Cat Shot in the Head with an Arrow

The following is from an article about the incident by 3 News reporter Caitlin Smith.

A cat who was shot in the eye with an arrow last night is recovering surprisingly well after surgery at an Auckland vet clinic.

The young female cat was taken to the Maunkau After Hours Veterinary Clinic by her owners after she returned to their Howick home with the large metal arrow through her skull.

"This wee cat was brought in late last night with a fairly obvious injury to the right eye," says the clinic's veterinarian Dr Jess Beer.

"She crawled in the window onto the son's bed and landed there with an actual bolt from one of those arrows sticking right out of her eye. [It] was quite deeply imbedded."

Dr Beer says the cat was responsive when she was brought in and is recovering well from the surgery.

"The bolt came out with no major complications and fingers crossed, we are actually hoping that eye will be saved," says Dr Beer.

The cat will be monitored for 10 days at the clinic before deciding if a second surgery is required to remove the damaged eye.

Dr Beer believes the attack was deliberate and the clinic has contacted the SPCA.

"It was directly in her eye, someone was aiming for her head, so I can't imagine this being an accident.

"Unfortunately, there are some people who consider cats a nuisance and I would hate to think this is the outcome of those sorts of attitudes."

The Auckland SPCA will be conducting an investigation into the attack and are asking for anyone with information to come forward.

Chief executive Chris Kalin says she knows of two other similar attacks on cats in the area in the past few years.

The cat's owners were unable to pay for the vet bill, so the clinic performed the surgery free of charge.

"The owners unfortunately didn't have the funds and they had a fear something like this would happen again," says Dr Beer. "What Manukau [Clinic] offered was to take her in and rehome her once she had come through the surgery."

Dr Beer says she is a stunning looking cat with a beautiful nature and they will be able to find her the perfect home.

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/spca-investigating-cat-arrow-shooting-2015030416#ixzz3TOxkqINK