On August 13, residents of a community in Yuhang District, Hangzhou, discovered that a white tabby cat that had lived in the community for three years had been wounded by arrows, with nine arrows stuck in its body.
Photos provided by cat rescue volunteer Ms. Zhang show that the white raccoon dog had a total of nine arrows lodged in its head, chest, and back. X-rays also revealed a broken arrowhead remaining inside the cat, meaning it was hit by a total of ten arrows. Due to the severity of its injuries, the cat ultimately died despite attempts to save it.
Residents said the cat was gentle and affectionate, and they had it spayed/neutered and vaccinated, but they never expected it to be so cruel.
On the morning of the 14th, residents of the community found a female tortoiseshell cat, about two months old, with two arrows in its eye and rushed it to the hospital for emergency treatment. That afternoon, volunteers found a female adult black and white cat with an arrow in its tail and a cat that had been dead for several days in the community.
Ms. Zhang and other volunteers reported the case to the local police station, and the police retrieved the surveillance footage.
The arrow removed from the cat (Photo provided by the interviewee)
On August 14, staff at the hospital that treated the tabby cat told reporters that the cat was in very poor condition when it arrived at the hospital. The cat had been hit by 10 arrows (including internal arrowheads), and most seriously, one arrow pierced its nose and throat, while another pierced its lung. After about an hour and a half of resuscitation efforts, the cat was pronounced dead.
Staff at the veterinary hospital that treated the tortoiseshell and tuxedo cats told reporters that an arrow had pierced the tortoiseshell cat's body, rupturing its lung and putting it in critical condition. The veterinarian performed open-chest surgery, and the cat remains in the ICU. The tuxedo cat, whose tail was severed by an arrow, also underwent surgery.
On the 14th, reporters learned from the local police station that police officers were investigating and verifying the matter. According to Zhejiang Economic Television, the suspect has been taken into custody by the police.
Man approaches stray cat
Spraying unidentified liquid
Similar cat abuse incidents have also occurred recently in Xiamen.
On August 14, a man was caught on camera spraying an unidentified liquid at an orange and white cat with a plastic bottle.
A man sprays an unidentified liquid in a surveillance video (screenshot from the interviewee).
Staff at the veterinary hospital that treated the injured cat told reporters that the cat was in poor condition and lethargic when it arrived, with burns on its face. Doctors examined the cat and found it had kidney failure, liver damage, and very high levels of phosphorus in its blood. Around 9 PM on August 15th, the cat began convulsing; it was pronounced dead around 11 AM on August 16th.
According to volunteers, the cat originally had an owner, but the owner moved and the cat was abandoned at Ms. Liu's doorstep. Ms. Liu and her family built a small shelter for the cat, and it usually forages for food and roams freely in the neighborhood.
On the afternoon of August 14, Ms. Liu heard her cat screaming and went to check on it. She found the cat soaking wet and, assuming someone had splashed boiling water on it, wiped it clean. That same day, the hand Ms. Liu had touched the cat became red and swollen.
On August 16, Ms. Liu went to the hospital for treatment. The doctor said her hands may have been corroded by some kind of chemical substance. Ms. Liu's medical records show that two days prior, after her hands came into contact with an irritating liquid, she developed localized itching, redness, swelling, and oozing, which gradually worsened. Preliminary diagnosis: contact dermatitis, skin infection, and skin ulcers. On the afternoon of the 16th, Ms. Liu went to the police station to report the incident.
After Ms. Liu shared the surveillance footage with her neighbors, several residents said they had previously seen a suspicious man loitering in the area.
On the evening of the 16th, a reporter learned from staff at the local police station that after receiving reports from residents that a man had sprayed an unidentified liquid, causing injuries to people and animals, the police launched an investigation. The man involved is currently at the police station, and the specific circumstances are under investigation.
In response, many netizens expressed their outcry:
You don't have to love, but please don't hurt!
