Cat in Perris survives after being found with arrow shot through it

A cat in Perris, California has miraculously survived after having an arrow shot through his body.

A Perris animal control officer brought the two-year-old male cat to an animal shelter on Friday morning after finding him with an arrow stuck in his body.

Staff at a San Jacinto animal shelter in Riverside County was able to perform an emergency operation to anesthetize the cat and safely remove the arrow.

The X-Ray image released by the Riverside County Animal Services shows a cat pierced by an arrow after it was found by a Perris animal control officer

A Perris animal control officer brought the two-year-old male cat to an animal shelter on Friday morning after finding him with an arrow stuck in his body. Staff at a San Jacinto animal shelter in Riverside County was able to perform an emergency operation to safely remove the arrow

Video footage released by the shelter shows the injured male tabby in an alert state, meowing and obviously suffering. He is also seen bleeding from the arrow wound.

‘He was alert, vocal and in pain,’ said Dr Sara Strongin, who performed the surgery at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus. 

‘The arrow entered in his left shoulder and traveled through his muscles and exited in his lower chest area, near his sternum,’ she said. 

Had the arrow entered his chest cavity, the animal would have been in much more distress, she added. 

The cat’s left, front leg is fractured above his elbow. It will need to be surgically repaired by an orthopedic surgeon or, possibly, amputated.

At the same time, the team would be on the lookout for any internal damage that the vets couldn’t spot on the initial X-ray. 

Dr Sara Strongin and her team anesthetized the cat and safely removed the arrow. She said she and her colleagues are cautiously optimistic the cat might make a recovery

Dr Sara Strongin and her team anesthetized the cat and safely removed the arrow. She said she and her colleagues are cautiously optimistic the cat might make a recovery

The cat was prescribed pain medications and antibiotics after the emergency surgery.

The cat was prescribed pain medications and antibiotics after the emergency surgery.

The arrow entered in the two-year-old cat’s left shoulder and traveled through his muscles and exited in his lower chest area, near his sternum, according to Dr Strongin

‘The majority of the trauma is the left front leg, as evidenced by the fracture,’ Dr Strongin said. ‘But, still, we cannot rule out any potential internal injury.’

She said she and her colleagues are cautiously optimistic the cat might make a recovery. He was prescribed pain medications and antibiotics. 

‘I think he’s extremely lucky that the arrow did not do more damage,’ she said. 

‘It will be very satisfying and rewarding if he goes on to live a happy, healthy life in a new home.’

Perris Animal Control officers are uncertain who shot the cat, but they welcome any tips or information that could result in an animal cruelty investigation and prosecution. 

‘We will assist our counterparts in Perris in any way we can to see that the cruel person who did this is held accountable,’ said Riverside County Animal Services’ Frank Corvino, who oversees the field services division and shelter services.

‘It’s a heinous act when someone purposely harms any animal causing serious – and sometimes – fatal injuries.’ 

The phone number for Perris Animal Control is 951-657-4134 for anyone with information.  



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk