WEST COLUMBIA, Texas – Authorities are investigating after an innocent cat was found shot in the face with a bow and arrow at a Brazoria County apartment complex.
The calico feline was found on Nov. 1 at the Magnolia Manor Apartments on West Texaco Drive in West Columbia.
Officials say it’s unclear at this time who shot the cat at the apartment complex.
Susan Dancer, a certified animal cruelty investigator with Texas Blessings Rescue tells KPRC 2′s Corley Peel that there’s no excuse for hurting animals.
She was called to the scene by Animal Control, who told her the cat was on its way to be euthanized.
“It didn’t look like something that she could survive but she made it long enough for the blood to be dry and was still walking around the apartment complex,” Dancer said.
When asked if Dancer would be willing to take the chance to save her life, she replied, “Yes. Absolutely.”
Dancer took the cat to the Matagorda Vet Clinic where she underwent surgery. Her X-rays showed what she described as a miracle.
“It’s honestly a shock that she was alive and able to live with it and I feel like she had it in there for a few days,” said Dr. Lucy Pustejovsky of the Matagorda Vet Clinic. “Just the way the angle, the arrow went in that angle, it missed the actual bone portion of the skull.”
When asked if the cat had an owner, Dancer said she lived with a resident at the apartment complex, but she was not kept inside -- which is a violation of city ordinance in West Columbia.
Dancer said the cat’s owner surrendered her to the rescue.
The cat’s loud purrs, and her love to cuddle, showed good signs of recovery. The cat, who was once named Eloise, may take on a new name: Miracle.
“She’s still purring and breathing and purring fine, good appetite, and is ready to explore,” said Dr. Pustejovsky.
Veterinarians say it could be a few weeks before the cat fully recovers. She is currently not up for adoption at this time.
A reward of $1,500 is offered for information leading up to an arrest. Those with any information are asked to contact the West Columbia Police Department.
KPRC 2 spoke with the calico cat’s original owner. She did not wish to speak on camera, but said she hopes the shooter is held accountable
Psychological aspect of torturing cats, and why it’s considered a crime
Dancer said there were two cases within the last 90 days. In August, a different cat was hit with a blow dart about a mile away from where the calico cat was shot.
In 2015, a veterinarian went viral after posting a photo of her holding up a feral cat she shot with a bow and arrow.
In 2012, an orange tabby was shot with a bow and arrow in Houston.
“A torture type of abuse is very much an indicator crime, or can be an indicator crime of someone who has sociological or psychological issues,” she said. “Lack of compassion, Lack of empathy, and not understanding the type of pain that they caused.”
Dancer says animal abusers are known to commit other heinous crimes.
“It’s very common for people who abuse small animals to go on to be sexual assailants or other kinds of domestic crimes. Even many of the serial killers in United States history started with small animals,” she added. “It’s imperative to identify who did this and get them into the system and either help or incarcerated or whatever that might look like.”
The shooter who killed students and staff at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas was accused of torturing cats before the shooting.
Dancer added that the best way to keep cats safe from cruelty is to keep them indoors.