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.
Cases That Made the News Concerning Cats Left Outdoors to Suffer and Die in August 2023
Highland Springs, Virginia
WRIC.com reported that authorities had been called after a homeless cat was seen “acting abnormally.” The animal, who had evidently been contained and euthanized by authorities, tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Hollister, California
KSBW.com reported that two cats who were allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been mauled to death by three dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The attacks were reportedly captured on video surveillance footage. Another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision in the area had also been attacked but survived. The injuries sustained by the surviving cat were evidently so severe that the owner was left with a $14,000 veterinary bill for required care and treatment. Authorities were reportedly investigating.
Bamberg County, South Carolina
WRDW.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, one human was exposed to the virus through contact with the cat and had been referred to their medical provider for post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
Williamsburg County, South Carolina
CountOn2.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, one human was exposed to the virus through contact with the cat and had been referred to their medical provider for post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
Austin, Texas
FOX7Austin.com reported that X-rays revealed that an injured homeless cat who’d been found and taken to an animal adoption group had been shot. The bullet had reportedly shattered a bone in her leg, “but the wound had healed over with the bullet fragment still inside.” The damage was so severe that her leg had to be amputated. She was expected to survive. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Knox County, Kentucky
LEX18.com reported that a homeless cat who’d been fed by a resident had been tortured and killed by a man and a juvenile who’d videotaped the killing and posted it online. According to the report, “The video shows a cat caught in a trap. As one individual stabs the animal through the cage, another is filming and laughing.” An area resident reportedly identified the cat as one whom she’d fed and said that “many of the cats” she’d been feeding began “disappearing” in July. Both of the suspects were arrested and charged with cruelty-to-animals offenses.
Jefferson, Iowa
RaccoonValleyRadio.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found injured in a resident’s yard. Authorities were contacted, and a responding “officer determined the cat was severely injured and transported” the animal to a veterinary hospital “to be euthanized.” No additional information was available.
Portland, Oregon
The Messenger.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a dog and the dog’s apparent owner. The attack had been captured on video surveillance footage, which showed that the dog attacked the cat first. The dog’s owner was then seen dragging and “stomping” the cat. After the attack, the cat went missing and was presumed to have died. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Pleasantville, New Jersey
BreakingAC.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. Three people who had been exposed to the cat were receiving post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
High Point, North Carolina
Sports.Yahoo.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Johnsonville, South Carolina
WBTW.com reported that two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been exposed to rabies from an infected fox. Both cats would have to be quarantined in accordance with state law. No additional information was available.
Rome, New York
RomeSentinel.com reported that four apparently homeless kittens who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to the report, nine humans were exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
DL-Online.com reported that authorities had received a report from a resident who’d spotted a homeless cat at an intersection who “‘appeared’ to have rabies and was also malnourished and lethargic.” Responding officers were unable to locate the animal.
Palo Alto, Pennsylvania
News.Yahoo.com reported that a man had pleaded guilty to a summary offense of cruelty to animals after shooting a neighbor’s cat in June with a BB gun. The cat had allegedly escaped his or her home and roamed onto the neighbor’s property. Injuries caused by the projectile were so severe that the animal had to be euthanized. According to the report, the defendant was ordered to pay a fine, court costs, and $2,400 in restitution. He had reportedly admitted to the shooting and told investigators that “numerous cats run through his yard and that he should not have to put up with it.”
Dearborn, Michigan
ClickOnDetroit.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with an arrow through his body. According to the report, the arrow had been embedded for at least 24 hours before the cat was found. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the implement, which had collapsed both of the animal’s lungs, was removed and he was receiving treatment. Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to contact authorities, but no suspects were identified.
Opelika, Alabama
OpelikaObserver.com reported that a homeless cat who’d been “hanging around” a family’s property in Russell County had attacked the family’s dog. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital in Lee County, where he or she had died and tested positive for rabies. Fifteen people, including 11 members of the Lee County veterinary hospital and four members of the Russell County family, were exposed to the virus and required post-exposure treatment.
Ashburn, Virginia
WUSA9.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to authorities, at least five people had been exposed to the virus through contact with the animal, who had reportedly been “demonstrating abnormal aggression and experiencing tremors when [she] came into contact with the people” at a shopping center. The cat had reportedly been seen with three kittens. Authorities were searching the area for any surviving animals who may have been exposed to the virus.
Charlotte, Michigan
WLNS.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died after wandering into a neighbor’s yard and into a lethal body snare trap. Authorities were reportedly investigating and said that lethal traps were not permissible in the area. No additional information was available.
Foley, Alabama
WKRG.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 dog had also attacked another dog in the neighborhood and injured the animal’s guardian. Authorities reportedly spoke with the roaming dog’s owner and “said the court will decide if the dog will be put down or be declared a vicious animal. If declared vicious, there are some steps the dog owner will have to take.” No additional information was available.
Ithaca, New York
Ithaca.com reported that a resident had found a homeless kitten in July and had taken the animal to an animal adoption group. Five days later, the finder adopted the kitten, who began showing symptoms of rabies and had to be euthanized. Testing revealed that the kitten had been rabid. Authorities were asking the public for information about the animal because they believed that he or she “may have become infected by [his or her] mother and any other kittens of that litter may also carry the virus.”
McDuffie County, Georgia
WRDW.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a rabid raccoon. No additional information was available.
Tacoma, Washington
TacomaWeekly.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured. She was taken to an animal shelter, where it was found that she had a .22-caliber bullet “lodged in her chest, which severed a nerve and immobilized her front right limb.” Her leg would reportedly need to be amputated. According to the report, she was “the third cat to be brought to the shelter in need of urgent medical care due to a gunshot wound in the last five months.” The two other cats also received treatment, one for a “shattered” femur and the other for “irreparable damage to his eye.” Both of them also evidently survived. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
July 2023 Media Reports Exposing How Cats Outdoors Suffer and Die
Gardiner, Maine
CentralMaine.com reported that a homeless kitten who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Phoenix, Arizona
People.com reported that a homeless cat had been found in April “on the street suffering from severe burns caused by a fire.” A good Samaritan took her to an animal hospital, where it was found that she was suffering from “burned paw pads, ears, and nose, melted plastic covering parts of her body, and singed hair and whiskers.” She reportedly endured “dozens of medical procedures, including surgeries to remove damaged digits, sedation to clean and clip her burns, and daily bandage changes.” She was apparently expected to survive.
Lander, Wyoming
County10.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and “known to hunt rodents” was receiving veterinary care after becoming ill and testing positive for plague. No additional information was available.
Pensacola, Florida
WEARTV.com reported that a homeless cat who had evidently been sterilized, abandoned, and fed in a neighborhood “colony” of other homeless cats had been doused in gasoline and set on fire by “six or seven different kids,” according to a resident who saw video surveillance footage of the attack. One of the residents who had routinely fed the cat described her as “just the sweetest cat.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Mobile, Alabama
MyNBC15.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by two dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. The attack was captured on video surveillance footage. The cat eventually escaped from the dogs but hadn’t been seen since. The cat’s owner said that another cat whom his family had allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed the previous April by the same dogs, who belonged to a neighbor. Residents reportedly had recently found another cat dead and mutilated in the community. Authorities were notified.
Owings Mill, Maryland
CBSNews.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Newport News, Virginia
973Eagle.com reported that authorities with the city’s fire and animal control departments had rescued a homeless cat who had been injured and was seen huddled on the ledge of a highway overpass. The cat received veterinary care and was expected to survive.
Union County, North Carolina
QCNews.com reported that authorities said that a homeless cat had been “killed” after biting a man. Testing later revealed that the cat had been rabid. No additional information was available.
Oahu, Hawaii
KHON2.com reported that a pregnant homeless cat had been “found paralyzed … with a possible pellet bullet to her back.” A resident said that he found the cat when she dragged herself out of the bushes and across a road. He called an animal adoption group, which transported the cat to a veterinary hospital. No additional information was available.
Gilbert, South Carolina
ColaDaily.com reported that a couple of days after being taken in by a resident, a homeless kitten who’d been “found with a wound of unknown origin” had started to exhibit “neurological symptoms.” The kitten was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he or she was euthanized and later tested positive for rabies. “At least five people were exposed [to the virus] and have been referred to their healthcare providers,” according to the report. A companion cat was also exposed to the virus and would have to be quarantined in accordance with state law.
Dublin, Maryland
DailyVoice.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. According to authorities, other animals and humans might have been exposed to the virus through contact with the cat. No additional information was available.
Boulder City, Nevada
KTNV.com reported that a homeless kitten had become extremely ill about a week after being taken in by a family. The animal was transported to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that he or she was “in critical condition beyond treatment and was humanely euthanized.” According to the report, “an initial diagnosis was a suspected case of rabies.” The kitten’s remains were sent for testing, and the family was advised to start post-exposure rabies treatment. The report was updated to state that the animal’s remains had tested negative for rabies.
Sacramento, California
SacramentoCityExpress.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found “struggling to walk” at a park. He was taken to an animal adoption group and tested positive for feline infectious peritonitis, a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. He received months of treatment and was expected to survive.
Decatur, Illinois
WCIA.com reported that a resident said that a homeless cat had been found on her porch sick and covered with oil. “He was having a hard time breathing,” the woman said. “His tongue was constantly out of his mouth from it. It was bad.” He was taken to an animal shelter, where he was apparently provided with treatment. Authorities and company officials were alerted to a “possible vegetable oil leak” at a nearby processing complex.
Gilpin, Pennsylvania
TribLive.com reported that a cat who had escaped from his home had been found shot to death. Authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Canandaigua, New York
FLTimes.com reported that after biting two humans, a homeless cat had been captured, evidently was euthanized, and tested positive for rabies. The humans were undergoing post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
Athens, Alabama
WAAYTV.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found dead in a business parking lot. According to authorities, video surveillance footage had captured a man killing the animal “intentionally and in a violent manner.” During an interview with authorities, a suspect had reportedly “admitted to killing the kitten out of anger.” He was charged with cruelty to animals.
San Jose, California
KRON4.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked by a dog who was being walked on a leash. The attack was captured on video surveillance footage. The cat’s owner, who evidently saw or heard the attack and went outside, was also bitten by the dog as he worked to pry the cat out of the dog’s mouth. The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she was “suffering from internal bleeding and broken bones.” She was euthanized due to the extent of her injuries. Authorities were notified.
Georgetown, Kentucky
LEX18.com reported that authorities had identified two juveniles who had been captured on video surveillance footage “torturing and killing” a homeless cat who was described as a “neighborhood cat” by some local residents. Authorities reportedly planned to charge the juveniles with cruelty to animals. No additional information was available.
Morgantown, West Virginia
WDTV.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed in a “colony” of other homeless cats had exposed “some people, including veterinary staff members,” to rabies before he or she had died or been euthanized and tested positive for the virus. Authorities removed approximately 20 homeless cats who had likely been exposed to the virus from the area.
Oakland County, Michigan
Michigan.gov reported that a homeless kitten who had been found and taken to a veterinary hospital had tested positive for rabies. “After initially appearing healthy, a few days later, the kitten started to become lethargic, have a decreased appetite, and began vomiting, according to the report. “The kitten developed neurologic signs (including tremors, lack of coordination, and biting) and was humanely euthanized.” No additional information was available.
Lawrenceville, Georgia
Local3News.com reported that two residents had taken in an apparently homeless kitten, whom they took to a veterinary hospital, where he or she bit a worker and scratched them. Afterward, the people took the kitten home, where the animal was found dead the next day. Testing revealed that the kitten had been rabid. The residents required post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
Phoenix, Arizona
FOX5DC.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found injured inside the engine compartment of a vehicle after the car’s owner started the engine. Authorities were called and found the animal in extreme pain, with her paw caught in the vehicle’s engine belt. She was extricated and taken to a veterinary hospital, where she required “about a month of care” for a large cut on her leg. She had reportedly recovered.
Pueblo, Colorado
FOX21News.com reported that a homeless kitten had been found wedged in a fence before a severe rainstorm. A resident was able to extricate him and called authorities. It was unknown how long he’d been trapped in the fence, but he was apparently expected to survive.
Media Reports About Cats Outdoors Who Came to Harm in June 2023
Waterford, New Jersey
Patch.com reported that two residents had taken in a homeless cat who’d been found injured. The cat had reportedly been taken for “multiple veterinary visits” before he or she began exhibiting symptoms of rabies. The animal had evidently been euthanized and tested positive for the virus. Both residents were advised to seek post-exposure rabies treatment.
Oneida Charter Township, Michigan
WLNS.com reported that a homeless “sickly pregnant cat and kitten” had been found under a resident’s car. They were taken to an animal adoption group, but the resident said she was told that they had likely ingested something poisonous and wouldn’t have survived for long. Other residents said that additional homeless cats in the area had recently become sick and then disappeared and that pools of vomit had been found. According to the report, over the past several years, “[n]eighbors say they reached out to the township, animal control, Grand Ledge Police, [the] Eaton County Sheriff,” and a self-professed “cat rescue” for help with what they called “an infestation” of animals around a vacant property but had not received any assistance. No additional information was available.
Port Deposit, Maryland
CecilCountyHealth.org reported that a homeless cat had attacked two people. Authorities located the animal, who was apparently euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Worcester County, Maryland
WBOC.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Boston, Massachusetts
TurnTo10.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured in a dumpster. He was taken to an animal hospital, where a spokesperson said it had been determined that he’d sustained “one of the worst jaw fractures we’ve seen in a cat so young” and that an “eye was so badly damaged that it needed to be removed.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Bellingham, Washington
BellinghamHerald.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found shot to death. Her owner said she’d been found in tall grass with “a hole in her gut.” According to the report, another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision and belonged to the same owner had been shot four years earlier. Authorities weren’t notified, and no suspects were identified.
Cary, North Carolina
WRAL.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found “in pain under a truck” in the neighborhood. According to the report, his owner said, “We figured it was just another animal attack.” The cat was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that he’d been shot with a pellet gun. He was receiving treatment and reportedly “faces a long road to recovery.” It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Sitka, Alaska
KINYRadio.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot. According to the report, she “had been shot in the eye and the bullet did enter her skull.” She was apparently taken to a veterinary hospital and was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Stratford, Oklahoma
PaulsValleyDailyDemocrat.com reported that after authorities found 19 dead cats inside a woman’s apartment, officers stated in a report that area residents had claimed that the woman “‘would walk around town and grab any cat she could find. She would then deposit new cats inside the apartment’ …. To back up this claim there was a report coming from about a block from the apartments that cats were going missing or possibly stolen by someone.” The woman was charged with 19 counts of cruelty to animals.
Dauphin Island, Alabama
MyNBC15.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had returned home limping. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where X-rays revealed that the joint in his leg had been shattered by a pellet or bullet and that a fragment of the projectile remained embedded in it. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
Chesterfield County, Virginia
WRIC.com reported that a resident had said that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by an unspecified number of dogs, who were also roaming unsupervised. Authorities were notified.
Habersham County, Georgia
WSBTV.com reported that authorities had been called after an individual saw a homeless cat “acting aggressively.” They found the animal dead on a property where many homeless cats were fed at multiple “feeding stations.” Testing revealed that he or she had been rabid. The property owner reported having been bitten by the rabid cat two days earlier. Because all the unvaccinated cats at the property had potentially been exposed to the virus, authorities were capturing them for euthanasia. NowHaberhsam.com reported that approximately 30 homeless cats had been found “in various buildings and inside vehicles with closed windows” on the property.
Wake Forest, North Carolina
ABC11.com reported that a homeless cat had attacked a resident on her front porch. Authorities were called and contained the cat, who later died and tested positive for rabies. NewsObserver.com reported that “[f]our other neighbors were bitten or scratched on the leg, and one dog was also exposed to the feral cat. The five people began treatment for rabies exposure and the dog was given a rabies booster shot, according to a Wake County news release.” According to the report, the rabid cat was “believed to belong to a colony of other feral cats [who] are living behind a nearby grocery store.”
East Providence Township, Pennsylvania
WTAJ.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot “in the neck with a firearm or BB gun.” He or she was reportedly taken to a veterinary hospital, “where a projectile was found in the cat’s head.” The animal had to be euthanized because of the severity of the injuries sustained. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Lawrenceville, Georgia
11Alive.com reported that a homeless cat who had attacked a human had been captured by authorities. He or she was taken to an animal shelter and had evidently been euthanized before testing positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Citrus Heights, California
CBSNews.com reported that two homeless kittens had to be euthanized after they were found outdoors with severe injuries. One of the animals had been found on a resident’s doorstep crying after he or she had sustained “a severe hip injury, seemingly from being stomped on or hit onto the ground.” A neighbor found another kitten, likely from the same litter, “paralyzed with a severed spine and tail.” Both animals were taken to an animal adoption group, where they had to be euthanized because of the severity of their injuries. A doorbell camera captured footage of an individual leaving the kitten on the doorstep. That individual was reportedly “not suspected of any wrongdoing.” Authorities were investigating.
South Fallsburg, New York
HudsonValleyPost.com reported that “an undisclosed” number of people had been attacked by a homeless cat. The animal, who was later captured and euthanized by authorities, tested positive for rabies. The individuals who were exposed were receiving post-exposure treatment. No additional information was available.
Lee County, North Carolina
RantNC.com reported that Lee County authorities had announced that since April, two homeless cats who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Deep River, Connecticut
Courant.com reported that a cat who was described by his owner as “an outdoor cat [who] likes to visit local businesses throughout the day” had been found dead on the side of a road. According to the report, an investigation revealed that a worker at a business had driven the cat approximately 10 miles away and left him on the side of the road, where he’d evidently been hit by a car. The worker was reportedly “charged with cruelty to animals and sixth-degree larceny.”
Weyauwega, Wisconsin
WaupacaNow.com reported that county authorities had received a call from a resident who said that his cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, had been “shot in the jaw and he had to put his cat down. He had video of a vehicle involved.” No additional information was available.
San Antonio, Texas
MySanAntonio.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and decapitated. According to the report, residents in the area had also “been posting about finding severed cat heads in their yards.” Authorities were investigating but reportedly “believe it’s an animal-on-animal case, not a person who’s killing the cats.” No additional information was available.
Houston, Texas
ABC13.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by a pack of homeless dogs. The attack was captured on video surveillance footage. A resident in the neighborhood “said she had contacted the city at least 10 times since the [dog] pack first appeared in the family’s yard last summer” but had evidently not received assistance.
Troup County, Georgia
LaGrangeNews.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been bitten by a rabid fox. No additional information was available.
Lowell, Massachusetts
WCVB.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been “found on the streets” with one of her legs “fractured beyond the point of repair.” She was taken to an animal adoption group, and her leg was amputated. No additional information was available.
San Antonio, Texas
KSAT.com reported that residents in a neighborhood said that at least two cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been attacked and killed by two dogs, whom they witnessed being abandoned more than two weeks earlier. According to the report, “multiple calls” had been made to authorities about the dogs. A trap was eventually set, but the dogs had not been captured.
Nathalie, Virginia
YourGV.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had bitten a resident had died or been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. The resident was receiving post-exposure rabies treatment. Because a “colony” of homeless cats were possibly exposed to the painful, fatal virus, authorities were reportedly capturing and removing these animals, who had been sterilized and re-abandoned “next to a recycling and garbage collection center in the area.”
Dacula, Georgia
GwinnettDailyPost.com reported that a homeless cat who had attacked a human had evidently been euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Chesapeake, Virginia
WAVY.com reported that a homeless cat who was described as “distressed” had had “an encounter” with a resident of an apartment complex. The cat had later died or been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. Authorities reportedly also found another cat in the area, who was “seriously wounded.” He was also rescued and had to be euthanized because of the severity of the injuries that he’d sustained. According to the report, the rabid cat “had four kittens in the vicinity of the incident” and authorities were working to locate and confine them. No additional information was available.
San Antonio, Texas
News4SanAntonio.com reported that an injured homeless kitten had been heard “crying all night” after he’d become trapped in a storm drain. A nearby resident called authorities, who were able to rescue the animal. According to the report, when he was found, he had “been dehydrated and was suffering from a mouth injury.” He was taken to an animal shelter for veterinary treatment.
Gillespie County, Texas
JAMBroadcasting.com reported that a homeless cat who had scratched a human had died or been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Columbus, Montana
KULR8.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot to death with “a suspected pellet gun.” Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified. No additional information was available.
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
WIProud.com reported that an injured homeless cat had been taken to an animal adoption group. According to a public post by the group, she was then taken to a veterinary hospital, where an X-ray showed that she’d “been shot in the leg which shattered her bone.” Her leg was scheduled to be amputated. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were notified, but no suspects were identified.
Cases That Made the News Concerning Cats Left Outdoors to Suffer and Die in May 2023
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
FOX17.com reported that 17 extremely sick homeless kittens had been found. According to the report, they were taken to an animal adoption group “for treatment of serious upper respiratory infections that may result in some of them losing their eyes.” There were reportedly “as many as 45 cats/kittens” still roaming homeless in the area where the kittens had been found. No additional information was available.
Timmonsville, South Carolina
SCDHEC.gov reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had died or been euthanized and tested positive for rabies. According to the report, seven other cats, four humans, and a dog had been exposed to the virus, evidently through contact with the cat. The seven exposed cats were to be euthanized “at the owner’s discretion,” and the dog had to be quarantined. Health department officials said, “Stray and outdoor pet cats serve as a significant source for rabies exposure.” No additional information was available.
Eden, Maryland
WMDT.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Ayden, North Carolina
QCNews.com reported that a homeless cat had been found with a fractured jaw, leaving her unable to eat or drink. She may have been kicked or hit by a car. She was taken to a veterinary hospital, which evidently referred her to a specialist. She was reportedly being “fed through a nasal-gastric tube” while awaiting costly needed treatment. WNCT.com later reported that the cat had died.
San Antonio, Texas
ExpressNews.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and mutilated. Her owner had reportedly posted on a neighborhood social media site that the cat had been “found decapitated and with her front legs cut off.” Another individual posted that he or she had found another cat dead, apparently in the same area. Authorities were reportedly notified, but no suspects were identified.
Leetonia, Ohio
WFMJ.com reported that a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found with “a high impact bolt from a hand-held crossbow” sticking out of her face. According to the report, “The approximately 4-inch bolt went through the cat’s nose, into the mouth palate and through the cat’s mouth and out beside [her] jaw.” She was taken to a veterinary hospital, where the bolt was removed and she received treatment. She was expected to survive. Authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Wheeling, West Virginia
TheIntelligencer.net reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been hit by a car, resulting in injuries. A good Samaritan reportedly took her to an animal hospital, where she was receiving treatment. No additional information was available.
Charlotte, Michigan
WLNS.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found dragging himself through a field. A good Samaritan who spotted him said that he’d been “on his elbows. [He] wasn’t using his feet at all, or his wrists. I picked the cat up; [he] obviously couldn’t walk on [his] paws. They were swollen; they looked injured.” He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was found that he’d been shot and that bird shot remained in both of his broken paws. He was mercifully euthanized. Anyone with information was asked to call authorities. No suspects were identified.
Sherwood, Arkansas
KARK.com reported that a spokesperson for an animal adoption group said that it had recently received calls asking for help for two homeless cats who had been shot, one in Conway and one in Jacksonville. She said that “the first cat was an adult.” She continued, “[W]e picked over 50 buck shots off of the cat’s fur. We went straight to the vet and the cat had been shot in the back end. The second one happened a few days later[.] [He or she] was a 12-ounce kitten [who] was shot in the front leg area.” Both animals died from the injuries they’d sustained. The spokesperson said that cases of cruelty to cats are common, particularly “in areas outside of city limits where there is no shelter.”
Palmetto, Florida
SNNTV.com reported that a homeless cat had bitten two humans before he or she had died or been euthanized and had tested positive for rabies. The two people who were bitten were reportedly “under medical care.” No additional information was available.
Columbia, South Carolina
WACH.com reported that three cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been exposed to rabies, evidently through contact with an infected raccoon. According to the report, all three cats had to be quarantined in accordance with state law. No additional information was available
West Valley City, Utah
ABC4.com reported that a homeless cat who had been fed by a resident had been found with “a large wound to his right rear flank that required internal and external stitches. He also suffered a large laceration to his right inner thigh and completely lost one of his claws.” He received veterinary treatment and was expected to survive. It wasn’t known how he’d been injured, but authorities were investigating.
Colona, Illinois
WQAD.com reported that four cats who were homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot in a mobile home park. Two of the animals had been found dead, a third had been found partially paralyzed, and the fourth had been found injured. According to the report, the two who were found alive had been “taken to a local veterinary clinic where after several attempts to save their lives, they died.” Authorities were reportedly “asking anyone with information to contact them.” No suspects were identified.
Fair Oaks, California
ABC10.com reported that authorities were investigating after receiving information that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been found dead and skinned in a neighborhood. A resident also shared surveillance footage that showed an individual on her property late at night “carrying a flashlight while crouching down to seemingly try and catch” another cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision. No suspects were identified.
Lake Charles, Louisiana
KPLCTV.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 cats’ owner said she had been awakened in the morning, evidently by the sounds of the attack, and went outside to find the cats’ dead bodies. Authorities were notified. They captured one of the dogs and were working to find the second one.
Escondido, California
FOX5SanDiego.com reported that a truck driver said he’d heard a kitten crying when he stopped at a stop sign. When he returned home, he found an apparently homeless kitten “with her jaw stuck tightly in a hole of the frame of the vehicle.” Authorities were called, and the animal was sedated and extricated. According to the report, the kitten was taken to an animal adoption group, where she was “given pain medication, fluids, [and] antibiotics.” She was expected to survive.
Marlboro County, South Carolina
ABCColumbia.com reported that an apparently homeless kitten had been found with his head stuck in an empty soup can. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where he was being treated for cuts that he’d sustained. He was expected to survive.
Denton, Maryland
StarDem.com reported that a homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. A human had been exposed to the virus, evidently through contact with the animal. According to the report, “There are known to be other feral cats in this area, and it is possible that other rabid animals are present.” No additional information was available.
Mahoning County, Ohio
TheCCMOnline.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had died or been euthanized had tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
WTAJ.com reported that the owner of a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision said that he or she had been missing for two days before a neighbor found the animal dead in his driveway with a blow dart stuck in his or her neck. According to the report, a suspect who was questioned by authorities told them that “the cat would relieve [him- or herself] under his porch and get into his trash bags” and that “he shot the blow dart at the cat so [the animal] would run away but claimed he didn’t think he would hit [the cat], according to the criminal complaint.” He was charged with cruelty to animals, among other charges.
Broad Top Township, Pennsylvania
WJACTV.com reported that a man was facing cruelty-to-animals charges after another man claimed that he’d witnessed the suspect shooting a cat, who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision, the previous December. According to the report, “Investigators say no signs of blood were found near where the cat was shot, but the animal was later found dead on the [cat owner’s] property and a pellet was removed from [his or her] fur.” No additional information was available.
Ogle County, Illinois
WIFR.com reported that the owner of a cat who was allowed to roam outdoors without supervision claimed that he’d gone missing after a neighbor allegedly told her that he’d trapped the animal and abandoned him approximately 6 miles from her home. She said the neighbor drove her to the area where he’d left the cat but that she’d been unable to find him. No additional information was available.
Humboldt, Iowa
KCCI.com reported that a homeless cat had been found badly injured. He was taken to an animal adoption group, where a spokesperson said that a veterinary examination, including an X-ray, had found “more than 30 pellets” in the animal’s head and legs. The spokesperson said that the cat had “also suffered from an injury to his head, an infected toe, and a pupil was blown.” The group had evidently been fundraising for his much-needed care when he died, apparently unaided. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating, but no suspects were identified.
Charleston, West Virginia
WBOY.com reported that a homeless mother cat and a kitten had died in a fire in an abandoned building. Responding firefighters rescued two surviving kittens, one of whom was transported to an animal hospital and remained under treatment for injuries. The other surviving kitten was reportedly adopted by a first responder.
Lubbock, Texas
KKAM.com reported that a cat who was homeless or allowed to roam outdoors without supervision had been shot with an arrow, according to a post on a neighborhood social media site. According to the report, the post said that the cat had been “shot in her back left leg. She tried to escape under a garage door but was stuck due to the arrow in her leg.” No additional information was available.
Taneytown, Maryland
CarrollCountyObserver.com reported that an apparently homeless cat who had been observed “acting strangely” had died or been euthanized and tested positive for rabies. No additional information was available.
Fresno, California
KMPH.com reported that an apparently homeless cat had been found badly injured with infected wounds that were infested with maggots. He was taken to an animal adoption group, which reportedly said that he was in such bad shape that he “may not be able to walk again.” He was said to be receiving veterinary care. It wasn’t known how he’d been injured. No additional information was available.
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 Media Reports Exposing How Cats Outdoors Suffer and Die
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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 Media Reports Exposing How Cats Outdoors Suffer and Die
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Media Reports Exposing How Cats Outdoors Suffer and Die
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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