Kitten target of chemical attack, tossed around 'like a baseball'
The 2-month-old kitten was apparently the target of a chemical attack to its face and then tossed around like a baseball.
The kitten's struggling to live.
"(Three teenagers) were basically playing catch with her," said Eileen DeShazo, director of operations at Northwest Animal Companions in Garden City. "It's day to day."
NAC staff said a Good Samaritan apparently saw the teenagers messing with the stray kitten Thursday morning in Meridian, Idaho. That person took the cat from the teens and took it to a local emergency veterinarian clinic, which then transferred it to NAC headquarters.
The information they received about the attack was second-hand, but the injuries the cat received seem to confirm the story.
Talitha Neher, a volunteer veterinarian, says Raisin faces a long road ahead to recover, if it's even possible. She's not even sure the cat will survive the attack.
Because of the chemical damage to her face, Raisin is unable to open her eyes, is having difficulty breathing and is unable to eat. Workers are also worried about the possibility of scarring inside the esophagus and respiratory system.
"We want her to be able to pull through," Neher said. "But if she can't live a comfortable life then it just wouldn't be fair."
The little kitten received its name, because of her size and how she resembled a shriveled little raisin. On Friday, she sat in a little blanket and could be heard breathing with a wheeze.
"How could anyone do this to a helpless animal?" said Traci Ward, a veterinary technician, who's assisting in Raisin's care. "We'd like to see justice."
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Anyone with information about the kitten attack is asked to call Northwest Animal Companions. If the information leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspects, NAC is offering a $3,000 reward. Information: 429-6600 ext. 2