Last Wednesday morning, my beautiful Siamese cat had still not shown himself at the bowl in the kitchen. I was frustrated because although he had stayed out at night, he never stayed out two nights in a row.

When I got to work I called each of the veterinary clinics, but neither had any victims from automobiles or other injuries. They took my name and his description and said they’d keep an eye out for him. An hour went by and I couldn’t get him off my mind. I remembered him going down the back steps, sitting down and taking his back paws to pull off his collar and ID tags. He had a thing about running “naked’ in the neighborhood.

I called the Humane Society and heard the young women say they did have a cat answering his description. They thought he had been hit by a car.

He was brought out to me in a cage, unable to move. He responded weakly to my voice. They allowed me to take him to the local veterinarian. Out of the cage and on the exam table, he was cold. The vet could not find indications of cuts, bruising or broken bones. Combing through his fur he thought he found a tick. No. Maybe a cat bite. No, It looks like he’s been shot!

We have lived in our neighborhood for almost 30 years. Most of us have animals. We are all well-educated and everyone seems to be caring. It couldn’t be. Then that afternoon I received the call. He had been shot. The projectile lodged in his spine and he was paralyzed from his forelegs back. He needed to be put down.

Who could possibly do such a thing! Yes, I am still angry and hurt. Someone hurt this sweet, gentle, loving animal, then left him in the street. They couldn’t know he was terrified of cars and didn’t like to go near the road. The lady that found him said that every time a car went by he raised his head and tried to pull himself out of the road. My cat had been neutered, had his yearly physical, all his shots. He had been declawed. He had his monthly treatment for fleas and ticks and although he didn’t care for it, he had a bath regularly.

But it hurts even more because I let him go out without his collar. I thought he was safe. I made the decision to have him put down. I have asked the Humane Society to investigate who is shooting at defenseless creatures. I asked that they alert my neighbors to the fact that someone is causing harm to the weakest and most innocent members of our families. I reported the tragedy to our local police department. Someone has shot a lethal projectile less than 100 yards from a school. They have discharged a weapon inside the city limits. I was heartsick when the young officer told me, “If it was an air rifle or pellet gun there (is) nothing (we) could do.”

This week we have read about a man who killed himself and his wife. Young people have died and/or have been maimed in auto accidents. Massive storms have hit the mainland and people have lost their homes and lives. That’s the world.

In Tifton, Ga., one old woman’s cat was shot and injured so badly that it had to be put to sleep. That old woman hurts so badly that she can’t stop crying.

Thank you for listening.



J. P. Whiddon

Tifton