My heart aches for every stray feline who unfairly becomes subject to human cruelty. As if not having a loving home isn’t enough already!
The harrowing story I have for you today revolves around a stray cat so mistreated he had lost all trust in humans.
A compassionate woman who had been feeding him for two years noticed something alarming one day – a foreign object protruding from his head.
Unable to get close enough for a better look, she called a local animal rescue for help, sparking a days-long mission to save a deeply frightened and elusive cat.
What Happened To The Poor Stray?
The woman who called for help owned a restaurant where the stray cat came daily to eat. It was their little routine: She provided a bowl of food, and he came, hungry for more than just meals.
One day, however, he showed up injured. Initially, she thought he might have been in a scuffle with other stray cats. By the next day, he had lost an eye, and by the third day, she saw he had something sticking out of his head.
At first, she thought it was a twig, but upon closer inspection, she noticed it was far more dangerous than a piece of branch. It looked like someone had hammered a nail into the poor cat’s head.
Concerned for her feline friend, she alerted the rescue group.
When the rescue group arrived, they immediately got to work. They initially set two to three traps around the restaurant, but since the cat kept skillfully avoiding them, they knew they had to step up their game.
So, they set over 20 cat traps around the neighborhood where they knew the cat was roaming around. They also placed a couple of security cameras to monitor his movements.
They waited for days for the cat to enter one of the traps, but unfortunately, he was more elusive than they thought.
Anytime he would come to the restaurant, he would anxiously eat his food, glance at the traps and then swiftly walk away.
Fearing that his head injury would get infected, rescuers knew they had to change their tactics. So they came up with another plan, hoping it would be successful.
Were Rescuers Able To Catch Him?
Catching the cat with a net scoop was out of the question. Since the cat was too afraid and too fast, the rescuers knew he would bolt the moment he saw the net. That would not only mean failure but also risk him never returning to the restaurant.
The new plan they devised was to construct a large cat trap in front of the restaurant’s back door, covering the cat’s entire feeding area.
So, they rolled up their sleeves, got to work, and in a few days built the trap from scratch. After testing it a couple of times to ensure it worked, they placed it in the restaurant’s backyard.
All that was left to do was wait for the cat’s arrival.
The rescuers waited for over 10 hours for the cat’s arrival. It seemed like he sensed something was up, taking longer than usual to show up for dinner.
But eventually, he appeared. Exhausted but excited, everyone watched eagerly as he approached his food bowl, right under the cat trap they’d set up.
At first, the cat hesitated. As he started to retreat, the rescuers feared their efforts were wasted. But then, hope flickered back to life.
On one of the security cameras, they spotted another stray cat heading for the food beneath the trap. Seeing his dinner being snatched, the injured cat moved to reclaim it.
As he neared the bowl, the rescuers sprung the trap. With a mix of relief and emotion, they caught the cat with the nail in his head at last!
Tears of joy flowed, knowing he’d get the help he desperately needed. After calming him, they gently moved him to a carrier and rushed him to the vet.
It Wasn’t A Nail After All…
At the clinic, the vet confirmed the cat hadn’t suffered a complete skull fracture.
An X-ray that was necessary to plan for surgery revealed the shocking truth: The object lodged in his head was an arrowhead, not a nail. Someone literally shot the poor feline with an arrow.
The vet explained that the arrow had been shot from below, entering at an angle from his upper jaw towards his ear.
Removing the arrowhead’s wings posed a delicate challenge; one misstep could have fatal consequences for the cat. Fortunately, the surgery was a resounding success.
With everything proceeding smoothly, the cat was left to rest and recover.
They informed the rescuers that the cat was shot with a broadhead arrow, primarily used for hunting big game. This type of arrow is designed for accuracy and speed, ensuring a swift and humane kill.
The deliberate use of such a weapon indicated that the cat’s injury was no accident.
However, the cat wasn’t actually shot with the broadhead arrow, as that would have been fatal. Instead, the culprit likely used the arrowhead with a sling or similar device.
Although the shop could not provide information on the perpetrator, the rescuers reported the incident to the police, hoping for justice.
The case remains under investigation, with hopes high that the cruel individual will be caught and prevented from harming any more animals.
