Bend cat shot in the eye with pellet gun recovering
A stray cat who was shot in the eye with a pellet gun is now recovering at the Humane Society of Central Oregon in Bend.
Some people think the shooting may have been prompted by an opinion piece on stray cats that circulated around Central Oregon last month.
The cat was brought to the Humane Society fo Central Oregon a couple of weeks ago by a person who feeds stray cats.
“His eye was sort of bulging out, filled with blood, obviously not visual in that eye,” veterinarian Liz Gray said Thursday.
Gray said someone shot the cat, who the staff named Nick Fury, in the eye at close range. The pellet damaged his eye and skull.
“We knew we had to do something kind of quickly, at least to make him comfortable,” Gray said.
She said she could not save the eye but removed bone fragments and the pellet.
“He was very difficult to handle when he first came in,” Gray said. “And then, as soon as everything was put back together and the bone fragments were out, he became a really loving cat.”
They have found no owner for the cat, and there is no suspect in the shooting. Officials say an animal abuse case would be difficult to prosecute.
Oregon Deputy District Attorney Jake Kamins, who focuses on animal cruelty cases, told NewsChannel 21 that Oregon has one of the strictest animal abuse laws in the nation.
“If you’re doing something that isn’t a reasonable step to control the pest problem that you’re having, you may face criminal charges,” Kamins said.
In a local letter to the editor, written under the alias Daisy Ryders, the writer complained about cats in the yard and the owners who let their cats roam free.
Ryders wrote, “Get your trusty pellet gun and aim for the eyes. Cat owners, if you are worried about what may happen to your cat once it leaves your yard, you should be.”
Humane Society of Central Oregon Community Outreach Manager Lynne Ouchida said there are other ways to prevent cats from coming into your yard, without resorting to violence.
Ouchida recommended that neighbors talk to the cat owners about the issue or, for a stray cat, capturing it and bringing it to a local shelter.
Nick Furry is now an affectionate cat with a battle scar, and those who care for him hope to find him a safe and loving home.
If you’re interested in adopting Nick Furry, you can visit the Humane Society of Central Oregon.
