Two cats were shot with a crossbow on Metiuslaan in Eindhoven last week. The first victim received an arrow in his stomach and had to undergo surgery, the other received an arrow in his head, just next to his eye. Eindhoven Veterinary Clinic calls on the shooter to report.
Two cats were shot at Metiuslaan (northwest of the center of Eindhoven), less than a hundred meters apart, says veterinarian Stijn Peters. The animal hospital posted a message on Instagram to warn people.
“But also in the hope that the perpetrator will not be shocked. If he is really a tough boy, he will come to the practice to pay for the expenses. In addition to all the suffering, it has also cost the owners a lot of money.”
The first cat got an arrow in its body last Sunday. The cat’s owner immediately pulled out the arrow in fright.
“Once in the practice, my colleague saw that the cat had a hole in its stomach. We decided to have a specialist take a look because anything could be going on inside. The specialist eventually showed that a piece of intestine was damaged.” A dangerous condition, according to Peters, from which the cat could also have died. The animal required surgery and is still recovering.
“It’s the first time for us to shoot a cat with a crossbow.”
The second victim arrived at the animal hospital on Saturday evening. The animal had a gunshot wound on its nose that also hit the skull and palate. “Fortunately, no eye or other structures were hit. The animal was mainly in a lot of pain and was shocked.” The vet cleaned the wound and examined everything, and the animal was able to go home with pain relief and antibiotics.
According to the vet, shooting at cats is not new. “We regularly see that cats come to us with, for example, rifle pellets in their bodies, and that they become paralyzed. But for us to be shot at a cat with a crossbow is the first time.”
“If you remove the arrow itself, you can do even more damage inside.”
Peters advises cat owners on Metiuslaan to keep the animals indoors for the time being. “I think it would be wise to be cautious.” He has no idea who could be on his conscience. “You don’t know what kind of people these are. Apparently there are people who enjoy shooting animals, without knowing what the consequences are.”
And if your animal is hit by a crossbow arrow of about ten centimeters in size, the doctor says it is better to leave the arrow in place and leave the removal to the vet. “If you remove the arrow itself, you can do even more damage inside. Often those arrows have barbs, which can cause more damage.”
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