and body. It also appeared one pellet struck [the] cat’s spine, causing severe mobility issues. Veterinarians believe the cat has a poor prognosis because of the extent of the injuries.” A puppy had also been found in the area “with a gunshot wound to his paw.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2022/Boston, Massachusetts: WCVB.com reported that a homeless cat had been found in shock and unable to walk. She was taken to an animal shelter, where a spokesperson said that “she has a pelvic fracture that also created a destabilization of the hip joint and will require surgery.” According to the report, “The surgery, known as a femoral head ostectomy, was expected to cost up to $4,500.” She was expected to survive. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Pleasantville, New Jersey: BreakingAC.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a wound. Two local residents were allegedly “caring for” the animal when he or she started to exhibit neurological symptoms. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. The residents were advised to seek post-exposure rabies treatment. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Fremont, California: KRON4.com reported that authorities had found the body of an apparently homeless cat who had been killed after responding to “reports of a cat being slammed into the ground.” After interviewing witnesses, they identified a suspect who was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Muscatine, Iowa: MuscatineJournal.com reported that a cat who was apparently allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found lying in a road, evidently unable to move. A driver who saw “the cat move [his] tail a bit while trying to lift [his] head” stopped and took him to a veterinary hospital. She said the animal had blood coming out of his mouth. A veterinarian reported that the cat had an injured jaw but was eating and drinking. An owner was reportedly identified and picked up the cat. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Jackson County, Mississippi: SunHerald.com reported that a man had pleaded guilty on two counts of cruelty to animals for allegedly “luring two of his neighbor’s cats into a baited trap and then dumping the cats.” According to the report, the suspect had admitted to the cats’ owner in 2020 that he had abandoned one of the cats at a “boat launch.” The cats were apparently never found.
May 2022/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: PhiladelphiaWeekly.com reported that a homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Las Vegas, Nevada: News3LV.com reported that a homeless kitten had been rescued from a dumpster that had caught fire. She was taken to an animal shelter, where a spokesperson said, “[H]er fur and whiskers are singed, her paws are burnt, and she may need foot bandages.” She was reportedly “currently in an incubator to warm her up and is on medication to help with the pain.” No additional information was available.
May 2022/Rock Island, Illinois: OurQuadCities.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found by his owner “in a ravine about 40 yards from his house—killed, gutted and skinned.” According to the cat’s owner, authorities believed that the mutilations had been intentionally caused by a human and were investigating. No suspects were identified.
May 2022/Advance, North Carolina: OurDavie.com reported that a homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
May 2022/Atmore, Alabama: KDRV.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with arrows. One of the cats was found after he’d been missing for some time. “I heard his meowing, and by the time I got over to where he was, he came through the gate, and he had an arrow through his forehead and coming out the back of his head,” the owner said. “It was severely infected. I don’t know where he had been all of this time.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died. The cat’s owner said a neighbor’s cat had also been shot with an arrow and died. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2022/Lawrenceville, Georgia: AJC.com reported that a homeless cat had attacked two people in the downtown area. The animal was captured and apparently euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
April 2022/Lampasas County, Texas: FOX44News.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
April 2022/Lansing, Michigan: LansingCityPulse.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a resident had been found limping. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot, resulting in a badly fractured leg. He underwent surgery and was expected to survive. The person who fed the cat said that she planned to file a report with authorities, but no suspects were identified.
April 2022/Walters, Oklahoma: KSWO.com reported that a man was facing a cruelty-to-animals charge after he allegedly “killed a mother cat and several kittens by poisoning them with rat poison that was mixed in with cat food” the previous summer. The animals reportedly belonged to a neighbor, who contacted authorities after they died. According to the report, “The cat food was confiscated, and later tested positive for Brodifacoum, a commonly used pesticide.”
April 2022/Jefferson County, Missouri: MyLeaderPaper.com reported that a firefighter had climbed into a sewer pipe to rescue a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and had become trapped there. According to the report, it appeared that the cat had “entered the pipe to hide after being attacked by another animal.” The cat was taken to an animal shelter, where it was determined that he or she was in such bad shape that the animal had to be euthanized.
April 2022/Keizer, Oregon: KPTV.com reported that after authorities received a call from a resident reporting that he’d seen a cat with an arrow through the body, a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, had been found unable to walk with “an entry and exit wound on his belly.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d sustained “bad nerve damage,” apparently from an arrow. His owner said she later “found the arrow under a boat trailer in her backyard” and believed that the cat had removed it himself. No suspects were identified.
April 2022/Power County, Idaho: KPVI.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found hanging from the owner’s fence “dead and split in two.” The cat’s owner reportedly said that “when he first bought the property about a year and a half ago, there was a cat’s decomposed body in the house with the head cut off, as well as another cat found dead out by their fence line.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2022/Lebanon, Kentucky: WAVE3.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found with an arrow through his body. He was taken to an animal shelter, which transferred him to an animal adoption group, where he received medical care and was expected to survive. Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to contact authorities, but no suspects were identified.
April 2022/Hall County, Georgia: GainesvilleTimes.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Two dogs were exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
April 2022/Saint Martinville, Louisiana: KLFY.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead floating in a lake. According to a spokesperson for an animal adoption group, “[S]omeone had shot the cat in the head and attempted to sink [the body] into the lake by tying a brick around it.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2022/Saint Lawrence, Pennsylvania: News.Yahoo.com reported that a homeless cat had attacked a man before the animal was captured and euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Authorities were trying to capture another cat in the area who had been seen “exhibiting potential rabies symptoms.” A spokesperson for an animal adoption group working with the health department reportedly said that residents in the area had advised that the rabid cat had been “part of a significantly-sized cat colony in the area.” The group was working to capture cats for examination. According to the spokesperson, “If the cat shows puncture wounds, by Department of Health directions, the cat is euthanized.” Two captured cats had been euthanized at the time of the report. It was later reported that two cats had been found dead in the area and tested negative for rabies. According to the report, “[F]our others were euthanized for having wounds of unknown origins.”
April 2022/Yakima, Washington: NewsTalkKit.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found skinned and decapitated. No additional information was available.
April 2022/Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC.com reported that four homeless kittens had fallen into a drainpipe. Three of the animals died, and an animal adoption group was apparently called when the fourth one was heard crying from where “[s]he was stuck eight feet down.” After an hour of work, the kitten was pulled, unresponsive, out of the pipe and taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, including bringing her temperature “back up to normal,” according to the group. She was apparently expected to survive.
April 2022/Monroe, Louisiana: HannaPub.com reported that three cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a .22-caliber weapon. According to the animals’ owner, one cat was shot “and had to undergo immediate surgery to remove [his or her] front left leg.” A second cat “was shot in the neck, and fragments still remain lodged near [the animal’s] throat. A third cat was shot in the stomach and didn’t survive.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2022/Omaha, Nebraska: KETV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found injured. He was taken to an animal shelter, where it was discovered that he’d been shot and two bullets remained lodged in his leg, which had to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Lakeland, Florida: FOX13News.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. Video surveillance footage reportedly showed the cat near a gate to the owner’s property when “a single gunshot can be heard” and a “vehicle is seen speeding away.” According to the report, “Deputies said the cat was taken to a veterinarian with a spinal injury, adding that [his or her] injuries were severe, and [the animal] had to be euthanized.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Butler County, Ohio: FOX19.com reported that “two cats were shot and killed in a mobile home park, and two others were intentionally injured there.” A veterinarian reportedly said that one of the surviving cats “suffered a severe break on her left front leg that will require amputation.” Metal, likely from a bullet, had been found inside a wound on the leg, which was also swollen. A self-professed animal “rescue” had apparently been sterilizing and reabandoning homeless cats at the location. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Lacy Lakeview, Texas: FOX44News.com reported that authorities were investigating after “several” cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “found dead – with their heads stuffed into plastic bags or potato chip bags.” No additional information was available.
March 2022/Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: KHQ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found at the owner’s door, “meowing and limping” with “her face just full of blood.” One of her eyes was described by the owner as “half out, and black.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that she’d been shot and “a red, diamond-shaped pellet” remained lodged in her eye, which had to be surgically removed. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Jacksonville, Florida: News4JAX.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. One of the attacks was captured on video surveillance footage. Authorities were notified.
March 2022/Sullivan County, Tennessee: WJHL.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “with an apparent gunshot wound on her nose and right cheek.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that shrapnel was embedded in her face and she was bleeding heavily. She was in critical condition and had to be fed through a tube, “and veterinarians expect that it will take 4-6 months for a full recovery.” The cat was surrendered to a humane society because the owner apparently couldn’t afford the cost of needed care. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. WCYB.com reported that the cat had undergone emergency surgery “to remove her cheek bone and shrapnel.”
March 2022/New Middletown, Ohio: WKBN.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the leg, which had to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Nicholasville, Kentucky: FOXLexington.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for days before he was found shot to death “with a hunting dart lodged in his neck/chest area.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: PhillyVoice.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was in critical condition after two dogs who were being walked on leashes had allegedly been purposefully set upon him. The attack was captured on video surveillance footage, which allegedly showed the dog walkers drop their leashes and praise the dogs during the attack. The cat was taken to an animal shelter, where he was receiving medical care. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. Inquirer.com later reported that two juveniles had been identified as suspects and were “facing charges of felony animal fighting, felony aggravated animal cruelty, and a conspiracy charge,” according to authorities. The two dogs had also been seized in connection to the case. PhillyVoice.com later reported that the cat had been homeless, had been fed by a family in the neighborhood, and was being placed in a foster home to “continue to rehab.”
March 2022/South Fulton, Georgia: FOX5Atlanta.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found bleeding and injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot and a bullet remained lodged in his shoulder, where the wound had become infected. The animal’s owner also said it appeared that he’d been cut “and someone had tried to stitch him up.” He received initial treatment, and it was possible that the leg would need to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Glenview, Illinois: Patch.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals after allegedly drowning two cats. According to the report, the man admitted to police that he’d drowned the animals because of “issues he has with feral cats and cats in the neighborhood attacking his dog.” One of the cats belonged to a neighbor, who said that the man had threatened to kill the cat in November 2021, when he allegedly sent a text message in which “he described that they had to do something about this problem and get rid of the two cats because they were causing harm to his dog.” The dead cats were found in a trash can at the end of the suspect’s driveway. The owner of the second cat, if there was one, hadn’t been identified at the time of the report.
March 2022/York, Pennsylvania: FOX43.com reported that four cats who were part of a “colony” apparently fed at a cemetery had been found dead and another cat had been found “clinging to life.” The cat who survived was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, where it was confirmed that the animal had ingested poison. Reportedly, a nonprofit group that was trying to capture and remove an unspecified number of cats who remained at the location “discovered that rat poison as well as small, rusty nails were placed into the food dishes the cats had been eating from.” A police report was filed, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Atascosa County, Texas: News4SanAntonio.com reported that an unspecified number of homeless cats had been found shot with arrows and some had allegedly also been burned. The animals were reportedly “walking around with the arrow still imbedded in their heads and suffering. A criminal investigation is underway by local officials.” Authorities had reportedly been trying to capture the animals but had not been successful. No suspects were identified.
March 2022/Copperopolis, California: CalaverasEnterprise.com reported that authorities had arrested a man who allegedly shot to death a neighbor’s cat and shared video footage of the killing on social media. The cat’s owner said that the animal had been missing and that the suspect may have had the animal for “a day or two” before the killing.
March 2022/Dillon, South Carolina: WBTW.com reported that authorities were “investigating after two cats were found dead with bullet holes, and another appeared to have had acid poured” on the animal. The cats were reportedly fed behind a church, where a member reported finding a dead cat with a bullet hole near the spine. According to the report, “The man also reported that approximately two weeks prior, a cat was found, appearing to have had acid poured on [him or her]. According to the man, ‘the fur on the cat’s legs were gone and you could see the bone.’ The man also said the cat’s mouth was ‘messed up.’” A suspect had reportedly been identified. No additional information was available.
March 2022/Tacoma, Washington: TheSubTimes.com published a local humane society report about four extremely ill homeless kittens who had been found in an empty lot. They were taken to the facility by a good Samaritan and were found to be “suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection causing trouble breathing. Their eyes are painfully swollen, encrusted with blood, and they can hardly see because of the infection in their eyes. They are extremely malnourished and tiny for their age. … With the infection being so severe, the shelter’s veterinary team is monitoring the situation closely as eye removal surgeries may be needed to prevent further deadly infection.” The kittens were receiving care.
March 2022/Hillsborough County, Florida: WFLA.com reported that two apparently homeless cats had died or were euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Three people who had contact with the animals required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
March 2022/Royalton, New York: WKBW.com reported that a homeless cat who had been captured in a trap set on a resident’s property, apparently by a group that planned to sterilize and reabandon him, had been shot to death by the resident’s neighbor. According to a public post by authorities, the cat had been confined to a box trap when he was shot in the head with a .22-caliber weapon. Humane officers were allegedly told by the suspect that he shot the cat “so that the property owner did not have to pay the fee to have him neutered,” according to the post. He was charged with cruelty to animals. LockportJournal.com later reported that the trap that the cat had been captured in belonged to “Cat-by-Cat Inc., an organization that’s involved with Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release measures,” and that the property owner had allegedly told a representative of the group that she had asked the suspect to shoot the cat. She apparently made the request after one cat had been captured and removed by the group to be spayed. One remaining cat on the property was reportedly captured and removed after the shooting.
March 2022/Victoria, Texas: CrossroadsToday.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured with half of his face missing, possibly from a gunshot. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was being treated. According to a woman who was raising money for treatment, the animal was “in stable condition, his eye is healing, and the swelling has gone down. … [he was] finally eating and drinking on his own … [and] able to breathe through his mouth.” Photos of the cat were evidently too gruesome to show without being blurred. No additional information was available
March 2022/Tulsa, Oklahoma: A news anchor with NewsOn6.com posted on social media that a man had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals “after investigators say he admitted drowning 7 feral cats because they were killing doves in his yard.” According to the post, an affidavit stated that the suspect had “called and requested Animal Control to come remove 7 dead cats from his property.” The affidavit reportedly also stated that before killing the animals, the suspect “said he called Animal Control, the Tulsa Health Department, OK Wildlife Department, Street Cats and the Tulsa SPCA but no one would come pick up the wild cats. It says he decided to trap the cats in a live trap then drop the trap into a bucket of water. It says when the investigator went to the home, there were 4-5 trash bags on the curb with the dead cats inside and a vet confirmed it appeared they died from drowning.”
March 2022/Miami, Florida: MSN.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. According to the owner, “some fragments from the bullet … were left behind, but the bone basically shattered.” He believed the cat was shot with a pellet gun. She was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2022/Shifflet Corner, Virginia: DailyProgress.com reported that after a homeless cat tested positive for rabies in the community (see the January 2022/Shifflet Corner, Virginia, entry below for details), 20 to 30 more homeless cats had been captured and euthanized to prevent the spread of the virus. Authorities had also received calls about two sick cats who were reportedly found “foaming at the mouth” and who were captured and euthanized before testing negative for rabies. Approximately 10 cats were under a four-month quarantine in an outdoor enclosure built by a group that had been feeding them.
March 2022/Asheville, North Carolina: FOXCarolina.com reported that an emaciated, sick homeless cat had been found with a litter of newborn kittens. They were taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson reportedly said that they “were in the worst condition.” The mother was reportedly “weak and very dehydrated. One of her kittens appeared pretty healthy, but the others were about half the size they should have been,” according to the spokesperson. All but one of the kittens died. The mother and one kitten were expected to survive.
March 2022/Roanoke, Virginia: WFXRTV.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an injured leg 20 to 25 feet high on a utility pole. Authorities were called and rescued the animal. No additional information was available.
March 2022/Toledo, Ohio: 13ABC.com reported that a homeless cat had been found the previous year “with serious injuries after being hit by a car” and suffering from “a severe upper respiratory infection, he was anemic, he had broken teeth and a fractured front leg.” He was taken to an adoption group for treatment, including the amputation of a leg, and was adopted, “but a few weeks later he stopped walking.” He was returned to the group and was undergoing additional tests and treatment, including “walking on an underwater treadmill, laser therapy and acupuncture.”
March 2022/Fauquier County, Virginia: Star-Exponent.com reported that a homeless cat died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, “The health department has contacted identified individuals who may have had contact with the feral cat and assessed individual needs for post-exposure rabies shots.” No additional information was available.
March 2022/Richmond, Virginia: NBC12.com reported that a resident had found a homeless kitten who was apparently ill or injured along a road. He or she was taken to a public animal shelter, where the animal died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Twelve people were potentially exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
February 2022/Los Lunas, New Mexico: KRQE.com reported that a man was facing charges after surveillance footage showed him “swearing at” a homeless cat, who had been fed by a neighbor, when he found the animal in the engine compartment of his truck. According to the report, “Investigators say he started the truck and intentionally revved the engine before you can see the cat limping away. Animal control arrived and found the cat dragging [his or her] back legs. The neighbor says the cat was euthanized.” No additional information was available.
February 2022/Winslow Township, New Jersey: CamdenCounty.com reported that a homeless cat had been found “wounded.” A resident confined the animal to a carrier and called authorities, who transported him or her to a veterinary hospital. According to the report, the animal “developed symptoms consistent with rabies days later” and was euthanized before testing positive for the virus. There were reportedly several human exposures. No additional information was available.
February 2022/West Palm Beach, Florida: CBS12.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home injured after he was shot with a BB gun. He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and survived. The cat’s owner said that recently “another cat came crawling up to his front porch with the same exact wound.” No additional information was available.
February 2022/Milford Township, Pennsylvania: SauconSource.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a BB gun. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
February 2022/Santa Rosa, California: PressDemocrat.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. According to the owners of one of the cats, the dogs pushed through a gate and attacked the cat in the owners’ backyard. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he died. According to the owners of the second cat, the dogs chased the animal from the driveway into the backyard, where they “pretty much tore him apart.” The dogs were captured by a neighbor and taken to the animal services department.
February 2022/Bristol, Indiana: WNDU.com reported that a homeless cat had been found by animal control officers “covered in fleas and severely injured.” He was taken to an animal shelter, where X-rays reportedly showed that his “leg was shattered from BB pellets, and he had pellets in his chest.” He required surgery, including to amputate the leg. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2022/North Huntingdon Township, Pennsylvania: WTAE.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a deep wound caused by zip ties that had been fastened around his chest. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a veterinarian reportedly said that the ties “were not super tight, but that actually allowed the movement to basically saw through the soft tissue.” Surgery was required to remove the ties and treat the wound. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2022/Clarkston, Georgia: FOX5Atlanta.com reported that a homeless cat had been found dragging his legs and “wailing in pain” by a resident who “takes care of ferals and strays in his neighborhood.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot and bullet fragments remained lodged in his spinal column, which was fractured. The animal was permanently paralyzed. The resident planned to file a report with authorities, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
February 2022/Hillsboro, Ohio: FOX19.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found partially frozen to the ground. He was severely dehydrated and semi-comatose and had a bullet wound on the top of his head. He was taken to an animal hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot three times and shrapnel had been left “all along the path where the bullet had traced through there,” according to a veterinarian. According to the report, the veterinarian “says two of the wounds looked old because tissue formed around them but there was a fresh wound on the top of [the cat’s] head that was bleeding.” The veterinarian said surgery was not possible because removing the bullets would likely cause more damage. The cat was being treated. No additional information was available.
February 2022/Orange County, Florida: ClickOrlando.com reported that two juveniles and an 18-year-old had set three pit bulls on a cat, who was apparently homeless. A witness reportedly videotaped the attack and shared the footage with authorities. According to the report, “Deputies reported ‘the dogs were encouraged to inflict excessive and repeated injuries to the cat.’ An animal services officer said the likelihood of the cat dying ‘was very high due to [the] major injuries,’ according to the affidavit.” The three suspects were later found, and the 18-year-old allegedly had “blood and fur on his pants and deputies saw a ‘large amount of blood’ on one of the pit bulls.” The suspects were facing charges of cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
February 2022/Winter Park, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that at least six homeless cats had died in a neighborhood. A cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had also become ill and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that “her kidneys were completely destroyed by some substance that we don’t know yet,” according to the owner. While the news outlet was in the neighborhood to report on the story, an animal services worker was reportedly seen picking up another sick cat in the area. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2022/Galax, Virginia: WSLS.com reported that a 6-month-old kitten had been found frozen inside a drain pipe by a resident. Authorities were called and found the animal “pinned against metal and it was pinned against plastic. I noticed that the metal part of tubing was razor-sharp at the bottom and the kitten’s head was stuck in between it.” A hair dryer was used to thaw the area, and the kitten was extricated. A responding officer said the kitten “really wanted help” and “was beginning to deteriorate. [The animal] was tired [and] wet, and the water from the tubing continued to drip on [his or her] head and that water was very cold.” When the animal was finally removed from the pipe, he or she was “cold, limp and frozen.” The kitten was transported to an animal hospital for treatment.
January 2022/Shifflet Corner, Virginia: StarExponent.com reported that a homeless cat had been found dead at a resident’s property. The animal’s remains tested positive for rabies. According to the report, “The local health department has contacted all identified people who may have had contact with the feral cat and has assessed individual needs for rabies post-exposure shots.” No additional information was available.
January 2022/New Orleans, Louisiana: NOLA.com reported that groups that sterilized and reabandoned homeless cats in the area had revealed that at least four cats had been found shot recently. One cat described as an “indoor-outdoor” cat was found limping and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray showed that “[t]he top of his humerus bone was shattered, and there was a bullet,” according to the owner. The leg had to be amputated. Another cat had been found “wounded by ‘three metal projectiles … one in the caudal stifle area of the right hind leg, one in the 11th rib of the left thorax and one near the spine on the left side,’ according to an SPCA report. … After [the cat] was released from the SPCA, [he or she] disappeared.” A third cat was found by another group after it received “a call about an injured cat dragging [his] legs. ‘He was not hit with a BB gun. He was shot with a gun,’ [a spokesperson for the group] said. ‘It was a .22, very clearly a bullet.’ The bullet was lodged near the spine … and because of the extent of his injuries, he was euthanized. [The animal] had been part of a colony cared for by volunteers.” Another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the area had returned home so badly injured from a gunshot wound that he had to be euthanized. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2022/Vallonia, Indiana: TribTown.com reported that two men had been “arrested in connection with an animal cruelty case involving the death of more than 20 cats.” The men reportedly told authorities that they had trapped cats who wandered onto their property and shot them in the head with a 9-millimeter handgun. The animals’ bodies were then buried on the property. A neighbor alleged that all or some of the cats belonged to her and shared with authorities a recording in which the men allegedly told her, “Hey, your cats are dead,” which resulted in the investigation that led to the arrests.
January 2022/Ridgeland, Mississippi: OnlineMadison.com reported that a man had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after he allegedly fatally shot two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. One of the animals was reportedly found dead on a neighbor’s doorstep. The remains were “examined and determined to have been shot with a pellet rifle,” according to a police spokesperson. A second cat was also found dead with apparent pellet gun injuries. No additional information was available.
January 2022/Moore Haven, Florida: NBC-2.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
January 2022/Fort Dick, California: WildRivers.LostCoastOutpost.com reported that at least nine cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had been attacked and killed by dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Eight additional cats in the area were missing. Authorities were attempting to capture the dogs.
January 2022/Poplarville, Mississippi: WLOX.com reported that authorities were investigating after “several cats” had been shot with blowgun darts. They shared a photo of one of the cats, who had been struck in the middle of the forehead with one of the 4-to-5-inch-long projectiles but reportedly survived. No additional information was available.
January 2022/San Angelo, Texas: SanAngeloLive.com reported that authorities had arrested a woman on a cruelty-to-animals charge after she allegedly admitted to shooting a homeless cat who had been fed by a neighbor. According to the report, deputies responding to a call found the cat with “an apparent gunshot wound to the right side of [her] belly that was swollen and surrounded by blood.” The suspect reportedly “stated she shot the cat with a .22 rifle because the cats were tearing up her trash. [The suspect] said the cat she shot was in the alley heading towards her property.” No additional information was available about the cat’s condition.
January 2022/Montgomery County, Texas: HoustonChronicle.com reported that authorities had charged a man with cruelty to animals after he allegedly admitted to shooting five cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, one of the cats was found dead in a creek. A second cat was found on his owner’s porch “with his face severely wounded by a gunshot. ‘His jaw was completely blown away,’” the owner said. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he had to be euthanized. A third cat was found bleeding from the head and was taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray reportedly found a pellet lodged in the animal’s head, which caused blindness in one eye and resulted in “difficulty eating.” Two other cats were injured but survived. Other residents in the neighborhood reportedly said that they had cats go missing. No additional information was available.
January 2022/Lincoln, North Dakota: KFYRTV.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found “frozen on the road.” She was taken to an animal adoption group, where her temperature was found to be so low that it didn’t register on a thermometer. She was transferred to a veterinary hospital for treatment. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that it had already had “a few” cases this year in which animals had been found freezing on roads.
January 2022/Yorktown, Virginia: 13NewsNow.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
January 2022/Candler, North Carolina: WLOS.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with a gunshot wound to the leg. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where “[a]n X-ray of the cat’s leg showed the shot was likely from a high-powered pellet gun.” No additional information was available.
January 2022/Pittsylvania County, Virginia: GoDanRiver.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found “hobbling around” outside a resident’s door. He reportedly “tried to enter [her] home whenever she opened the door.” The homeowner called area veterinary hospitals but was told that if she took him to one of them, she’d be responsible for the bill. She said, “The injuries were more than I could afford.” Money was raised for treatment, and the cat was kept inside until the next day, when he was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that “his front left leg and jaw were broken.” He received treatment.
December 2021/Pageland, South Carolina: SCDHEC.gov reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, “Two people were exposed and have been referred to their healthcare providers. Seven feral cats were exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act.” No additional information was available.
December 2021/Valley Center, Kansas: KSN.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot “by a saboted pellet that came from an air rifle,” according to authorities. The pellet, which could not be removed, was reportedly lodged in his chest. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Carroll Valley, Pennsylvania: PennLive.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured at his owner’s back door with an arrow sticking out of his abdomen. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he had to be euthanized. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Winslow, Maine: WABI.TV reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home bleeding heavily and with a leg described as “mangled.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the leg had to be amputated. Her owners reportedly believed that she had gotten “caught in something and hurt herself trying to get out.” She was expected to survive.
December 2021/Jackson Township, Pennsylvania: NorthCentralPA.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in a front leg. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the leg had to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Liberty, North Carolina: TheTimesNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, “Two humans were exposed to the animal and referred for treatment, while several other cats in a feral community were also exposed. Some of those cats have been vaccinated or quarantined, while others may need to be euthanized, the Health Department said. ‘Because this is a large feral community and not all animals have been identified, it is recommended that any outside animals be checked and monitored for bite wounds, and receive a rabies booster vaccination if previously vaccinated or if exposure to the cat is in question,’ the Health Department said in a release.”
December 2021/Norwood, Ohio: Local12.com reported that a cat described as “a neighborhood cat” had been seen dragging her leg, which had a steel-jaw leg-hold trap clamped onto it. Attempts to capture her failed for “about a month,” likely because she had previously been trapped, sterilized, and reabandoned. When she was finally captured, she was evidently taken to a veterinary hospital, where the leg had to be amputated. No additional information was available.
December 2021/Fort Dick, California: WildRivers.LostcoastOutpost.com reported that authorities had been notified after residents said that at least five cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by three dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised.
December 2021/Dallas, Texas: DFW.CBSLocal.com reported that authorities were investigating after a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. According to the report, the animal “suffered serious injuries and later died from them.” No suspects were identified.
December 2021/Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania: FOX43.com reported that a cat described as a “barn cat” had attacked four people before dying or being euthanized and then testing positive for rabies. According to the report, “The Department of Health says that because there are nearby farms with around 12 cats roaming between them, other unvaccinated cats may have been exposed to the rabid cat.” The four people who were attacked were receiving post-exposure treatment. CumberLink.com reported that three dogs may also have been exposed to the virus.
December 2021/Upper Southampton Township, Pennsylvania: Patch.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/New Orleans, Louisiana: FOX8Live.com reported that people who were feeding cats near a city park had found three of them dead. Tests on the animals’ remains reportedly “found that two died of injuries from air gun pellets. They also had traces of antifreeze in their systems.” According to the report, a couple who claimed to “[help] spay and neuter cats” in a nearby neighborhood said that “someone may have taken as many as 15 elderly cats from their neighborhood.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Pace, Florida: WEARTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead after he was apparently attacked by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. The cat’s owner said, “I found his body in the side yard, chewed up.” A companion pig was also attacked by the dog, and her ear was torn off. Authorities were investigating.
December 2021/Glen Burnie, Maryland: FOXBaltimore.com reported that a state trooper conducting a traffic stop had found an injured homeless kitten on the side of an interstate highway. The kitten was taken to an animal hospital. No additional information was available.
December 2021/New Galilee, Pennsylvania: EllwoodCityLedger.com reported that authorities had charged a man with cruelty to animals after a video was shared on social media allegedly showing him in his truck running over four homeless cats. According to the report, a police affidavit stated that the accused “can be seen in the video slowly entering the roadway where a group of four cats was sitting. Once he saw the animals, the exhaust fumes from his truck can be seen as he quickly accelerates. [The accused] then swerved onto the wrong side of the road to crush the cats under his tires. One of the cats was visibly crushed underneath the right front passenger tire of the truck, but ran away with the rest of the group after being injured.” No additional information was available.
December 2021/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com reported that authorities were investigating “after several cats were found dead in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods.” One resident found a cat dead in a bag on the street. According to the report, “Pittsburgh police said they were made aware that a number of cats were found dead and possibly tortured. A humane officer said the cat in the bag was one of at least four cats found dead possibly in the Bloomfield and Friendship neighborhoods. Investigators are looking into information from witnesses that another cat may have been beaten and two cats were possibly struck by vehicles.”
December 2021/Phoenix, Arizona: KTAR.com reported that a homeless kitten had been trapped in a storm drain for at least a week. Authorities were called and were able to capture the animal in a trap. “When animal medical technicians evaluated the kitten they determined he was underweight with fleas” and believed that he would require weeks of recovery, said the report.
December 2021/Burton, South Carolina: ABCNews4.com reported that in response to a call for assistance, authorities had set a box trap and left it unattended in efforts to capture a homeless cat. When they returned the next day, the trap was found “submerged in a pond on the property, with the stray cat dead inside. It was later confirmed the cat died of drowning.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 6ABC.com reported that two homeless cats who were apparently part of a group of cats fed at a pier had been found shot to death. An animal adoption group reported that “the cats were found just next door to another feral cat colony that was the scene of several arsons in 2017.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Valdese, North Carolina: Morganton.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for two days before he was found on his owner’s porch “in shock, with his back leg limp behind him.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot and that his “hind end was riddled with buck shot.” He died from the injuries. Authorities reportedly “conducted a full investigation,” but no suspects were identified.
December 2021/Norfolk, Virginia: WTKR.com reported that three cats who had evidently been sterilized and abandoned and were described as “part of a feral colony that lives in the area” had been found with severe burns. One was receiving veterinary care. It wasn’t reported whether the other two had survived. According to the report, “A vet with Dog & Cat Hospital in Norfolk told News 3 they believe the burns were malicious.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Lynchburg, Virginia: WSET.com reported that a sick, homeless kitten had been found “clinging to life” on the side of a road. A passerby took the kitten to an animal adoption group, where she was reportedly “warmed up, given fluids and fed through a syringe” before being transferred to an emergency animal hospital. It was not clear whether she would survive. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Lehigh Acres, Florida: FOX4Now.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The owner of the cats said that one of the attacks was captured on video from a doorbell camera. He said that he chased the dogs off and returned to one of the cats, who was badly injured but still breathing, and that he “had to put him down because it was too bad.” Authorities were reportedly notified. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Colbert, Georgia: OnlineAthens.com reported that a woman who claimed “that she and her husband have rescued several different types of animals” had been attacked by a homeless cat. She said that the cat had been attacked by another animal and that she was “trying to nurse [the animal] back to health” when “the cat attacked her, biting her on the hand and leaving puncture wounds,” according to authorities. The cat died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies, and the woman was advised to seek medical attention.
November 2021/Summerville, South Carolina: CountOn2.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found ill or injured. The animal died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to authorities, four people may have been exposed to the virus and were “referred to their own doctors for evaluation. They also said that a feral cat colony was observed in the area and potentially exposed.” An investigation was ongoing.
November 2021/Bellaire, Texas: Click2Houston.com reported that five homeless cats who were fed in a neighborhood had been found dead or dying in a period of two weeks. According to the report, neighbors said that two of the sick cats were taken to a veterinary hospital “to be euthanized because … the cats were suffering.” They said that a veterinarian told them that the animals died of poisoning. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Washington County, Oregon: KPTV.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with his head caught in the drainage hole at the bottom of a dumpster. A good Samaritan noticed the animal and tried to release his head but was unsuccessful. Authorities were called, and the workers who responded used soap to free the kitten, who was taken to an animal shelter for care.
November 2021/Tampa, Florida: WFLA.com reported that an animal adoption group had posted on social media that a child had found an apparently homeless kitten with what appeared to be “severe burns” believed to have been caused by a car engine, a common place for cats to seek safety and warmth. The kitten was taken to the group and was receiving care.
November 2021/Greeneville, Tennessee: GreenevilleSun.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident who said that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “shot in the left front leg. The same cat had been shot earlier this year and lost his back left leg.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital after the recent incident, where a bullet was removed from the leg and a veterinarian was hoping “to save his leg since he will have no legs on one side of his body,” a sheriff’s deputy said in a report. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2021/Prattville, Alabama: WSFA.com reported that a homeless cat who had been “captured in a mobile home park” died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. One person reportedly required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Colorado Springs, Colorado: KKTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “stuck on a roof for about three days.” Authorities were called and were able to rescue the animal, who was described as “lethargic and terrified.” He was taken to an animal shelter and claimed by his owners.
November 2021/Central Square, New York: WIBX950.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been seen roaming with a badly injured, degloved tail. A good Samaritan was able to capture the cat in a box trap and transported him or her to an animal hospital for care. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Fall River, Massachusetts: FallRiverReporter.com printed a letter to the editor that included a photo of and described a sick, apparently homeless cat whom the writer had found huddled in a street gutter on a freezing-cold day. The writer called authorities, and an animal control officer reportedly responded. The officer reportedly said that she could “immediately tell by the smell that this cat has ruptured mammaries apparently from cancer.” The animal was evidently taken to an animal shelter, but no additional information was available.
November 2021/Groveland, New York: GeneseeSun.com reported that a homeless cat had bitten two people before she died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. According to the report, the cat was “known to have delivered a litter of kittens recently,” but the kittens hadn’t been seen in several days and were believed to have died. Both of the people who were bitten had to receive post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Niceville, Florida: WKRG.com reported that a homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Edgewater, Florida: MyNews13.com reported that a homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Tallahassee, Florida: Tallahassee.com reported that a homeless cat had been found injured. He was taken to an animal shelter, where he underwent the surgical removal of one of his eyes. He was also expected to have permanent “limited vision in the other eye due to corneal scarring” and would later require additional surgery, according to the report. It continued, “His vision challenges require him to be an indoor only cat and his quirky way of moving is likely due to his mother’s exposure to a virus while he was in utero.” He was placed in a foster home.
November 2021/Nashville, Tennessee: FOX17.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found “scared and mangled in a drain.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where it was found that “[a]ll four of his paws [had] been nearly cut off,” according to a spokesperson. He was receiving treatment and had reportedly undergone “several initial procedures.” He was expected to undergo one or more surgeries. No additional information was available.
November 2021/Oshkosh, Wisconsin: FOX11Online.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found “wandering in a rural area” injured. He was taken to an animal adoption group, which transferred him to a veterinary hospital. According to a spokesperson for the group, “The cat’s lower jaw was essentially gone and the veterinarian said it looked as though the animal had been shot. X-rays later showed buckshot lodged throughout the cat’s body, indicating the cat had been a victim of animal cruelty more than once.” He reportedly required “surgery to remove the remaining bone fragments, dead tissue and skin” and was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2021/Altavista, Virginia: WSET.com reported that a homeless cat had been seen by residents for “several days” with a jar stuck on his head, preventing him from eating or drinking. He was finally captured and taken to a veterinary clinic, where the jar was cut off. He also underwent neutering surgery and was then abandoned outdoors.
November 2021/Niagara Falls, New York: WKBW.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “with a blow gun dart embedded in her leg.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was reportedly recovering. Another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the same area was found dead near her owner’s home. Authorities reportedly said that “someone in the area had been making threats to kill the animal.” They were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2021/Kent, New York: HudsonValleyPost.com reported that a homeless cat described as “a known stray fed by residents” had been found dead with an arrow through his body. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
November 2021/Rowan County, North Carolina: WBTV.com reported that authorities had charged a man with cruelty to animals after he allegedly shot to death a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. Investigators reportedly said that after he shot the cat, the accused “then allegedly tried to put the cat’s body in a fire pit, and hid the collar. [He] said that he was walking his puppy in the neighborhood when he encountered the cat. He said the cat hissed at his puppy. [The accused] said he threw a rock at the cat, but the cat didn’t run away. [He] then went to his truck and got his gun. Investigators say [the accused] shot the cat from a distance of about 43 feet, then walked up to the cat and shot [the animal] again. He told investigators that the second shot was so the cat ‘wouldn’t suffer.’”
November 2021/Evergreen, Colorado: KDVR.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had “tested positive for the bubonic plague after becoming infected from a suspected encounter with a sick rodent, possibly a rat.” According to local health officials, cats are “susceptible to plague and may die if not treated promptly with antibiotics” and “should avoid contact with any species of wild rodent.” No additional information was available about the health of the infected cat.
November 2021/El Paso, Texas: KTSM.com reported that authorities had arrested a man on two counts of cruelty to animals after he allegedly shot two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, authorities had received a complaint about “criminal mischief in progress” in October and were able to obtain surveillance footage of the accused shooting the animals with an air rifle. No additional information was available.
November 2021/New York, New York: Bronx.News12.com reported that a homeless cat described as a “neighborhood cat” had been found paralyzed, She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that she’d been shot with a BB gun and a pellet had lodged in her spine. She was euthanized. Video footage taken with a cell phone showed the animal “dragging herself through a backyard in her final moments.” Two additional cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the area had been found shot over the summer. They sustained injuries to their paws that left them unable to walk, according to a resident. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
November 2021/Washington County, Minnesota: BringMeTheNews.com reported that five cats and three dogs who were evidently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision as well as seven squirrels had died from suspected poisoning in the county. There was no evidence that they were intentionally poisoned, and authorities were reportedly urging people “to watch their animals ‘very closely’ when they’re outside—walk them on a leash to prevent them from eating any potential poison and don’t leave them unattended.” No additional information was available.
November 2021/Helena, Montana: HelenaIR.com printed a letter by a resident who reported that a cat who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for more than three days before the owners received a call from a veterinary hospital. They were told that the cat had been found by a motorist, who had picked him up after finding him on a road badly injured and appearing dead. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was reportedly determined that he had likely been attacked by another animal, “which damaged his eye and produced a hole in his head that went all the way to his brain.” A microchip led to an animal adoption group, which contacted the cat’s adoptive owners. He reportedly underwent at least four days of treatment.
November 2021/San Angelo, Texas: ConchoValleyHomepage.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in a neighborhood had been attacked and killed by dogs who were also roaming unsupervised. One of the attacks was captured on video surveillance footage, but the images were reportedly too “disturbing to show.” No additional information was available.
November 2021/Alexandria, Virginia: Patch.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had attacked three people before she died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. According to the report, “The health department believes the cat may have had contact with other people or pets. … The cat is a young female and is spayed.” No additional information was available.
November 2021/Huron Township, Ohio: SanduskyRegister.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been trapped and shot to death by a neighbor. The cat’s owner told authorities that she witnessed the neighbor trap the cat behind his house, then carry him to the front yard, where he shot him with a .22-caliber weapon. She said the cat “suffered for approximately 5 minutes before he died.” She reportedly “contends her neighbor has killed 30 cats.” According to the report, “When deputies questioned the neighbor, he told them he had issues with animals getting into his garage and causing a mess. The man admitted to trapping and shooting a cat with his .22 caliber gun.” He was “charged with injuring animals.”
October 2021/El Paso, Texas: KVIA.com reported that residents in one neighborhood said that numerous homeless cats had become sick and died. According to the report, “Residents say at one point there used to be 80 stray cats roaming the neighborhood, now only few remain. Resident Ricardo Leon called the situation a ‘nightmare and chaotic.’ Leon explained, ‘It’s been going on for several days now. Every day I am picking up cats that are dead – 3, 4, 5 cats at a time.’” He told the outlet “that he has noticed a change in the neighborhood cats for the past month as they went from being healthy … to sickly animals.” Authorities were investigating.
October 2021/Clifton, New Jersey: NJ.com reported that two residents said they saw an adult cat and kitten drown in raging floodwaters. They were able to rescue five kittens who were found floating, alive but unconscious, in the water. The animals were taken to a veterinary hospital, where a spokesperson reportedly said, “When the kittens came in they were hypothermic, they were clinging onto life.” After being revived and treated, they were transferred to an animal adoption group. No additional information was available.
October 2021/Wichita Falls, Texas: NewsChannel6Now.com reported that a sick, apparently homeless kitten had been found at a shopping mall by a resident. The resident took the kitten home, where he or she “quickly became ill, and passed away soon after being taken to a vet.” The animal’s remains tested positive for rabies. Authorities were asking anyone who may have had contact with the animal to contact them. No additional information was available.
October 2021/El Paso, Texas: ElPasoTimes.com reported that an El Paso firefighter had been arrested for allegedly “putting out plates of tainted cat food” that resulted in the deaths of five cats and a dog who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. The accused was reportedly “arrested on warrants of six counts of cruelty to animals causing a death.” He was released on bond.
October 2021/Elsie, Michigan: WLNS.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found with an arrow through the body. The animal was taken to an animal adoption group, where he or she died. A reward was being offered for information leading to an arrest, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
October 2021/Sacramento, California: FOX5SanDiego.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten was heard crying while he or she was being swept away in rushing flooded creek waters. A good Samaritan was able to wade into the water and rescue the kitten as the animal was passing, heading for deeper water. The rescuer was caring for the kitten.
October 2021/Yakima, Washington: NewsTalkKit.com reported that a homeless kitten had been trapped in the roof area of a big-box store for eight days at the time of the report. The animal reportedly entered the store through a loading dock. Live traps had been set in an attempt to capture the kitten. No additional information was available.
October 2021/Amsterdam, New York: News10.com reported that a homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
October 2021/South Brunswick, New Jersey: TapInto.net reported that a sick, homeless cat had been found and was taken to a veterinary hospital. It was reportedly determined that the animal was too ill to survive. He or she was apparently euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
October 2021/Patchogue, New York: Patch.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had fallen about 30 feet down a storm drain and landed “on a pipe that was surrounded on either side by about three feet of water, which would have started to rise once the rain set in.” A passerby reportedly heard the animal “screaming very loudly,” and responding firefighters and a good Samaritan were able to rescue the kitten, who was described as “terrified.” The previous week, the same good Samaritan said he responded to a call about an “older kitten [who] had fallen down a sewer drain in Bay Shore. By the time he got to the site, the animal had drowned in the water. ‘Someone heard [the kitten] down there and then [he or she] went silent before I got there,’ he said, adding that he was able to locate [the animal’s] carcass.” The kitten who survived was taken to an animal adoption group for care.
October 2021/Town of Wappinger, New York: Patch.com reported that authorities had arrested a man after he allegedly live-trapped a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, and abandoned the animal in a wooded area. The accused “made statements that he does not want animals on his property and did not care if he trapped owned or unowned animals. He admitted to abandoning other cats in [other] locations,” according to officials. He was charged with cruelty to animals and animal abandonment. The cat’s owner had been “searching daily” in the wooded area but had not found the cat at the time of the report.
October 2021/Memphis, Tennessee: WREG.com reported that authorities had arrested a man after he allegedly used a pellet gun to shoot a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the cat belonged to a neighbor and was “found suffering from a wound in [her] neck. Police said the cat was taken to the emergency vet. X-rays revealed that a small pellet entered the cat’s neck and severed [a] blood vessel … leading to [the animal’s] death.” The accused reportedly told authorities “about problems he was having with loose cats” and “admitted to shooting the cat because ‘he was fed up with them.’” No additional information was available.
October 2021/Aquebogue, New York: LongIsland.News12.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured after he was shot with a pellet gun and a pellet had become lodged in his spine. He was receiving medical treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
October 2021/Sharon, Wisconsin: KenoshaNews.com reported that a cat described as “a large barn cat” had been killed on a road. A motorcyclist died in a crash that resulted when he hit the cat or swerved trying to avoid the animal and ended up in another lane of traffic, where he was run over. According to the report, “It’s unclear if the cat was already dead in the road or if the motorcyclist struck the cat, killing [the animal],” according to the chief of police.
October 2021/Richland, Washington: KEPRTV.com reported that during a six-month period, at least three cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun in a neighborhood. Two cats survived after receiving medical treatment for injuries to the face, neck, and shoulder. A third was found dead in the middle of a street “with a shot to the face,” according to a resident. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
October 2021/Carroll County, Virginia: WFXRTV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat described as an adult male with “medium-length black fur, three legs, and a recent wound” had attacked two people and “fought with a group of 10 to 12 feral cats living in the area.” He died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
October 2021/Defiance, Ohio: Crescent-News.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a 28-inch-long arrow through his or her head. The cat was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said the arrow had “entered the gray cat’s head just below [his or her] left eye and exited at the back of the neck, although the fins lodged beneath the eye.” The spokesperson stated, “[W]ith the advice of our vets, a sedative was given and the arrow was cleaned and then pulled out. This cat has survived, but we do not know yet 100% of [his or her] mental status. [The animal] is on soreness meds and antibiotics.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
October 2021/Ahoskie, North Carolina: Roanoke-ChowanNewsHerald.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 reportedly said that he “heard a dog bark and a cat scream outside. My wife ran out to see what all the fuss was about and that’s when she saw the dogs. One of them had our cat in [his or her] mouth, shaking [the cat] like a rag doll. My wife hollered at the dog, and [the dog] dropped the cat from [his or her] mouth before running off with the other dog.” Surveillance cameras reportedly captured video footage of the attack, and authorities were notified.
October 2021/Brookville, Pennsylvania: WeAreCentralPA.com reported that a man allegedly shot to death a cat who had escaped from his or her home and entered the man’s porch. According to the report, “The man told police he attempted to get the cat out with a broom on two separate occasions, and after the cat was aggressive, he shot the cat.” Authorities reportedly said he would face cruelty to animals charges. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Pulaski County, Arkansas: KARK.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been heard crying before she was found with “a shattered leg” from a gunshot. She was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, including “surgeries.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2021/Birdsboro, Pennsylvania: AWSForWP.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had bitten a woman. Authorities contained the animal, who died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. The woman required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Bell City, Louisiana: KPLCTV.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in a ditch on a neighbor’s property. According to the cat’s owner, authorities investigated and “discovered the … neighbor … had shot the cat with a pellet gun and threw [the animal’s body] in her ditch.” She was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.
September 2021/Miami, Florida: MiamiNewTimes.com reported that a kitten who was reportedly “part of the county’s Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program” had been found dead next to a pile of cat food. The body had a sign taped to it that read, “Feeding the cats is prohibited in this property!!! Cameras are always recording! This is a private property. Do not feed the cats!!!!” The president of a group that sterilizes and abandons homeless cats reportedly said “the kitten’s death is only the latest incident in a growing tension between residents and registered feeders in the community.” The body was taken to an animal hospital to determine the animal’s cause of death, and authorities were investigating.
September 2021/Oolitic, Indiana: WBIW.com reported that authorities had arrested a man for abusing a homeless kitten. According to the report, in June “a woman reported she had been feeding a black kitten and now the kitten was missing. She told Oolitic Town Marshall Jon Jeffries that she captured [the suspect] on security video beating the kitten with a shovel on June 22. A couple of days later the kitten wandered on her porch and she took the kitten to a local veterinarian and was told the kitten had been shot in the head with a BB gun. The kitten also suffered a ruptured eardrum. Police spoke to [the suspect] on August 17th and he was asked about the kitten. He admitted he had killed one cat. He said the cats were defecating in his yard and tearing up his garden.” He was charged with cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Frederick County, Maryland: WFMD.com reported that a homeless cat had attacked a resident. Authorities captured the animal, who died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Lake Carmel, New York: Patch.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 it was determined that he’d been “shot in the mouth. The bullet broke through the upper palate and fragments lodged in the skull and in the throat, one making its way into his stomach.” After six days of treatment, he died. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
September 2021/New Castle, Delaware: News.Delaware.gov reported that a homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Four people and a dog were exposed to the virus. According to the report, “The individuals who came in contact with the cat have all begun treatment for rabies exposure.” No additional information was available.
September 2021/Port Arthur, Texas: 12NewsNow.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot to death in “a drive-by shooting that sent 40 bullets flying into a Port Arthur home,” according to authorities. The cat was “at the edge of the roadway near the home” at the time of the shooting, and a detective reportedly said that “it appears the cat was shot and killed intentionally.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Columbia, South Carolina: SCDHEC.gov reported that a kitten who “was known to be part of a feral colony in the area” had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. One person had reportedly been exposed to the virus and was referred to their health-care provider. Authorities were “working to identify additional feral/stray cats in the area that may have been exposed.” No additional information was available.
September 2021/Seattle, Washington: WestSeattleBlog.com posted an announcement by a resident who said that an injured cat who was unable to use his back legs had been found under a bush. According to the post, he was taken to an animal hospital, where an “ER nurse said the cat may have been injured and stuck in the bush where we found him for at least a week, based on [his] condition.” It was not known whether the animal would survive. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Marcy, New York: RomeSentinel.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Two people were exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment. Two dogs were also exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Boston, Massachusetts: WHDH.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been “found suffering from traumatic injuries.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a representative reportedly said that he’d “suffered deep abrasions and fur loss around his neck and front paws after he likely got entangled in a fence …. A piece of wire was also removed from the back of his neck.” He was receiving treatment. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Highland, Utah: KJZZ.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his or her home had returned injured. He or she was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that the animal had been shot and a bullet had shattered a femur. The cat was reportedly recovering after three days of treatment. An abandoned domestic duck had reportedly been shot with an arrow in the same area. No suspects were identified, and authorities reportedly said they “did not have much to go on without a tip from the public.”
September 2021/Frederick County, Maryland: WFMD.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been contained by authorities after scratching and biting people at a campground. The animal died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Hamilton, Ohio: WCPO.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. According to the report, authorities issued the dogs’ owner “multiple citations.” No additional information was available.
September 2021/Warren, Ohio: TribToday.com reported that authorities had charged a man “with discharging firearms, killing or injuring animals and resisting arrest” after he allegedly shot to death a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, neighbors were feeding the animal outdoors when the accused “shot the cat with a .22 rifle and threw [the body] in the woods.” No additional information was available.
September 2021/Orlando, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an oozing scab on his head which “fell right off and revealed a legitimate hole in his head,” according to his owner. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot with a pellet gun. He received treatment and was expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
September 2021/Evansville, Indiana: WEVV.com reported that authorities were investigating after “a cat was seemingly burned to death.” According to the report, a caller told authorities that “she found the burnt carcass of a cat and she knew where the suspect could be. . . . [O]fficers were unable to locate [the suspect]. Animal Control also responded to the scene, taking the cat with them.” No additional information was available.
September 2021/Putnam County, New York: Bronx.News12.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a gunshot to the neck. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where “[v]eterinarians say they found a small caliber bullet in the feline’s flesh that healed over without scabbing. They were able to remove it.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Seattle, Washington: WestSeattleBlog.com posted an announcement apparently by someone who had found an injured cat outdoors. The animal was reportedly taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she died. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Miami, Florida: Miami.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun by a neighbor. The neighbor was charged with cruelty to animals after witnesses reportedly told authorities that “they were walking in front of [the suspect’s] home when they heard a loud [bang] and observed [the suspect] with a pellet rifle shooting at the cat.” According to the report, the cat’s owner found the animal with “large gunshot wounds to the upper neck and shoulder area and [he] was bleeding profusely. The cat was then rushed to a 24-hour emergency animal clinic where [he] was treated for his wounds.” No additional information was available.
September 2021/Ceres, California: CeresCourier.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had allegedly been attacked and killed by a dog, who was also roaming unsupervised. Two men who reportedly “became upset that a dog in the neighborhood had killed a cat” were charged with cruelty to animals after they tracked the dog down and stabbed him or her to death. No additional information was available.
September 2021/Dallas, Texas: DFW.CBSLocal.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found by authorities in July on the side of a road “injured from a single gunshot wound.” He was treated and survived. Authorities were asking anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
August 2021/San Diego, California: NBCSanDiego.com reported that a homeless cat described as a “community cat” had been found injured after being shot with an arrow. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she died. Authorities were asking anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
August 2021/Southampton, New York: Patch.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “found caught in a hunting trap with a bullet lodged in her hip.” One of her back legs was reportedly “badly broken.” She was taken to an animal adoption group, which was trying to raise $7,600 for medical treatment, including the amputation of the leg. No additional information was available.
August 2021/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals after a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was found shot to death in a resident’s yard. The cat reportedly “had a large wound on [his] backside, and police say a necropsy revealed that [he] was killed by a pellet from a pellet gun. . . . According to the criminal complaint, [the suspect] admitted to firing near the cat to scare [the animal]. [He] told police he was on his back deck when he saw the cat walking around a flower bed. He said cats coming onto his property became a problem after his wife was growing vegetables and flowers and she was upset.”
August 2021/Centralia, Washington: Chronline.com reported that a man had been charged with cruelty to animals and was “accused of intentionally killing a kitten” who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision “‘because [the animal pooped] in his garden.’ . . . When questioned by police, [the suspect] allegedly admitted to killing the cat and reportedly said ‘he was tired of cats coming into his yard and getting under his house, and that this would send a message to all the other cats,’ according to court documents.”
August 2021/Ardmore, Oklahoma: KXII.com reported that several cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had gone missing in a neighborhood. The owner of one of the cats said that she saw her cat being stolen after a car drove by her home a few times: “A large husky man jumped out of the passenger vehicle and grabbed her off my concrete slab and turned west.” Another cat in the area reportedly went missing around the same time. Authorities were reportedly notified, but no suspects were identified.
August 2021/Gillette, Wyoming: County17.com reported that authorities were asked to investigate after a severely injured cat was left outside an animal shelter. The investigation reportedly determined that a resident found his cat injured and then asked friends to take the animal to a veterinary hospital. According to the report, the cat was in such bad shape that euthanasia was necessary and “the investigation did not determine the injuries were intentional. No further action was taken.”
August 2021/Prescott, Arizona: ABC15.com reported that authorities had responded to a call and found two apparently homeless kittens dead in a parking lot. It reportedly appeared that the animals had died from blunt force trauma. Two live kittens were also found in the area and “were severely dehydrated, thin, and covered in urine and feces.” They were taken to an animal hospital for treatment. According to the report, “Police say three or four boys were heard making noise in the parking lot … around midnight the night before.” They were investigating.
August 2021/Mullins, South Carolina: SCNow.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Two people had reportedly been exposed to the virus and were referred to their health-care providers for post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
August 2021/Greenville, South Carolina: FOXCarolina.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, “Five people had potential exposure to the virus by this cat.” No additional information was available.
August 2021/Key Biscayne, Florida: IslanderNews.com reported that a group doing business as KB Community Cats that sterilizes and reabandons homeless cats said that it had found a home for a cat named Lion. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, “Lion was fostered as a kitten then adopted by a resident who signed paperwork saying they’d keep him indoors and [provide him with] proper medical care and food. But the new owner soon after abandoned Lion, leaving the cat to fend for himself for food, drink and protection from the weather. Pleas to the adopter were ignored. Over Memorial Day weekend, Lion was badly wounded on his face and eye. Residents reported seeing teenagers in golf carts laughing, screaming, and using air guns to shoot birds, squirrels, and wandering [companion animals], like Lion, who is friendly and would have run toward any human thinking he’d be fed. Our volunteers rushed over to find Lion badly wounded. We made arrangements to take him to a veterinary ophthalmologist. The adopter was notified and he came to claim Lion, saying he’d get the necessary medical treatment. He did not. Instead, he said he gave Lion [to] a friend, who put [the cat] in the cage and abandoned him in Kendall. Lion has not been seen since then. It pains us to think about how much [he] has suffered, alone, scared, in a small cage in a strange place, with such a severe wound in his face and eye. . . . Lion is not the only cat [who] has suffered on Key Biscayne. Another cat [who] lived on Mashta Island was confirmed shot, paralyzed, and later died. There are two more cats missing. And there are numerous reports of young kids in Key Biscayne spitting on cats and kicking them.”
August 2021/Mullica Township, New Jersey: Patch.com reported that a homeless cat who was found “in distress” had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, the two people who found him were “advised to speak with their healthcare providers about the potential need for post-exposure treatment.” No additional information was available.
August 2021/Gloucester, Virginia: GazetteJournal.net reported that an apparently homeless cat had bitten a person before the animal died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. The person required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
August 2021/Burbank, Washington: Union-Bulletin.com reported that power company workers had found a homeless cat burned on the ground under a blown transformer. He was taken to a humane society, where medical staff found that he had been electrocuted and required weeks of treatment. According to a spokesperson for the group, his “hind end ‘kind of fell off. The part of him that was sitting on the electrical box got totally fried.’” He was expected to survive.
August 2021/Edinboro, Pennsylvania: GoErie.com reported that at least five cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in a neighborhood where a kitten had been found convulsing. A skunk had also been found dead in the area. The kitten and an adult cat were reportedly receiving medical treatment for suspected poisoning. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. YourErie.com later reported that “the total number of cats found exhibiting signs consistent with the ingestion of a poison is up to 12 cats/kittens.”
July 2021/Bismarck, North Dakota: KXNET.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto a leg. An “animal impound liaison” reportedly said, “You could see his bones sticking out of his legs.” He was taken to an animal hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
July 2021/Monroe County, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that a Pocono Lake resident said that he saw a vehicle run over a kitten. “‘She was in a puddle on the side of the road, and I just picked her up. And then she bit me,’ he said. She lost a leg and most of her right ear.” He said that he couldn’t find a veterinary hospital to treat the animal and kept her overnight in a crate. The next day, an animal adoption group admitted the kitten for treatment. She was expected to survive.
July 2021/Spartanburg, South Carolina: WSPA.com reported that a veterinarian “said that within the past week, he ‘saw a cat that was indoor-outdoor, went through his cat door and had burns on the bottom of his feet from going out on his own and getting on the pavement.’ The recovery process from that kind of injury, he said, can take months. Animals whose paws are burned could have permanent nerve damage, he said.” No additional information was available.
July 2021/Roseburg, Oregon: CBSAustin.com reported that a homeless cat and three kittens who had been found after they’d sustained burns in a wildfire in California were taken to an animal adoption group in Oregon. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that a veterinarian had found that the mother cat’s “paws were burned all the way down to the tendons which is extremely painful.” She and her kittens “have permanent scarring on their ears from the burns.” They were expected to survive.
July 2021/Louisville, Kentucky: WLKY.com reported that two dogs who were allegedly allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had killed several cats and a dog, who were apparently also allowed to roam outdoors unsupervised. One resident reportedly said, “I had three [cats], now I have one. The dogs got ahold of two of them.” Another said, “I keep finding bodies. Last week, I found three bodies including two cats and a dog behind my house in a neighbor’s big field.” Another resident reportedly said, “I get a call from my neighbor at 3:30 saying one of my cats is under his deck and it does not look good. I rushed home and grabbed [the cat] and drove him to the vet, he dies in the parking lot.” According to the report, authorities “said they have identified the dogs and cited the two owners.”
July 2021/Prattville, Alabama: AlabamaNews.net reported that a homeless cat had been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, the animal was “seen acting aggressively towards a nearby resident’s cat. The person got scratched by the rabid cat while trying to separate the animals.” No additional information was available.
July 2021/Indianapolis, Indiana: WISHTV.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision or escaped from his home had been abducted from his family’s yard. Video surveillance footage reportedly showed “[t]wo young-looking males … bending over and playing with the black kitten. They speak to each other, look around, pick up the animal and walk off.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2021/Hollywood, Florida: Miami.CBSLocal.com reported that three people were facing criminal charges after a kitten, who was apparently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, was shot with a pellet gun. According to the report, video surveillance footage captured the attack, in which “a suspect shot a kitten with a pellet gun and two other suspects aided in trying to dispose of the animal. The kitten was paralyzed from the hips down after being shot and [had] to be euthanized.” No additional information was available.
July 2021/Hillsborough Township, New Jersey: Patch.com reported that a homeless cat had been found ill or injured. According to authorities, she “was unusually small and appeared to be a kitten. However, it was discovered that [she] had been nursing, so [she] may have had kittens.” The animal died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Authorities searched the area for kittens but found none. No additional information was available.
July 2021/Provo, Utah: KSLNewsRadio.com reported that when firefighters were putting out a brush fire, they heard an apparently homeless kitten crying. The animal “was reportedly smoking and quickly washed off with water then assessed for burns and injury.” A spokesperson for the fire department reportedly said that the kitten “was singed, with burn marks on [her] head and back.” She was taken to a public animal shelter for care.
July 2021/Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland19.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for more than three months before he was found at a residence where a man was hoarding animals. The cat’s owner reportedly “said when he walked into his neighbor’s home, he couldn’t believe the conditions. ‘Oh, it was like at least two and a half feet of garbage. … There was about I’m gonna estimate like 500 to 1,000 flies in there. It was like fly galore; as soon as I walked in like 15 hit me in the face .… Just horrible conditions. The room that [the cats] were in it was just cat feces everywhere.” Another neighbor reportedly said, “There’s been a lot of cats missing in the neighborhood, and they wound up in his house. … A lot of the cats that come out of his house are dead.” Authorities were called and reportedly seized “11 cats living in filthy conditions,” including the cat who had been missing, who was returned to his owner. Authorities were investigating and said that the suspect “has been in trouble with the law before for violating multiple … Cleveland health codes.”
July 2021/Chewelah, Washington: Q13FOX.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the head with a .22-caliber bullet. The cat’s owner reportedly said, “Moments after she let him out, she heard what sounded like [fireworks] but turned out to be gunshots.” She then saw him “crawling home on [his] belly with blood gushing everywhere.” He reportedly survived but was “blind and deaf [on] the side of his face that was struck.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2021/East Tawas, Michigan: WBKB11.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for eight days before he was found on the owner’s porch with an arrow through his neck. The cat’s owner said that a neighbor confessed to the shooting. “She gets on the phone and she says yea your cat was over here like normal and was getting into it with one of my cats and it looked like [he] had rabies so I shot [him].” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating. MLive.com reported that the owner described the cat as “as an outdoor cat who functions as a mouser” and that, when he was found on the porch, “[h]e was barely alive. … His blood was coagulated and he had flies and maggots in his ears. He was warm to the touch from infection.” His owner planned to keep the animal indoors. “I will not let him outside at all,” he said. According to a later report, the neighbor was charged with cruelty to animals.
July 2021/Paragould, Arkansas: KAIT8.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found by authorities with an arrow through his body. He was taken to an animal adoption group, which transferred him to a veterinary hospital. A spokesperson for the group said that it was found that “the arrow barely missed his heart … breaking his ribs.” He was receiving treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2021/New Iberia, Louisiana: KATC.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead under his owner’s home with a bullet wound to his side. The cat’s owner reportedly said that the animal had returned home with a bullet wound to his head approximately one month before. He received medical treatment and recovered from the first gunshot. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
July 2021/Westmoreland, Kansas: TheMercury.com reported that authorities had arrested a man charged with cruelty to animals after he allegedly shot and killed a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the cat’s owner didn’t see the shooting but “saw the cat sprinting away before the cat collapsed on the side of the road.” The case was reportedly under investigation.
July 2021/Marion County, Florida: WESH.com reported that authorities had arrested a 13-year-old boy on a cruelty-to-animals charge after he admitted to torturing and killing a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the boy said that he took the animal home after he saw the cat outside. He “told officers he put the cat in a trashcan and trapped [the animal] for several days before he hit [the animal] with a pole. The boy tried to stab the cat but [the cat] bit him. At this point, he put the cat in a trash bag and slammed [the animal] into the pavement until [the cat] died. ‘After the cat was deceased, [the boy] then proceeded to throw the animal into the yard of a nearby home, where he believed dogs would further mangle the body,’ a report states.”
July 2021/Tampa, Florida: ABCActionNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had sustained severe injuries from being abused by two children. According to the report, another child said that he was a witness when “two eight-year-olds repeatedly tossed the cat by her limbs in the air and slammed [her] on the ground. The cat appeared dizzy and was unable to walk.” According to a local animal adoption group, the cat sustained “a broken femur and her limb needed to be amputated.” Authorities were investigating. No additional information was available.
July 2021/Columbus, Ohio: ABC6OnYourSide.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 it was determined that he’d been shot with a high-powered pellet gun, shattering a leg, which had to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. ABC6OnYourSide.com later reported that a second cat whom the same owner allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the throat. No additional information was available.
July 2021/Lamar, Colorado: LamarLedger.com reported that authorities had been notified by a resident that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision was attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. A door tag was posted at the owner of the dogs’ residence. No additional information was available.
July 2021/Tucson, Arizona: KGUN9.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found covered in pieces of cholla cactus. He was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital for treatment then transferred to a pubic animal shelter. He was expected to survive.
July 2021/Newport News, Virginia: WTKR.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Billerica, Massachusetts: WHDH.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the foot with a BB or pellet gun. A neighbor reportedly found the animal unable to walk and “howling in pain.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was believed that the leg would have to be amputated. Authorities investigated but identified no suspects.
June 2021/Ford City, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com reported that four cats who were apparently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead on a resident’s property. According to the report, one of the bodies was found on the property line, two were found in the driveway the next day, and one was later found in the backyard. Authorities investigated, and one of the bodies was reportedly taken for a necropsy. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Vacaville, California: SanFrancisco.CBSLocal.com reported that after a vegetation fire had been extinguished, a firefighter “heard the faint whimpering of two injured kittens.” The animals were given emergency medical care and taken to a public animal shelter. No additional information was available.
June 2021/San Diego, California: KUSI.com reported that a resident had spotted an apparently homeless cat with a large zip tie tied tightly around his neck. Authorities were called, and the cat was taken to an animal shelter, where he had to be euthanized because of the extent of his injuries. Authorities asked anyone with any information about the case to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Moncks Corner, South Carolina: SCDHEC.gov reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Seven people were exposed to the virus and were subsequently referred to their healthcare providers. One dog who was exposed needed to be quarantined. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Lansing, Michigan: WILX.com reported that a cat who’d been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been heard “screaming” and was found bleeding from the leg. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot. The impact had shattered the leg, causing an infection that would require the limb to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Makawao, Hawaii: HawaiiNewsNow.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had “disappeared from his home in Makawao in January and was found in Kihei in April.” When he was found, he was reportedly starving, having a seizure, and suffering from a nearly severed tail. It was believed that a neighbor had likely trapped him and abandoned him far from home. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Indianapolis, Indiana: WTHR.com reported that in March, a homeless cat had been attacked and killed by two pit bulls, who were roaming without supervision. A woman who had been feeding the cat witnessed the attack on her back porch. “One dog had one end of him, and the other dog had the other end, and they were just playing with him like he was a toy,” she said. “It was right outside the back door. I banged on the glass trying to get them to stop and let go, but one of the dogs ran off with him.” Her husband found the animal’s “mutilated body later that day in a nearby alley.” A neighbor reportedly told authorities that the same dogs had killed a cat in his front yard. Two small dogs in the neighborhood had also been attacked and killed by the dogs, and a third was badly injured. The pit bulls’ owner was known, and authorities were investigating.
June 2021/Lafayette County, Mississippi: OxfordEagle.com reported that four homeless kittens had been found shot to death. According to the report, the shooter stated that “he was ‘putting them out of their misery,’ due to the condition in which they were found.” The sheriff also reported that no charges had been filed. One kitten was found alive and taken to an animal adoption group. No additional information was available.
June 2021/San Francisco, California: ABC7News.com reported that a woman who feeds a colony of homeless cats in the parking lot of a business said, “In the last year and a half, there have been four cats unrelated to each other that have had almost exactly the same injury to their legs.” She shared “video of cats limping with broken or severed hind legs … [one cat] was so badly injured [that his leg] fell off after they rescued him. Another cat had [his or her] leg amputated, and two more cats with severe leg injuries remain on the lot.” She said that raccoons, apparently attracted to the food left out for the cats, had also been seen with similar injuries. Anyone with information was asked to call authorities. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Cheboygan, Michigan: CheboyganNews.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in a neighborhood. “One was shot in the leg and the leg had to be amputated,” a spokesperson for an area humane society said. “The other was shot in the head.” It wasn’t reported whether the animals survived. Authorities asked anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Mountain Home, Texas: JAMBroadcasting.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found “displaying unusual behavior” and that a resident who had tried to help the animal had been bitten. Authorities were called and picked up the kitten, who died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. The resident required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Miami, Florida: WSVN.com reported that six homeless cats had died in two separate incidents after they were trapped in tented and fumigated buildings. The cats were reportedly friendly, homeless animals who’d been fed by residents before they died.
June 2021/Jacksonville, Florida: News4JAX.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The attacks were captured on video surveillance footage. According to the report, another cat had also been attacked by the dogs several days earlier but had “survived with a badly broken leg after his owner shot at the dogs.” Authorities were investigating.
June 2021/Toledo, Ohio: 13ABC.com reported that a man had been arrested and pleaded not guilty to accusations that he had shot to death a neighbor’s cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the cat’s owner provided video documentation to authorities, showing that the accused “exited his home and fired a pellet gun at the cat multiple times.” No additional information was available.
June 2021/Middletown, Connecticut: Patch.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured. She was taken to an animal shelter for care. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Volusia County, Florida: ClickOrlando.com reported that an apparently homeless cat died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Erie, Pennsylvania: BRProud.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found “doused with gasoline” and taken to an animal adoption group. He was then transported to a veterinary hospital, where he was stabilized, although he was still suffering from some “neurological issues.” He was reportedly “unable to stand or correct himself and has a long road ahead of possible physical therapy.” No additional information was available.
June 2021/Gravette, Arkansas: NWAHomepage.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “biting on his back,” where a tick was found and removed. In the following days, he began “moping around and wouldn’t eat,” according to the owner. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a veterinarian “opened his eyes and the white up in his eyes was hemorrhaged.” The owner further reported that “there was blood in his eyes and [the veterinarian] opened his mouth and his throat had swelled shut.” The cat was diagnosed with cytauxzoonosis, also known as “bobcat fever,” a tick-borne and often fatal parasitic infection. He received treatment and was expected to survive.
June 2021/New Hanover County, North Carolina: WECT.com reported that a homeless cat had been found shot to death with an arrow through his or her body in a resident’s yard. The resident reportedly said that he often fed homeless cats, but some neighbors were “upset because [the cats] are using their flower gardens for sandboxes and stuff like that.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Clearlake, California: LakeCoNews.com reported that authorities had received a call from a resident who reported that she’d found an injured cat three days before and had taken the animal into her home. Police logs note that the cat couldn’t use his or her back legs and that the caller believed the animal was dying. The animal control department was apparently notified. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Port Clinton, Ohio: OttawaCitizen.com reported that an apparently homeless and nursing mother cat had been found with a broken leg and that the bone was piercing the skin. She and her three kittens were taken to a veterinary hospital, where her leg had to be amputated. A veterinarian said that it wasn’t known what had caused the injury or how long ago the leg had been broken. The cat was expected to survive.
June 2021/Denver, Colorado: KDVR.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, who were apparently being walked without leashes. The attack was captured on video surveillance, and authorities were investigating. No additional information was available.
June 2021/Glen Cove, New York: NewYork.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found crying and unable to move. She was taken to a veterinarian neighbor, who determined that the animal had been shot twice, and she underwent surgery. One of the bullets was reportedly found pressing against her spine, causing spinal cord damage and paralysis. It wasn’t known whether she’d be able to walk again. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Edwardsville, Pennsylvania: WNEP.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found at the back door of her owner’s home. The owner said that when the door was opened, the animal “came hobbling in with her leg dangling.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the leg was amputated because it had been shattered by a gunshot. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Great Falls, Montana: KHQ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found under a car, crying and unable to move. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she’d been shot and that the bullet had become lodged near her spine. After receiving treatment, she returned home, where her owner said that “[h]er right side is weak but she is regaining the ability to walk slowly” and that “she has a long road ahead of her.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
June 2021/Yellowstone County, Montana: KURL8.com reported that a local man, Sean Robinson, had been arraigned “on two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty and a misdemeanor theft charge.” Additional charges were pending against him in relation to “cats disappearing either after being given to [him] or from the neighborhood surrounding his residence.” According to the report, “an animal control officer initiated an investigation and gathered names and information regarding missing cats and suspected animal cruelty by Robinson.” Yellowstone County Assistant District Attorney Ingrid Rosenquist reportedly “informed Judge Ashley Harada that a search warrant of Robinson’s vehicle resulted in police recovering the bodies of one or two cats and the body parts of others.” The report also states that, according to Rosenquist, “Robinson would strangle and at times decapitate cats,” and that during an interview, “[he] reportedly told the detective that he … ‘has a thing for killing cats.’”
May 2021/Bellingham, Washington: BellinghamHerald.com reported that three cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had recently been found in the area dead and dismembered. A news release issued by a local humane society reportedly said, “Veterinary examinations conducted on the remains show injuries consistent with human involvement.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Rockford, Illinois: MyStateline.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been stolen by an unknown man. Surveillance footage reportedly showed a man exiting a vehicle and removing the cat from the owner’s porch. According to the report, “The security video shows the man walk up to the porch as he appears to be looking for something. He disappears off camera and then returns holding a small, black cat. When he reaches the sidewalk, he stops and looks as if he is inspecting [the animal]. Then he speeds off in his car.” Authorities were apparently notified, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Pocatello, Idaho: IdahoStateJournal.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had not returned home. Her owners reportedly said that a neighbor had admitted to trapping the animal and abandoning her at one of two area parks. It was later reported that the cat’s owners had offered a reward to anyone who could find her alive and that she was successfully reunited with her family. The reward money was paid. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Summertown, Tennessee: FOX17.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly burned. A spokesperson for an animal adoption group reportedly said that it was believed the cat had been set on fire intentionally and that he was “undergoing surgery at an emergency clinic … as vets attempt to save his leg.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2021/Denver, Colorado: SpotOnColorado.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. The attack was apparently captured on video surveillance footage, and authorities were investigating. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Frostburg, Maryland: Times-News.com reported that authorities had arrested two teenagers and charged them with cruelty to animals after they allegedly killed a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. The animal’s body was reportedly “found at the top of a sliding board” at a playground in a city park. According to a spokesperson for the police department, “Officers examining the deceased cat observed injuries that appeared consistent with the intentional and malicious infliction of physical harm.” No additional information was available.
May 2021/Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore.CBSLocal.com reported that a homeless cat had been found dead and tested positive for the rabies virus. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Windsor, Pennsylvania: WGAL.com reported that a cat who had escaped from her home had been found injured. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was apparently determined that she’d been shot with a .22-caliber bullet and that one of her legs had to be amputated. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2021/Edinburg, Texas: ValleyCentral.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found by animal control officers “in rough shape as he had an ‘extremely enlarged anus,’ apparent gunshot wounds on his abdomen, holes in his ears from stab wounds, and had his papillae scraped off.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, and custody was apparently transferred to a self-professed animal “rescue” group. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said the animal was “slowly recovering” and was not expected to have sustained “any permanent damage to his rectum from the sodomy, however, he may suffer permanent damage to his stomach area due to the bullet wounds.” The group also reportedly said that “that other cats in the area have suffered the same fate.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. It was later reported that the cat had been released from the hospital to the same self-professed animal “rescue” group, doing business as Murphy’s Safe Haven, where he died, alone and without veterinary care, overnight. According to the report, when he was first found, the group had intervened and prevented professionals at a public animal shelter from painlessly ending his severe suffering. It was also reported that while “the cat did suffer from horrible neglect, veterinarians do not believe [he] had been sodomized or shot. KVEO is waiting to hear back from the Fayette County Vet Clinic but was told by the Mission Veterinary Hospital with the Fayette County Vet Clinic that they agree the cat was not sodomized or shot.”
May 2021/Gainesville, Florida: Gainesville.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found outside a self-professed “no-kill” public animal shelter that restricts intake. The cat, who evidently exhibited symptoms of rabies, was euthanized before testing positive for the virus. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Jacksonville, Florida: FirstCoastNews.com reported that at least four homeless cats who were fed “in a colony between a shopping center and a residential area” had been found shot to death. According to the report, a self-professed animal “rescue” said they had found “a pregnant cat … shot and paralyzed on the pavement. They discovered another cat shot and killed in a grassy area. A resident found another dead cat in his backyard, and someone shot and killed a fourth cat behind a convenience store.” A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that two other cats had “disappeared” and “[s]ome of the kittens on the property here have had their eyes blown out by water cannons being put along the property by some of the residents.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2021/Freeland, Michigan: MLive.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a resident had been found covered with gasoline. An animal adoption group was reportedly able to capture the cat, who had sustained burns from the substance. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, “His fur was coming out in clumps from his skin being burned from the fuel” and that the person who fed the cat recounted that “in the winter he showed up with [a] bloody ear. It was intentionally cut.” The spokesperson said the cat feeder was “so relieved he would be removed and never hurt again.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
May 2021/Milton, Delaware: WRDE.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 it was determined that he’d been shot with a pellet gun and sustained “multiple fractures to his back femur bone and had lost a lot of bone.” He underwent surgery in an attempt to save the leg. The veterinarian treating the cat reportedly “says he sees gunshot wounds in cats at least once a month.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2021/Middletown, Pennsylvania: PennLive.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. It was reportedly not known whether the animal survived. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Cambridge, Massachusetts: NBCBoston.com reported that authorities who responded to a call about a cat crying under a vehicle had found the animal “bound with masking tape and shot multiple times.” The cat, who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, had been found with his legs bound. He died at the scene. A necropsy “showed a large portion of the cat’s fur was missing, and that [he] suffered multiple BB gunshot wounds across [his] face and body, according to police.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. It was later reported that authorities believed that two similar recent cases could be connected. One cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had reportedly returned with burns, and another had returned injured after having “been shot multiple times with a BB gun.” Both animals survived.
May 2021/Davidson County, North Carolina: MyFOX8.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had attacked his or her owner. The animal died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. The owner was receiving post-exposure treatment. Animal control officers were reportedly “sent to the home where there are an undisclosed number of domestic cats.” No additional information was available.
May 2021/Victoria, Texas: CrossroadsToday.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a pellet gun. One of the animals reportedly “required surgery to remove the bullet. The second one [was] paralyzed from the neck down and was euthanized.” Two additional cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the same neighborhood were reportedly missing. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
May 2021/Palatka, Florida: MSN.com reported that volunteers with a nonprofit group that claimed to operate a self-described “community cat program” had found several mother cats dead in two separate counties. One volunteer said that others had found the cats “dead for no apparent reason. They haven’t been hit by a car. There’s no injuries. They become violently sick, and they die.” Another volunteer reportedly said she had found poison in food left out for cats. “From this one colony, we believe there have been five mother cats that have been poisoned,” she said. Another volunteer reportedly said, “Now I’m having to trap the kittens hopefully before they starve to death.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. FirstCoastNews.com later reported that the group said that some of the “kittens have died, and almost 50 additional cats have disappeared from a colony.”
May 2021/Falls Church, Virginia: Patch.com reported that a resident had sustained injuries while confining a sick homeless cat. The cat was taken to an animal shelter and euthanized there after displaying neurological symptoms and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
May 2021/Zuber, Florida: Ocala-News.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Orlando, Florida: FOX35Orlando.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home with an injured leg. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she’d been shot with a BB gun. A pellet remained lodged in her leg and reportedly couldn’t be removed because of its location. As a result, the cat will likely suffer from arthritis for the remainder of her life. An animal adoption group in the area had reportedly admitted another cat recently who had also been shot with a BB gun, causing injuries to a paw and the neck and leaving metal fragments in the body. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Newark, Delaware: News.Delaware.gov reported that a homeless cat had been observed “acting lethargic and presented with wounds of an unknown origin.” After biting two people, the animal died or was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Both people bitten required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Conroe, Texas: ABC13.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in the head with a blow dart. According to the report, his owner said the “family first noticed something odd on their home surveillance video. After reviewing the footage, they said they discovered a projectile dangling from [the cat’s] head.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment and was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/Spring Brook, Wisconsin: WEAU.com reported that 15 adult cats and kittens had been found shot to death. A spokesperson for the area animal shelter reportedly said that “it appeared someone had abandoned the 33 cats on the side of the road with a pile of cat food, then someone shot at them.” Eighteen cats and kittens who were found alive in the area were taken to the facility, which is a self-professed “no-kill” shelter with restrictive intake policies, according to its website. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. It was later reported that the bodies of two more dead kittens had been found in the same area. Six more live cats were also found and taken to the shelter, and two more live cats were seen but couldn’t be captured.
April 2021/Trenton, New York: CNYHomepage.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Two people were exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
April 2021/St. Rose, Louisiana: WDSU.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home bleeding from his jaw and mouth. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot with a pellet gun. The projectile had reportedly entered his upper jaw and exited through his lower jaw. His owners were raising the funds needed for the animal’s treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/Tulsa, Oklahoma: KTUL.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot to death by a neighbor. The cat’s owner said he heard gunshots before finding the animal dead in a neighbor’s yard. The neighbor allegedly admitted to shooting the cat with a pellet gun. Authorities were investigating.
April 2021/Buena Vista, Colorado: TheMountainMail.com reported that a homeless cat had been found hiding in a chimney when a home was inspected. She was taken to an animal adoption group, where she was admitted “covered in soot and ash and very dehydrated.” After she was cleaned up and treated for dehydration, workers reportedly found that she had “partially” given birth to a stillborn kitten. She was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital, where she underwent surgery in an attempt to deliver a second kitten alive, which was unsuccessful. She was spayed and was reportedly receiving periodic treatments for dehydration. She was expected to survive.
April 2021/South Portland, Maine: NewsCenterMaine.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. Authorities were called and reportedly said they were in contact with the dogs’ owner. No additional information was available.
April 2021/St. Paul, Oregon: PamplinMedia.com reported that a cat who was adopted from an animal shelter had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision before he returned home injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he had been shot with a pellet gun and required surgery. The cat’s owner said that about six months earlier, another one of the family’s cats, who was also allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, had been shot. That cat was also taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that a “projectile fired from some sort of air rifle had hit him in the back, and the resulting paralysis was too much; movement was difficult and he couldn’t go to the bathroom. After a week he had to be put down.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/Union Bridge, Maryland: BaltimoreSun.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed by a resident started to act “strangely” before attacking a child. The animal died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Johnson City, Tennessee: WJHL.com reported that a cat who was apparently homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead in a parking lot. The animal had sustained “severe head trauma,” and the legs had been bound with duct tape. A screwdriver was found near the body, which had apparently been used in the killing. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/Cincinnati, Ohio: FOX19.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home injured. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that his pelvis was broken in three places and at least four BB pellets were lodged in a leg. He was receiving treatment. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/Las Vegas, Nevada: KTNV.com reported that a man and his son had been arrested after allegedly killing a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, authorities viewed video surveillance footage and said that “they saw both father and son along with the family’s 3 dogs [corner] the cat. The arrest report says the cat was hit several times with a bat, then shot with a BB gun, then a .22 caliber gun.” Authorities reportedly said the cat’s body was then “left in a dumpster not far from the home.” Both men were charged with cruelty to animals, among other charges.
April 2021/Ellicott City, Maryland: CapitalGazette.com reported that a homeless cat had bitten someone and then died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Ross Township, Pennsylvania: TNOnline.com reported that a homeless cat had been found injured. The animal was apparently taken to a veterinary hospital and was “unable to use [his or her] rear legs after being treated for [the] injuries.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Louisa County, Virginia: NBC12.com reported that a cat who was homeless or 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.
April 2021/Watsonville, California: KION546.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with a BB gun at an apartment complex. One of the animals died, and the other survived after receiving medical care. SantaCruzSentinel.com later reported that a third cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the same area had been shot. According to the report, the cat was falling over and unable to stand when he entered a business. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he “had three BB gun pellets lodged in his body, the most recent and potentially fatal shot piercing his chest cavity and quickly filling his lungs up with blood. Pellets in his elbow and forearm were older, according to the vet.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. GoodTimes.sc later reported that two additional cats in the area had been shot. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Fort Walton Beach, Florida: NWFDailyNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had “returned home with what appears to be a .22 caliber bullet wound.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was being treated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/El Paso, Texas: KTSM.com reported that a man had been arrested after beating an apparently homeless cat to death. According to the report, the man had allegedly beaten the animal “against a pole and the ground over and over.” He was charged with cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
April 2021/St. Rose, Louisiana: HeraldGuide.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home had returned “bleeding profusely from his face and in obvious pain.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he’d been shot in the face, likely with a .22-caliber bullet. According to his owner, “[t]he roof of his mouth was blown open and tissue torn away. They closed that up so when he does begin eating again it doesn’t go into his nasal cavity. The mandible was shattered, and there was no healthy bone left to attach a plate to. They had to remove the bottom portion of his jaw on one side where the bullet exited. The tissue under his tongue was also torn away and had to be grafted and closed up.” The report said that he was facing “several weeks of heavy sedation, medication and a feeding tube.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
April 2021/Plantation, Florida: WSVN.com reported that a homeless cat had been found at a construction site “splayed out on her belly after suffering a possible attack.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where she died. It was suspected that she’d ingested a “toxic substance.” Three kittens found in the area were taken to an animal adoption group. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Evansville, Indiana: USNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had become stuck in a tree. The owners of a bar reportedly paid a tree service to rescue the animal. According to the report, the cat was beyond the tree service worker’s reach and “was too tired and scared to move, so [the worker] used a saw to cut the limb the cat was on. The cat plunged about 70 feet (21 meters).” The animal was reportedly receiving veterinary care for dehydration and weakness. No additional information was available.
April 2021/Fredericksburg, Virginia: Patch.com reported that a cat who was “believed to be part of a feral cat colony living in the area” had bitten a person. He or she died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. Local health authorities reportedly warned that other cats in the area could have been “exposed and infectious with rabies.” No additional information was available.
March 2021/Orangevale, California: Sacramento.CBSLocal.com reported that a homeless cat who was referred to as a “community cat” had been found shot and injured. According to a resident who had been feeding the animal, when he was found, he “was limping worse than normal because he had a previous injury.” The cat was reportedly called “Limpy” because of an untreated “injury to his front leg that makes him limp. It healed together like a peg leg is what the vet said,” said a spokesperson for an animal adoption group that was raising money to pay for the animal’s needed surgery. X-rays had reportedly found a small-caliber bullet or pellet embedded in a rear leg. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Mount Pleasant, Michigan: TheMorningSun.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found near an apartment complex, injured and with a blowgun dart in his side. He was taken to an animal adoption group, which transferred him to a veterinary hospital, where the dart was removed and “another gaping wound” was found on his body. Both wounds were sutured closed, and the cat was expected to survive. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Sulphur, Louisiana: KPLCTV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat, described as a “neighborhood cat,” had been attacked and killed by a pack of five dogs, who were roaming outdoors without supervision. A resident said that she believed her cat, who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, had also been attacked by the dogs. Her daughter reportedly found the cat badly injured and brought him indoors. The owner said that he was “in bad shape” and unable to move. No additional information was available. Authorities were able to impound three of the dogs and said that their owner would be cited. At the time of the report, two of the dogs remained at large.
March 2021/Washington County, Maryland: HeraldMailMedia.com reported that a homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
March 2021/Frederick County, Maryland: WFMD.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
March 2021/Niagara Falls, New York: IHeartRadio.ca reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found injured on a road. According to the report, he was dehydrated and lethargic and had no identification. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where “two foreign objects were detected by X-ray lodged in the cat’s body resembling ammunition typically fired from a pellet gun.” He was receiving treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Scranton, Pennsylvania: FOX56.com reported that a rabid fox had “attacked numerous feral cats” and that “[i]t’s likely that several of the feral cats exposed to the fox will come down with rabies in the near future.” No additional information was available.
March 2021/Spring Township, Pennsylvania: PottsMerc.com reported that a homeless cat had been seen running in a neighborhood with a steel-jaw trap clamped onto a leg. Authorities were called but were unable to capture the animal, who eventually tried hiding under a resident’s porch. Three days later, he was captured by volunteers with a nonprofit group and taken to a veterinary hospital, where two of his toes had to be amputated and he was given antibiotics, pain medication, and intravenous fluids to treat dehydration. It was reportedly legal to set such traps in the state. No additional information was available.
March 2021/Chattanooga, Tennessee: WRCBTV.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “killed from an apparent gunshot wound.” The animal was killed in the same area in which a homeless dog had recently been found dead in a puddle with multiple ligatures after he or she had been strangled to death. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Tucson, Arizona: KGUN9.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found bleeding with a metal rod sticking out of his chest. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot with a blowgun. Because the owner couldn’t afford the surgery and treatment needed, the cat was surrendered to the hospital. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Cut Bank, Montana: KXLH.com reported that a cat who had been adopted from a self-professed animal “rescue” had been “left in a shed for three days during a freeze. The result was the loss of his left hind paw and half of his tail that had be amputated due to frostbite.” He was again in the custody of the “rescue,” which put him up for re-adoption. No additional information was available.
March 2021/Galax, Virginia: WFXRTV.com reported that “a semi-feral gray cat with neurological symptoms crawled onto a resident’s porch.” The animal had reportedly acted aggressively when approached and attacked a dog who was chained on the porch, unable to escape. The cat died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. According to the report, the cat “shared a living environment with two other outdoor cats,” who had likely been exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
March 2021/Marble Falls, Texas: DailyTrib.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found on a resident’s property. Authorities were called and apparently captured the animal, who died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
March 2021/Saginaw, Michigan: WNEM.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been missing for four days before he was found at the bottom of some stairs outside the home, unable to move his hind legs. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays showed that he’d been shot in the spine, and remained under treatment. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified. MLive.com later reported that the cat had to be euthanized because of the extent of his injuries.
March 2021/Colorado Springs, Colorado: KKTV.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home had been found bleeding and injured outside. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that he had been shot with a .22-caliber bullet and had fractured a leg, which would likely have to be amputated. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Haines Township, Pennsylvania: WeAreCentralPA.com reported that a kitten who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot by a neighbor. The animal was taken to a veterinary hospital, where a leg had to be amputated. A veterinarian reportedly told authorities that “X-rays showed that the kitten was shot by a BB gun, and the injury shattered the bones of [the] right leg.” A neighbor reportedly admitted to police that he had shot the kitten because the animal was stalking birds at a feeder on his property. He was charged with cruelty to animals, and a hearing date was set.
March 2021/Galax, Virginia: WDBJ7.com reported that a homeless cat had been hit by a truck. A good Samaritan reportedly took the animal to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d sustained “a broken jaw, causing him to lose his baby teeth. He also had a hole in his side and his diaphragm.” He underwent surgery and spent weeks in recovery.
March 2021/Cincinnati, Ohio: FOX19.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home had been found hours later “barely alive. According to the family, someone had tied a retractable dog leash around the cat’s neck and then wrapped the leash around a tree, causing him severe head trauma.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, including “[s]teroids, pain medicine, feed[ing] him through a syringe …. They have to stretch his legs, rotate his legs, do physical therapy every four hours,” according to his guardian. It was not known “whether his brain function will improve.” Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Radcliff, Kentucky: TheNewsEnterprise.com published a letter to the editor from a resident who said he had seen a homeless cat roaming the neighborhood “for about a week.” He had tried to capture the animal but was unable to. While walking his dog, he found the cat dead in a ditch by the road, “frozen in a drift of snow. Apparently, [the animal] had jumped from the bank into the ditch and sunk into the drift of snow and couldn’t get out. [The cat] must have suffered for hours before [he or she] froze to death.”
March 2021/Cottonwood Shores, Texas: DailyTrib.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. According to the report, the cat’s owner said that she had “heard noises on her porch. When she opened the door to investigate, she saw two dogs attacking her cat. The dogs then lunged toward her, but she was able to close the door.” Authorities reportedly “issued dangerous dog and nuisance citations to the dogs’ owner.”
March 2021/Gilbert, Arizona: FOX10Phoenix.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been “shot, paralyzed and eventually died.” According to the cat’s owner, “neighbors knocked on her door saying [the cat] was in their backyard and not moving. ‘So we ran over there and we tried to make [him] walk and [he] was just paralyzed, you know, from the waist down.’” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where images reportedly “show[ed] some sort of projectile inside” of him, and he had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries. Authorities were asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
March 2021/Dallas, Texas: Lakewood.AdvocateMag.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found dead and that he or she “appeared to have been strangled by a telephone cable.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Moncks Corner, South Carolina: Live5News.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. One person was reportedly exposed to the virus. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Des Moines, Iowa: SiouxlandProud.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been “found with his paws frozen to the ground and suffered injuries.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where it was reportedly found that he’d “suffered injuries to his paw pads due to getting stuck. He had severe frostbite on his back paws, parts of his front paws, and part of his tail.” According to a spokesperson for the group, the animal required surgery. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Mount Washington, Kentucky: Courier-Journal.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a resident had been seen limping. The resident was unable to capture the animal, but she reportedly saw him again “[a] few weeks” later and was able to take him to a veterinary hospital, “where an X-ray showed a bullet had shattered the [humerus] bone in his front right leg.” He was transferred to an animal adoption group, where his leg was amputated. Authorities were reportedly asking anyone with information to contact them, but no suspects were identified.
February 2021/Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: OttawaCitizen.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found “near death … freezing on a [resident’s] porch.” She was taken to an animal adoption group, which reported that “[h]er body temperature and blood sugar were so low they couldn’t be measured …. She was emaciated and dehydrated with a wound to the tail and a badly broken hind leg.” Veterinary staff amputated the animal’s tail and leg, “which had a fractured bone piercing the skin.” No additional information was available.
February 2021/La Grande, Oregon: LaGrandeObserver.com reported that authorities had been called by a resident who reported that an injured cat, who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, had been found injured on a street. An animal control officer reportedly responded and transported the animal to a veterinary hospital. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Modesto, California: Sacramento.CBSLocal.com reported that a homeless cat had been found injured in some bushes at a park where a colony of homeless cats were fed. She was reportedly dragging her hind end, unable to walk. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that she’d been shot and “underwent emergency surgery to remove a bullet lodged in a muscle next to her spine.” According to the woman who found her, the bullet had “brushed over the top of her spine. There was a huge blood clot on the spinal cord and the spinal cord was bruised.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
February 2021/Honolulu, Hawaii: HawaiiNewsNow.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found with an arrow through their body. According to the report, “the arrow was removed” and the animal was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Cedar Springs, Michigan: FOX17Online.com reported that a homeless cat had been found “almost frozen to death next to a car.” He was taken to a veterinarian, who said that she “couldn’t get his body temperature to register, and our thermometers go to 90 degrees.” He was also “dehydrated, and his nose was full of pus. His left eye is pushed back so far that it doesn’t work, and the right eye was glued shut.” He was receiving treatment. His “[r]ecovery could take months,” according to the veterinarian.
February 2021/Princeton, Minnesota: FOX9.com reported that a homeless cat had been found “suffering frostbite and infections.” He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson reportedly said that he had “likely spent many years fending for himself outdoors and has developed urinary and upper respiratory infections, frostbitten ears, and mangled teeth.” He was receiving treatment.
February 2021/Tempe, Arizona: PhoenixNewTimes.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a resident had been attacked and killed by two dogs who had escaped from a yard. The man who had fed the cat “scared the dogs off, walked back into his home, and grabbed his gun,” according to a police report. When the dogs returned, he fatally shot them. According to the report, “A responding officer wrote in the report that [the shooter] committed disorderly conduct, animal cruelty, and reckless display or discharge of a firearm.” No additional information was available.
February 2021/Fullerton, California: OCRegister.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found injured. He was taken to an animal adoption group where an X-ray found that both of his back legs had been broken and scar tissue had begun to form. He underwent surgery, including the placement of “eight pins to stabilize his legs.” No additional information was available.
February 2021/New Bern, North Carolina: NewBernSJ.com reported that an injured, bleeding homeless cat had been found after she’d apparently been abandoned at the location of a “managed colony” of homeless cats. According to a woman who fed cats at the site, “She was bloodied from injuries, wobbled from weakness when she walked, and covered in fleas and parasites that caused her stool to be bloody …. A third of the cat’s tail seems to be missing and ends in a knot. [H]er teeth were in such bad shape that most would have to be pulled.” According to the report, the woman said “she will try to find donations” to pay for the cat’s needed treatment.
February 2021/Folsom, Louisiana: BRProud.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with “a gruesome injury to her face.” She was taken to an animal adoption group “in obvious pain,” where a spokesperson reportedly said that veterinary staff had “completed the first of several possible surgeries to close the wound and her open sinuses, and reconstruct her nose.” It wasn’t known how she’d been injured. She was reportedly “not the only cat to come into the shelter this week in critical condition.” No additional information was available.
February 2021/Levittown, Pennsylvania: LevittownNow.com reported that a cat who escaped from his or her owner’s home was “acting a bit off” when the animal returned. According to the report, “[t]he next day, the owner noticed the cat was not back to normal and found two pellet gun wounds under [the animal’s] medium-length hair.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she had to be euthanized because of the extent of the injuries sustained. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2021/Albuquerque, New Mexico: KRQE.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been abducted and thrown from a moving vehicle. Surveillance footage showed a woman getting out of a black van and picking the cat up from the owner’s driveway. A witness apparently later saw the cat being thrown from the window of a black van on the freeway. A good Samaritan found the animal on the side of the freeway and transported him to a veterinary hospital, which later transported him to a public animal shelter from which he was picked up by his owner. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Sacramento, California: Sacramento.CBSLocal.com reported that a cat who had been abandoned then apparently adopted by someone who described him as “an outdoor cat” had been taken to an animal shelter by a good Samaritan. An examination revealed that he had been shot with a crossbow and that the bolt remained embedded in his abdomen. He underwent surgery to remove the projectile, and authorities reportedly returned him to his owner, who said she would keep him indoors. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
February 2021/Portland, Texas: KRISTV.com reported that authorities had arrested a 17-year-old boy after a video was posted on social media that showed him abusing a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the video showed the suspect “slamming a cat to the ground with two hands. The cat was able to get up and run away.” The cat was later found, and her owner was identified. She apparently didn’t sustain any permanent physical injuries. The suspect was charged with “cruelty to a non-livestock animal, which is a third degree felony.” No additional information was available.
February 2021/Omaha, Nebraska: KETV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found in the snow with his head trapped in a chain-link fence. Authorities were called and cut the fencing to take the animal to a veterinary hospital for additional care and treatment. He was recovering at an animal shelter.
February 2021/Cherry Hill, New Jersey: NJ1015.com reported that a homeless cat had been found injured in a roadway. A woman who had reportedly “been trying for two days after a snowstorm to catch a feral cat she thought was bleeding” was struck and killed by a car when she tried to move the cat from the road. The cat’s condition and whereabouts were not reported. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Abilene, Texas: BigCountryHomepage.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had apparently been found dead after becoming caught in a steel-jaw or snare trap. Authorities were reportedly patrolling the area for additional illegally set traps. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Ukiah, California: UkiahDailyJournal.com reported that authorities had received a call reporting that an injured cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found in a roadway. An officer reportedly responded and took the cat to an animal shelter. No additional information was available.
February 2021/Fairport, New York: 13WHAM.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been attacked by a dog. She was taken to an animal adoption group where veterinary staff reportedly found that her jaw had been broken in two places, she’d sustained a large puncture wound to the face, and blood was collecting in her right eye, which ultimately had to be removed. She remained under treatment.
February 2021/Topeka, Kansas: KSNT.com reported that a cat who was described as an “outdoor cat” had been found limping. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot with a .22-caliber bullet and his leg had to be amputated because of the extent of the damage sustained. It wasn’t reported whether authorities had been notified, but no suspects were identified.
January 2021/Lynn Haven, Florida: MyPanhandle.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs who had apparently escaped from a neighbor’s yard. One of the fatal attacks was captured on video footage from a doorbell camera. Authorities were notified, and the dogs were deemed dangerous. Their owner had seven days to appeal the case. No additional information was available.
January 2021/Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada: CapeBretonPost.com reported that a homeless cat had been crying at a resident’s door for an hour. Noticing that the cat appeared to be very thin, she eventually let her inside. The resident said, “As soon as I opened the door she saw the dog’s water dish and ran right to it. She drank all his water and then started going to town on his food.” She also noted that “the pads of her paws were in bad shape and appeared frostbitten. ‘They were all black and scabby,’ she said. ‘The wounds on her paws also look months old. There’s some wounds with fur growing through them … [and] [h]er first two bowel movements were full of grass. That’s all she was obviously eating.’” The resident and her fiancée had to fundraise to be able to get the cat needed veterinary treatment and planned to keep her.
January 2021/Blasdell, New York: WKBW.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a homeless man had been found injured. The man said that he found the cat “bleeding from his neck. It became clear that the blood was dripping constantly and he needed help or I thought he would die.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment, which an animal adoption group agreed to pay for. No additional information was available.
January 2021/Dayton, Kentucky: FOX19.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home “injured and bloody.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot with a .22-caliber bullet. According to the report, “The bullet went through [the cat’s] body, according to his owner, which broke some bones. He may never walk the same again.” He received treatment and was expected to survive. The owner planned to file a report with authorities, but no suspects were identified.
January 2021/Cleveland, Ohio: News5Cleveland.com reported that a homeless cat had been found in a resident’s yard “dragging her back leg and not eating well.” She was taken to an animal adoption group, where veterinary staff reportedly “diagnosed her with a diaphragmatic hernia—a condition that allowed her abdominal organs to move into her chest cavity.” She underwent surgery and was expected to survive.
January 2021/New York, New York: NYPost.com reported that a homeless cat who was “part of a managed feral colony” at a city housing project had been attacked and killed by two pit bulls who were set upon him. A resident reportedly saw from his window that the cat “had run up a tree to escape the canines but the dogs’ owners, a young couple who looked to be in their 20s, were using a large stick to knock him down. ‘As soon as the gentleman knocked the cat off the tree that’s when he let the dogs go like ‘get ‘em’ exactly just like that,’ [the witness] recalled. ‘The cat was screaming, [he] was trying to defend [him]self against two pitbulls as best as [he] can.’” The witness went outside and found the cat “clinging to life” with his jaw “hanging from his mouth.” According to the person who “managed” the colony of cats at the property, “six cats are currently missing and another three were recently found dead in conditions similar” to those of the cat who was attacked. Authorities were notified, but it was unclear whether they were investigating.
January 2021/Boca Raton, Florida: BocaNewsNow.com reported that it had received calls and e-mails alleging that “a group of ‘community cats’ was missing .… One of the emails we received stated ‘they are well fed, micro chiped (sic) and vacinated (sic) and now missing.’ Then the messaging became aggressive and accusatory.” A later report said, “A small group of West Boca Raton residents says the cat it cared for … was shot in the face or head and dumped in a canal near Sacco Drive.” Authorities reportedly investigated. An animal control spokesperson reportedly “said the cat could have been mauled by an alligator, attacked by another animal, or just fell into the canal and drowned.” No additional information was available.
January 2021/Scottsville, Virginia: AugustaFreePress.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found injured. Reports to authorities had reportedly “included that the cat may have been injured by hot water.” The animal was taken to an animal adoption group and treated for “injuries, including a cut above the eye socket.” He or she was expected to survive. No additional information was available.
January 2021/Grand Valley, Colorado: GJSentinel.com reported that a homeless cat who was fed by a resident had sustained injuries to her ears that the resident thought may have been frostbite. She was taken to an animal adoption group, where “a veterinarian … diagnosed cancer. Her ears were amputated and a spot was removed from her nose.” No additional information was available.
January 2021/Fresno, California: KMPH.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “staggering across the porch, covered in blood.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot in the face with a pellet gun. He underwent surgery to remove a badly damaged eye. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
January 2021/Fort Knox, Kentucky: Courier-Journal.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found injured inside a vehicle’s engine compartment, a common place for cats to seek safety and warmth. She was taken to an animal adoption group, where she reportedly underwent “a surgery addressing the large tear from her lip to her jawline.” It was believed that she’d been injured by the engine’s fan belt after the car was started. She was expected to survive.
January 2021/Summerville, Pennsylvania: ConnectRadio.fm reported that authorities had received a report about a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision “possibly being shot by a pellet gun near a home.” No additional information was available.
January 2021/Clear Spring, Maryland: Baltimore.CBSLocal.com reported that two cats had to be euthanized after they were found badly injured. A resident reportedly found a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision injured and took him to an animal shelter. According to the report, “The shelter veterinarian determined the cat was shot. His injuries were too severe and he was euthanized.” Authorities later received a report about an apparently homeless cat who had been shot. According to the report, “Officers found the gravely injured cat and she was later euthanized. She was shot twice.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2021/Newport News, Virginia: WTKR.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died or was euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
January 2021/Louisa County, Virginia: CBS19News.com reported that a man had been “charged with torturing and maiming a cat” who had been allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the cat’s owner “says she was at home when she found two hunting dogs near where she lives. When she called the number on the dogs’ tags, the owner showed up. When asked if he had caught anything, the hunter and his companions allegedly … show[ed the cat’s owner] a photo on their phone of a dead cat. The cat belonged to the woman.” A preliminary hearing date was set. No additional information was available.
January 2021/Ephrata Township, Pennsylvania: PennLive.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found dead in a resident’s yard with a “carbon crossbow bolt arrow” through the body. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
January 2021/Sterling, Virginia: LoudounTimes.com reported that authorities had arrested and charged a man who had allegedly shot a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. According to the report, the animal had been shot “with a pellet gun, resulting in multiple injuries and fractures and eventually leading to the cat’s euthanasia.” No additional information was available.
January 2021/Quebec, Canada: DailyMail.co.uk reported that a homeless cat had been found in the snow pawing at a home’s window. The homeowner called an animal adoption group, and the cat was taken to a veterinary hospital. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that he suffered from “rotten teeth, frostbite, a bite wound (he was bleeding somewhere on his body), fleas, worms, [and] he had diabetes and [a] skin allergy. … His blood work was very bad and he had to stay hospitalised a few days so he could be stabilised.”
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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