A horrific act of violence left a pet cat paralyzed and a family in shock — now they are looking for answers.
The Rodriguez family, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, adopted their orange cat Timmy last year: he arrived on their doorstep as a stray and never left. The adventurous and loving cat quickly became a beloved family pet.
But on November 9, the 5-year-old cat’s life took a drastic turn. Timmy, an outdoor cat, went outside into the family’s backyard one morning, but over an hour later came back, dragging himself by his front paws.
Realizing their cat was injured, the family rushed him to the vet — and they were shocked by the diagnosis: Timmy had been paralyzed by a bullet.
“I was honestly so shocked when they’re like, ‘there’s a bullet in his spine,'” owner Kylie Rodriguez told ABC 7 Chicago. “I just don’t know how somebody could be so disgusting to an innocent animal… how could you do that?”
As of now, the culprit is still at large. Crystal Lake Police are reportedly investigating the situation but there have been no updates on any possible suspects. The shooting has left the family unnerved: “Our kids play back there, you know?” Rodriguez said. “And someone is shooting a gun?”
The injury has taken a major toll on Timmy, who is no longer his playful, adventurous self. “He’s not living his best life,” Rodriguez told WGN-TV. “He seems very sad and like kind of depressed and just frustrated.”
“Our family is devastated,” she told the Daily Herald. “He was the most adventurous, fun, silly kitty, full of so much love. I’ve never experienced a cat quite like Timmy.”
The family said they are planning to take Timmy to a neurologist to explore treatment options to help him regain his mobility. The family has also set up a GoFundMe account to cover his medical expenses, which has so far raised over $16,000.
“I am absolutely in awe of all of the EXTREMELY generous donations and heartfelt messages for Timmy!” Rodriguez wrote on the fundraising page. “The community has come together SO strong for Tim!”
In the most recent update, Rodriguez wrote that the suspect is still unidentified, but Timmy “seems to be improving every day.”
It’s horrifying that anyone would shoot a poor cat like this — we hope Timmy makes a recovery and the shooter is brought to justice 😢🙏
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