OREGON – A cat is now luckily on the mend at the Oregon Humane Society in Portland after its mouth was reportedly injured by a firecracker at the end of June.
Keenan Harvey, who is executive director of the Humane Society of Cowlitz County, said Wednesday that the feline, which staff named Cinderella, was taken to Portland Tuesday because she required a feeding tube and also other care that couldn’t be provided in Cowlitz County.
Once Cinderella recovers, she will be available for adoption in Portland.
A local resident discovered Cinderella June 28 in a slough that adjoins the 200 block of 27th Avenue, Harvey stated. The cat had singe marks on her chin and a completely blackened mouth.
Harvey went on to explain that the veterinarian who initially treated Cinderella believes someone intentionally put a firework in her mouth. However, a veterinarian who works at the Oregon Humane Society — who saw the cat for the first time Tuesday, two weeks after she was injured — believes the cat is also suffering from an upper respiratory infection, said David Lytle, public affairs manager for Oregon Humane Society.
“Our vets looked at (the cat), and they saw an upper respiratory infection,” he stated. “They did not see evidence of (burns), but perhaps it healed by the time the animal was transferred to us.”
Lytle explained that those at the Oregon Humane Society are “very concerned” about the feline and believe she was abandoned and perhaps tortured.
“It’s a crime in Oregon to abandon an animal, and this was apparently a very sick animal that was abandoned, so we want information on who did this,” he went on to say.
Harvey said animal control officers are currently and actively investigating the incident. He said they now believe someone intentionally put a firework in Cinderella’s mouth, noting that she was found the same day fireworks could legally be set off in Washington.
“If nobody did it, then nobody’s going to come forward,” he stated. “It’s still going to be an investigation.”
Harvey said the humane society is now accepting donations to help pay for the cat’s $1,700 worth of medical costs. Any donations which exceed that amount will be set aside in an emergency medical fund to treat other animals who have also been abused.
In addition, Bud Clary Chevrolet is offering a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
