Cat recovering after being shot with arrow in Middletown

A female cat that was shot with an arrow is having surgery today at Monroe Family Pet Hospital, according to Meg Melampy, president of a Butler County animal rescue.

Melampy said she was notified by a Middletown resident that a cat — later named Arrow — was shot and needed to be rescued. Since the arrow was about 12 inches long, Melampy said the cat wouldn’t fit into a normal crate.

“We had to be creative,” said Melampy, president of Joseph’s Legacy.

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They set out a large dog crate with food and water on the resident’s back porch. The “semi feral” cat was captured Wednesday, then taken to the Monroe Family Pet Hospital, Melampy said.

Dr. Jennifer Smith was performing the surgery today and was hoping to close the wound, office staff said.

Melampy said after the wound expanded, the arrow felt out.

“It’s very infected,” she said of the wound. Melampy estimates the cat was shot about one week ago.

Too many times, she said, people leave behind their animals when they move.

Residents get “sick of the stray cats,” Melampy said.

“They’re out there walking around as free targets,” she said. “It’s sad. It’s not their fault.”

Anyone who abuses an animal “needs to get a life,” Melampy said.

“That’s just wrong. How do you think the animal feels when you do something like that?” she said.

Joseph’s Legacy is taking donations to cover the still unknown cost of Arrow’s care, Melampy said.

People can donate by calling Monroe Family Pet Hospital at 513-539-8737 or donate via PayPal at donate@josephslegacyrescue.org.

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