NEWS AND COMMENT: The story comes from Kirchseeon, Upper Bavaria, Germany. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a minor story in terms of the amount of animal abuse that is meted out to companion animals on the planet. However, I thought it would be useful to dig around a bit on a German website to see what sort of cat stories they have. And unsurprisingly a story about cat abuse pops up. I say ‘unsurprisingly’ because news media seem to be attracted to cat abuse stories and less so to more positive cat stories.
It concerns a tabby cat whose name is Yoshi. He lives with Denise Weninger (22) who has a partner, I believe. Yoshi was an indoor/outdoor cat but after this incident he will be on a leash when he goes outside.
Normally Yoshi is a confident cat but one day he was totally scared, running through Denise’s apartment hissing. He had clearly been shaken up by what had happened to him because any small noise or disturbance startled him. Yoshi had worked at an old people’s home as a therapy cat, comforting the patients and therefore he has an excellent temperament.
Denise noticed a terrible smell. She said that “Yoshi smelled terrible; strongly of chemicals”. His eyes and his coat were sticky and Denise and her partner decided that he had been the victim of a nasty glue attack. Denise was surprised and perhaps shocked because she lives on decent estate with apparently low or no crime.
The veterinarian who treated Yoshi said that he had been the victim of abuse and a chemical substance presumably not yet identified had been stuck around one of his eyes. His cornea was damaged. They were worried that he would lose his eyesight. After a series of treatments including antibiotics, pain relievers and eyedrops he appears to be improving. His eye has been saved but he has not yet recovered his confidence.
Denise said “I don’t have a great feeling about it. We have no choice but to continue to believe in what is good.”
The police inspection in Ebersberg is investigating animal cruelty and is looking for witnesses (08092/82680).
P.S. Worldwide there are people inclined to abuse animals. The outside cat is a prime and ready candidate for these deviant people. Change is afoot: more cats will be kept inside all the time. The question is: will their environment be stimulating enough?
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