A cat found along King George Highway yesterday with
one eye gouged out and teeth missing was not mutilated in an act of animal
sacrifice, according to Surrey SPCA.
Shelter superintendent Garry Smith says the adult cat was hit by a car,
despite the contention of the resident who found it.
"It's just from skidding around," said Smith of the strange patches of fur
missing from the feline's left forepaw. "There's usually an explanation
for these things."
The striped cat had one eye gouged out, several teeth missing and a
rectangular patch of fur shaved from its inner paw. There was no other
apparent damage to the body.
Newton carpenter Can Taylor discovered the animal at King George and 80th
Avenue early Tuesday morning. He was walking his two dogs along the busy
highway when he saw a furry gray patch clumped in the grass.
Told of the SPCA's belief the cat was run over, Taylor stuck to his
original contention it was purposely mutilated.
"Its teeth were gone, its tongue was gone and there was no blood around at
all," said Taylor, 54. "Being hit by a car doesn't take its eye out or its
tongue out."
He added: "I don't agree with them - but that's just one man's opinion."
According to Surrey RCMP media liaison Mark Hepburn, animal mutilations
are a rare find. Often, people mistake coyote attacks for mutilation, he
said.
"I don't get alarmed about this until the SPCA calls us and says 'hey -
we've got a weird one."
About a week ago, a pet found in a South Surrey park was also thought to
have been mutilated. Its paws had been cleanly sliced off.
The SPCA believes it was killed by a coyote, its paws severed after death
by a lawnmower.
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